Is this $207 hub/bearing service acceptable?

Creek Chub

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Being pressed for time I took my boat in for annual trailer bearing service at Northwest Tire. Single axle. The bill was $207; guess they replaced everything. Got home and noticed that one of the dust caps wasn't even on. The other one was loose so I pulled it off and examined the work and this is what I saw. Is this appropriate? Normally I do the job myself and I clean this stuff before re-assembly. Wouldn't all this gunk work its way into the new bearings, ruining them quickly? Is this what a $207 bearing job buys these days?

20180430_173226.jpg

-Creek Chub
 


risingsun

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Oh my. Sounds a little steep to me. And having a dust cap gone and the other loose is bad very very bad. What a horrible job. Does it look like new bearing and grease? Cotter pin doesnt look new to me. And certainly the washer wasnt cleaned. Ugh. I would have a good talking to service manager or higher on that job if you find out what all went on.
 

Rizzo

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I would be on my way back there to have a few words over the workmanship.
 

Creek Chub

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I took it back and they are going to try and locate dust caps that actually fit. I do see fresh grease in there but cannot tell if it was just pumped in with the zerk fitting and then wiped or if the hub was actually disassembled. Nor can I tell if there are new bearings in there as billed. Have to take their word on it. But seeing the rusty castle nut and washer doesn't inspire confidence. I suspect that I'll be out $207 and I'll end up doing this myself, just to be sure, anyway. So much for saving time...
 


guywhofishes

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oh my gosh that is insane

Stop the check!!!

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what mechanic signs off on garbage like that???
 

Callem'In

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I manage and service write for an independent repair shop and that is sub par work. It looks like they had a low end hack of a tech do that work. I would expect they redo the job correctly or give you some money back. The castle nut would not be replaced with the job unless damaged, but it all needs to be cleaned at the very least.
 

1bigfokker

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I'd have them pull one side just to see if there's really new bearings and while they're be at it clean up the mess. For that price there should be new cotter pins.
 

JMF

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Price tag seams reasonable, quality of work...not so much.
 

guywhofishes

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Heck, looks like I've been overdoing it. I thought putting bearings back together involved everything being scrupulously clean.
 


Kentucky Windage

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It's hard to make a call only seeing a pic, but I woukd look for evidence that the hub was actually pulled. Are there fresh tool marks on the castle nut? Evidence the nut was spun off the threads on the spindle? Looks rusty. Is there a new seal? I always use silicone to seal the dust cap. Rust is cancer. Always remove rust!
 

Kentucky Windage

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$20 says the "mechanic" jacked it up, popped the dust cover off, shot some grease in it, wiped off the excess grease, spun the hub and listened, and then stuck the dust cover back on and called it good. $207 later.
 

Obi-Wan

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Chances are that the dust cap was actually installed but the hub was not tightened properly causing the whole assembly to wobble and the dust cap to fly off. I have witnessed this on a bearing job that a buddy completed himself.
 

wslayer

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See no sign of any type of tool on cotter pin or castle nut when zoomed in. Looks like strictly grease zirk action. Return for a little discussion.
 


Creek Chub

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Thanks for all of your opinions. I told em' I'd like a refund because I'm going to have to redo the work myself because I don't trust a shop who would charge 5-star prices and put out a job like this. The manager agreed but said he'd like to get proper-fitting dust caps, like those in place when they received the trailer, before giving it back. They'd banged up the new, poor-fitting ones pretty good anyway.

They couldn't find dust caps so they bought Bearing Buddy's and pounded those in but then discovered that one of the hubs is cracked. Hmm, did they crack the hub while trying to pound in a Buddy? So now they're looking for a hub. And even if they find a hub I'm not really happy about Bearing Buddy's on an axle that has a zerk fitting. I think they may have in fact removed the zerks from the axle.

Now even if I get a full refund I'm in considerably worse shape than when I took the boat in for service in the first place.

The old adage about doing it yourself if you want it done right is proven true once again. Last fall I took my SUV to the dealer for a summer/winter wheel swap, something I also normally do myself. They sent me out the door without tightening the lug nuts, which I discovered about 10 miles later as the wheels began to fall off. The quality of service in this town ain't what it used to be.

-Creek Chub
 
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guywhofishes

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ho man... classic sh## show

sorry to hear - it’s hard not to lose faith in fellow man under such scenarios
 

BrokenBackJack

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I feel your pain. Hard not to go Postal on these people that do things like this. Worse part they breed and that makes me sad in the face!!!
For Pete's sake packing bearings is one of the easiest things to do and yet some people just can't learn to save their life. Keep us updated and now i myself would switch out both hubs and new sets of bearing and start over. Overkill i know but that is what i do.
 

guywhofishes

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in this day/age they could video the entire job so a guy knows it was done properly

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what if caps hadn’t come off??
 

risingsun

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As much as it sucks, its a good thing you saw it, and 2 good things come out of it. 1 it could have been worse if you were on a trip to the water and it went out and possible wheel falling off, fender gone, or worse an accident. 2nd good thing is you will do it yourself and then know it is done right and you can travel with ease of mind. Its no fun changing on the road. I went through that once in the rain and on Sunday, back when most things were closed lol. Dig in, get greasy, and maybe this bad luck will bring you good luck on the water. :)
 


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