Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyboyTR
Brakes are useless and the left hub is running a bit warm. The bearing dust covers look like they were beat to an oblong shape with a sledge hammer and the rubber end plug has been replaced with black electrical tape (Although...I did pull it over 500 miles yesterday and kept checking the warm hub about every 50 miles...so the nut tension probably just needs to be backed off...but I will be inspecting bearings and races). Sigh...
So first things first is to sort out the shell adjustment.
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Interesting challenges, and some fun work.
In my experience, the running gear fixes should be first on your list.
Are there grease splats on the wheels? This is an indication of leaking bearing dust covers. Bearing caps and rubber plugs can be found at many auto supply stores, a few hardware stores, and even a few Walmarts. If these are not handy, Amazon can serve 'em up in a day or two. Yes, inspect bearings and races, as well as nut tension. I assume you have a grease gun, and a couple tubes of the NLGI-2 grease specified by Dexter Axle, the manufacturer. After you have confirmed that the current bearings and races are good, it's not a bad idea to get a spare set and keep them tucked away. They are not expensive, and a bearing failure on the road can be nasty if you don't have spares.
When you say the brakes are useless, what do you mean? Start by making sure that the magnets are receiving electrical power, of course. Assuming they are, it is easy to remove and replace the hubs so you can take a look at shoes and drums. TMs come equipped with manual brake adjusters, so it may need a simple adjustment. Many of us have replaced the OEM manual brakes with self-adjusters. These are surprisingly inexpensive at eTrailer.com, and a snap to mount.
Bill