New trailer pickup. Long distance

[Chumpy36]

I have a line on a trailer that’s gonna fit the 26S that I have. The bad news is that it’s about six hours away and it’s been sitting for a very long time. The owner says that the tires are in decent shape and he’s replaced two in the last year. Other than the tires I’m concerned about the bearings. I can bring tools with me and do a quick bearing job while I’m there what tools do you guys recommend to get that done? I’m thinking jackstands, long, bladed, screwdriver, needle, nose, pliers, rags cleaner grease Lug wrench. Anything else I’m forgetting thanks for any help.

[leefrankpierce]

How do you get the hub nut off?
I usually use giant channel locks because i am cheap.
I never trust tires I did not buy.

[Chumpy36]

Was thinking channel locks as it shouldn’t be very tight. What are the size of those? I could take a socket etc

[Jimmyt]

Full set of 1/2” drive impact sockets, breaker bar, ratchet, and a few extensions. Big pry bar. Straight, Phillips screwdrivers of various sizes. Large and medium channel locks. Needle nose and regular pliers, various sizes and configs. Vice grips various sizes and configurations. Combination box/open end wrenches -standard and metric. Bottle or floor jack and jack stands. Plywood or other wood blocking to support jack stands on dirt, chock wheels, etc.

PB blaster, brake clean, concentrated degreaser, fast orange or other hand cleaner and 3 rolls of paper towels.

Two new hub kits with lug nuts, bearings, etc. at a minimum. I would probably put four new hubs on and new tires if I had to tow 6 hours to get it home. But you can make that assessment when you see it.

You didn’t mention brakes. I would remove any brakes before starting home. Having a brake lock up on you is no fun.

[Be Free]

It sounds like it is a dual-axle trailer with two new(ish) tires. If they look good and you trust them make sure they are on the same axle. You can probably bring it back on one axle (empty) as a last resort. Check the date codes on all of the tires.

Check the lights, suspension, brakes (if any), and coupler for any problems.

If it's been sitting "a long time" plan on replacing or rebuilding all of the hubs before you leave. If you get there and they are smooth and quiet you can try bringing it back with new grease and frequent stops. Just remember, it's a lot easier to work on a trailer in a place you choose rather than on the side of a busy highway.

A full rebuild of the hubs will require you to drive out the outer races and the oil seals. You will need a hammer and a drift to get out the old races and an appropriately sized pipe or socket to drive it back in. A small piece of 2x4 makes a good tool to drive the oil seals in straight.

If you want to make life really easy, bring new hubs with new bearings and seals already installed. You can buy them that way or buy the parts and assemble them yourself at home. That's a lot easier than doing it "in the field".

Additional tools: jack, at least one spare tire already mounted on the rim, emery cloth to clean up rusted spindles, tire inflator of some variety, a can of tire sealant, valve cores and wrench, penetrating oil (for stuck lug nuts), new light set and wiring, multi-meter, fuses for your tow vehicle (in case the trailer has a short and blows one), electrical tape, wire cutter, pliers, a good fire extinguisher, and paid-up towing insurance that can get the trailer home if everything goes sideways.

Check it out carefully. Don't take chances. Stop early and often to check hubs and tires for problems. Be careful. Be safe.

[Be Free]

Was thinking channel locks as it shouldn’t be very tight. What are the size of those? I could take a socket etc

Large channel locks will be more useful than trying to bring the right sized socket. They should only be snug so any problems would be related to rust on the spindle thread.

[Be Free]

Full set of 1/2” drive impact sockets, breaker bar, ratchet, and a few extensions. Big pry bar. Straight, Phillips screwdrivers of various sizes. Large and medium channel locks. Needle nose and regular pliers, various sizes and configs. Vice grips various sizes and configurations. Combination box/open end wrenches -standard and metric. Bottle or floor jack and jack stands. Plywood or other wood blocking to support jack stands on dirt, chock wheels, etc.

PB blaster, brake clean, concentrated degreaser, fast orange or other hand cleaner and 3 rolls of paper towels.

Two new hub kits with lug nuts, bearings, etc. at a minimum. I would probably put four new hubs on and new tires if I had to tow 6 hours to get it home. But you can make that assessment when you see it.

You didn’t mention brakes. I would remove any brakes before starting home. Having a brake lock up on you is no fun.

I like the way you think. I forgot the jack support and blocks for dirt. I keep them in my "trailer box" with the small hydraulic jack so I forgot to put it on the list.

[Starscream]

I have a line on a trailer that’s gonna fit the 26S that I have. The bad news is that it’s about six hours away and it’s been sitting for a very long time. The owner says that the tires are in decent shape and he’s replaced two in the last year. Other than the tires I’m concerned about the bearings. I can bring tools with me and do a quick bearing job while I’m there what tools do you guys recommend to get that done? I’m thinking jackstands, long, bladed, screwdriver, needle, nose, pliers, rags cleaner grease Lug wrench. Anything else I’m forgetting thanks for any help.

If it's dual axle, a ratchet strap so that if one wheel goes you can drive on three without dropping the wheel-less hub down near the pavement. A mobile air compressor with long power cord, and a tire repair kit, in case of a flat?

[leefrankpierce]

Was thinking channel locks as it shouldn’t be very tight. What are the size of those? I could take a socket etc

Giant size channel locks stolen from my grandfathers farm.
Goes with the giant adjustable crescent wrench.
Do remember that the nut is sometimes reversed so the natural rotation will actually tighten.
You may need new cotter pins depending on how it is setup.

[Jimmyt]

Large channel locks will be more useful than trying to bring the right sized socket. They should only be snug so any problems would be related to rust on the spindle thread.

Yep. The socket set is for lug nut removal, brake caliper removal, hitch nut adjustment, and the hundred other things you can’t foresee when picking up something that hasn’t been used in a while.

[NiceAft]