Harbor Freight - trailer bearing seals? | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Harbor Freight - trailer bearing seals?

Forum Sponsor
Picked up the axle today. All I can say is that the Harbor Freight axle looks like a tiny cheap little stick next to the new one! Dave at General Axle is a really nice fella, answered all my questions. He asked for $80, but I gave him $100. That's for everything: 2000lb axle, hubs, bearings, even properly greased with the heavy duty green stuff. The hubs have some different kinds of caps at the ends---you open and there's the nipple for the grease gun when I wanna grease them. I'm very very very satisfied! Totally worth it, even with the fact I drove to there all the way from Hamilton 2 times, also taking the 407etr. My trailer will be good to roll after my lunch break (I work from home today :))
 
Corsara said:
Picked up the axle today. All I can say is that the Harbor Freight axle looks like a tiny cheap little stick next to the new one! Dave at General Axle is a really nice fella, answered all my questions. He asked for $80, but I gave him $100. That's for everything: 2000lb axle, hubs, bearings, even properly greased with the heavy duty green stuff. The hubs have some different kinds of caps at the ends---you open and there's the nipple for the grease gun when I wanna grease them. I'm very very very satisfied! Totally worth it, even with the fact I drove to there all the way from Hamilton 2 times, also taking the 407etr. My trailer will be good to roll after my lunch break (I work from home today :))
Click to expand...

I might just get an axle from him now, just put together a HF trailer and the axle looks like ****.
 
By the way, in case interested, I found out what the axle from General Axle came with: it's called E-Z Lube, here's how it works: http://www.cerka.ca/catalog/EZLUBE.asp

EZLUBE_line.jpg
 
There is definitely some great info in this thread.

Anyone looking into purchasing the HF trailers should be aware that the replacement parts are not readily available locally and a new axle/hub should be factored into the initial cost IMO.
 
Last edited:
I scored set of 12 bearings for HF trailer. That is, as far as I know those are the ones they use.
Details http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271209561475

I will keep 6 as replacement set and two spares and if anyone else wants 6 I will let them go for 30$.
That is exactely half of what I paid and half of what HF would want.
I think those are high quality ones that are better than HF set.

Cheers!
 
Anyone happen to know what caps are used on the stock HF axle? Looking to get some of those spring loaded grease caps, saw that one member used 1.98" but those are too small.
 
JoeRider said:
There is definitely some great info in this thread.

Anyone looking into purchasing the HF trailers should be aware that the replacement parts are not readily available locally and a new axle/hub should be factored into the initial cost IMO.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice .I was going to go down and pick one up.
 
I got my seals from Steve today!

Thanks Steve!
 
Corsara said:
Well, decided that dealing with non-standard parts is not to my liking, so I just dropped off my axle at General Axle, new axel with hubs will be ready tomorrow AM :) Thanks for the recommendation!
Click to expand...

I picked up a HF trailer # 90154 (1200lbs folding) last night at the new Harbor Freight location in Niagara Falls, NY. Hoping to start putting it together tonight, and use it for a trip next week.

I called General today to see if he still needed the original brought in or if he could go with the measurements from yours Corsara. He says he wants the original still... Also he is only open Monday through Friday, so I'm probably not gonna make it there for a bit since I work those days.

Hopefully the stock axle/hubs will suffice for my first trip!
 
plutoz said:
I picked up a HF trailer # 90154 (1200lbs folding) last night at the new Harbor Freight location in Niagara Falls, NY. Hoping to start putting it together tonight, and use it for a trip next week.

I called General today to see if he still needed the original brought in or if he could go with the measurements from yours Corsara. He says he wants the original still... Also he is only open Monday through Friday, so I'm probably not gonna make it there for a bit since I work those days.

Hopefully the stock axle/hubs will suffice for my first trip!
Click to expand...

How much did the trailer cost?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
plutoz said:
Hopefully the stock axle/hubs will suffice for my first trip!
Click to expand...

I have used the stock stuff for years (coming up on 5 years now) without major problems (grease zerk broke off and ejected most of the grease, but it was easily replaced). As others have said, clean the bearings to remove the vaseline crap they ship with and repack with proper grease before you use the trailer. I've probably been close to the max weight a few times and I've done 300 km at highway speeds while loaded and the hubs were warm, but not hot.

The biggest problem with mine is the piece of angle iron that supports the casters (for rolling around while folded) is not up to the job and twists a lot making rolling around the driveway/garage difficult (also not helped by the casters basically shedding plastic as they roll).

All that being said, it is harbor freight crap, I would definitely consider the new axle for $100 if I planned on doing many long trips with it.
 
GreyGhost said:
As others have said, clean the bearings to remove the vaseline crap they ship with and repack with proper grease before you use the trailer.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how you / others cleaned and repacked the *inner* bearings on each hub. Part of me is wondering how many don't even realize there *is* an inner bearing.

I did the best job I could with a paint brush and some solvent and packed it by reaching through the hub with my finger. It seems to have held up for my journey this past week to the Finger Lakes of NY.

See my post in this thread about ordering new seals.
 
Why are you guys going through these bearings?

My trailer had over 15-20k on it before I sold it. The bearings were still fine.

Took them apart / cleaned and re greased every year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom