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+--- Thread: Tag axle wheel bearings (/showthread.php?tid=10394)
Tag axle wheel bearings - mikkhh - 11-13-2025
"Wheel bearing got little noisy"
The driver says how he checks every day if bearings are getting warm, and even lifts tag axle weekly to check if bearing spins freely and there is no play.
Looking at the picture tells another story.
[attachment=10080]
RE: Tag axle wheel bearings - Rawze - 11-13-2025
Someone can stare at stuffs all they want to,.. but if they never grease them,.. the result is that picture you have there.
RE: Tag axle wheel bearings - mikkhh - 11-13-2025
There have been similar incidents with company trucks before, the drivers are not complaining for some reasons about faults and usually things are found when truck shows up for an oil change or somebody else happens to drive it. The owner of this truck just wants to change wheel bearing on only this one wheel, in my opinion other FIVE need at least looking at, I would replace them all, since there are intermittent abs sensor faults too (after replacing sensors, that were visibly worn through at the tip) and it makes sense to verify condition or even better replace abs tone rings.
On this same truck head gasket appears to leak externally. Probably dropped liners. It has got around 550 000 miles on it.
First time I did an oil change on this truck couple of years ago I cleaned out the oil centrifuge.
Top nut o-ring disintegrated between my hands, truck was 15 years old then. Maybe the guys who fix that brand truck have no idea that oil centrifuges exist on that brand for like at least fourty years on them already and they are supposed to be cleaned every oil change.
[attachment=10081]
Oil centrifuge O-ring was misplaced and centrifuge did not work!
[attachment=10082]
Common sloppy work present almost everywhere nowadays.
I have heard that even steer tires have fell off too in the past due to bearing failures, drivers keep saying, that they did not feel anything wrong until wheel fell off. How is that even possible, there has to be vibrations or something that you must feel, since those tires and wheels are very heavy. Bearing falling off is consequence of very very very severe neglect.
RE: Tag axle wheel bearings - marek4792 - 11-13-2025
Usually the earliest sign of bearing end-play being loose is tire wear and then the subsequent vibration. Especially if you're pulling someone else's trailer and they only band-aiding it with new tires masking it instead of checking them yearly. 5 minutes with a jack and a tire iron per wheel end and you'll know right away, yet it's one of the most neglected parts and it has killed people... One can only retorque bearings so many times before replacing if the rollers aren't chewed up.
RE: Tag axle wheel bearings - mikkhh - 11-13-2025
Forgot to mention that those bearings failed on truck, not the trailer.
Trucks is 6x2 axle configuration with front steer axle, rear drive axle (total four tires) and rear steered tag axle. There can be trailer hooked up, but has not been to this truck for many many years. It is tail lift curtain tent truck used for day deliveries. Scania R series from year 2007.
RE: Tag axle wheel bearings - marek4792 - 11-13-2025
I figured by your original post, but it seems today's driver and fly by night outfit sadly doesn't give a damn when it comes to condition of their equipment. Especially out west here in the states, I know a dot inspector out there who has a 100+ page thread on another forum pre facebook days of the stuff he's shut down that a simple walk around would've spotted, now its 100 fold.. That wheel looks like a wrong push and the whole thing would fall off..
RE: Tag axle wheel bearings - mikkhh - 11-13-2025
Two years ago I had in plans to buy five year old 25t tracked excavator and tri axle tractor + heavy haul trailer and also tipper trailer. Well I looked at quite a few trucks that were 5 years old, 10 years old, 15 years old, that had tri axles and and hydraulics fitted for trailer. Tri axle trucks are really common in Scandinavia, but there are harsh winters and lots of road salt used. As of today I have not bought big excavator or semi truck. Last year there was one well priced 10 year old excavator for sale, that dealership highly reccomended to steer clear of, there is reason behind the cheap price on excavators. Machine looked way good to be true, no big dents, no worn tracks, no hydraulic leaks. Maybe hydraulic pump has failed and it was just fixed up just to pass problems to somebody else.
Well 15 year old trucks I looked at were complete utter scrap metal, well they started and ran, somebody even used (or still uses) them daily to make money. But all the issues - enormous oil leaks, rust attacking (back of the cab had so big holes you could fit your hand through). They still had valid yearly inspection on them, somehow. PARTS ONLY in my opinion, some of the electronics there was fine and probably worth something, engines were rebuildable cores too.
[attachment=10083]
[attachment=10084]
[attachment=10085]
10 year old trucks most of them had some issues popping up, but repairs were done super cheap, retreaded drive tires were really common. Probably the reason for selling was hidden engine issue (liners dropped) or some other expensive issue meaning that truck is financially totalled if you pay somebody to have it fixed properly, but if gotten for cheap enough price it could be fixed up DIY and it would make sense to buy it IF you do not count time spent fixing.
Pictured is a jump start socket "repair". That jump start pole has LIVE power to it all the times.
[attachment=10086]
5 year old trucks seemed to be the only option that could head straight into work without major overhauls needed. Usually retread tires were not found on them, but here I have yet to see somebody to put big name brand tires on drive axles. Price wise that looks like the sweet spot since they cost 1/3 the price of a new truck, BUT most likely they are just passed on before they need tires or clutch, those can cost easily 10k if you use good brand tires and original clutch + actuator (if it is automatic, like the majority of trucks around here).