trailer bearings leak - castle nut stuck (why?)

[R18]

trailer bearings leak - castle nut stuck (why?)

My boat trailer leaf springs rusted so DIY replacing them. My trailer bearings was spilling grease into my wheel well. so time to replace. But, the castle nut stuck. It is supposed to be free but it won't turn loose. It does not have a tang tongue washer behind it, so it is just unscrew conter-clockwise. Unsure why it is such a pain in the rear job.

any help you can give? thanks.

https://youtu.be/XLM0aY_DRUo

[time2roll]

Grit dog wrote:

time2roll wrote:
Put your impact gun on it and move along with your day.

Guess if He had an impact wrench and a 2" whatever socket, he wouldn't have posted here.....

Any excuse for a new tool 🙂 The electrics are really helpful and no large compressor needed anymore.

[Grit_dog]

R18, bud, just got a min to skim through your video.
There is nothing wrong other than you literally never put much force on it the way you were using those channel locks sideways and you never really hit it with the screw driver and trim hammer.

If you haven't gotten it off by now. It's just a little boogered up thread on the spindle or nut making it a bit difficult.
Yes I use an impact and socket, but first, assuming those are the most imposing tools you have, turn the biggest set of channel locks 90 deg form how you were tryin. Adjust them so you can get a good clamp on them and it'll probably spin. Or get a bigger hammer and hit that screwdriver like you mean it. (If you miss it don't hurt for too long, lol)
OR get a big crescent wrench as suggested or the right size socket. Bet you a 12 pack either will spin it off of there fairly easily.

[Grit_dog]

time2roll wrote:
Put your impact gun on it and move along with your day.

Guess if He had an impact wrench and a 2" whatever socket, he wouldn't have posted here.....

[bguy]

The nut will cut off the cotter pin if you put a socket to it. It will be significantly easier to deal with what's left of the cotter pin with everything out of the way.

[Family-of-five]

Im betting there is a lock type tank washer holding the nut still.wipe all the grease off the nut look on all sides of the nut you will have to bend it back out of the way. Use an old screwdriver and hammer to get it started .Once removed you can straighten it back out and re use it again

[time2roll]

Put your impact gun on it and move along with your day.

[Lynnmor]

The nut is not tight or seized, it rocks back and forth easily. Something is blocking its travel.

I was waiting to see blood as the tools were improperly used and there were pinch points every time he tried.

[JRscooby]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I always feel sorry for people who try to DIY a job WITH THE WRONG TOOLS and making it much more difficult than it really should be.

Yes, the right tools make things go better.

First, buy an adjustable wrench (also called a Crescent wrench).

Mention "right tool" then "adjustable wrench" makes me question things

OP, go to the other side, take the nut off. Sometimes heat from bad bearings can heat enough to seize the nut. If the other side comes apart, then you know how. Might be time to get the real right tools.

[theoldwizard1]

I always feel sorry for people who try to DIY a job WITH THE WRONG TOOLS and making it much more difficult than it really should be.

First, buy an adjustable wrench (also called a Crescent wrench). Harbor Freight. Just make sure that the jaws open wide enough to properly grip that nut. If that won't get the nut off, the spindle threads and the nut threads are probably damaged. One or the other or both will have to be replaced.

If that wrench does not remove the nut, you will need "brute force". Fond out the size of the nut (it could be inches or metric). Buy the proper size socket. Buy a "hand impact" (I don't know if HF has a 1/2" drive one but you can get them on Amazon). Buy a DECENT 24 oz ball peen hammer (not a rubber mallet !) and go to town !

[midnightsadie]

could it be some body really tightened it tight? loo threw the hole can tell you this.

[Lynnmor]

Looks like a piece of a cotter pin still in there at the 4 o'clock position. There may be two holes.

If you would adjust the pliers correctly and engage the nut correctly, you could have much more turning torque.

[Rover_Bill]

Watched the video and the cotter pin was removed along with the excess grease so that's not an issue.

It appears to me (guessing) that the axle threads may have been damaged when the cotter pin hole was first drilled or installed. I would do a VERY close exam of the cotter pin hole on both sides of the axle looking for damaged axle threads. You may be able to grind down the damaged threads with a small Dremel tool or clean out the cotter pin hole with a small drill.

IMHO a large Crescent or open end wrench would work better on the castle nut instead of the channel lock pliers.

[Grit_dog]

Was going to be my suggestion, look for cotter pin. Unless you’ve literally run all the grease out of the hub and water from boat launching rusted and froze it up.

Springs rusted out and blown seal or cap off?
Is it rusted up or not?

[opnspaces]

Yes carefully wipe of fall the grease around the nut and look for a cotter pin buried down in the grooves. Most likely the pin will be at the 12 o'clock or 3 o'clock position.