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Hi everyone,
This is more of a comment on what I found with my Calkins 1974 trailer, in case it helps anyone, or if someone knows a better way to make repairs. I noticed my tires were cracking and dry rotting on the side walls, so I decided to replace them, rims and all. What I didn't know was that the lug nuts were frozen on the rims, one tire was frozen on the hub, and the bearings were frozen on the axle. What I did was spray Free All penetrating oil in the lugs for 3 evenings, and the lug nuts broke free. I didn't want to heat the bolts because I was worried about damaging the bearings. Turns out the front bearing was frozen on the axle anyway, and I had to break it to get it out, and then replace it. Cleaned out the Bearing Buddies as well. Put on the new tire and rim, which was very close to the fender, so I had to hack-saw the bolts to remove the fender (just could not remove the bolts and nuts), buy longer bolts and add a one inch long metal collar so the tire centered correctly. Next side, removed the lug nuts, but the tire would not come off the hub. Sprayed the rim and hub with Free All, and waited for a day. Pulled the hub and tire together off the axle, removed the lug nuts, and had to hammer the hub off the rim (with a wooden block on the hub). Replaced the bearings, greased them up, and put it back on the axle with the new rim and tire. Had to correct the fender as well on this side as well, again by hack-sawing off the bolts. But now I have a very easy rolling trailer, and the tire system acts like new. My guess is everything may have been original to the trailer.
What have I learned? Check, remove, and repack the tires, bearings, and fenders every year! Really am hoping not to have the same experience later down the line. I think I'm going to be sore for a while...
This is more of a comment on what I found with my Calkins 1974 trailer, in case it helps anyone, or if someone knows a better way to make repairs. I noticed my tires were cracking and dry rotting on the side walls, so I decided to replace them, rims and all. What I didn't know was that the lug nuts were frozen on the rims, one tire was frozen on the hub, and the bearings were frozen on the axle. What I did was spray Free All penetrating oil in the lugs for 3 evenings, and the lug nuts broke free. I didn't want to heat the bolts because I was worried about damaging the bearings. Turns out the front bearing was frozen on the axle anyway, and I had to break it to get it out, and then replace it. Cleaned out the Bearing Buddies as well. Put on the new tire and rim, which was very close to the fender, so I had to hack-saw the bolts to remove the fender (just could not remove the bolts and nuts), buy longer bolts and add a one inch long metal collar so the tire centered correctly. Next side, removed the lug nuts, but the tire would not come off the hub. Sprayed the rim and hub with Free All, and waited for a day. Pulled the hub and tire together off the axle, removed the lug nuts, and had to hammer the hub off the rim (with a wooden block on the hub). Replaced the bearings, greased them up, and put it back on the axle with the new rim and tire. Had to correct the fender as well on this side as well, again by hack-sawing off the bolts. But now I have a very easy rolling trailer, and the tire system acts like new. My guess is everything may have been original to the trailer.
What have I learned? Check, remove, and repack the tires, bearings, and fenders every year! Really am hoping not to have the same experience later down the line. I think I'm going to be sore for a while...
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