Where do I buy the right wheel bearings for my travel trailer?
Start with the numbers, not the brand of trailer
The axle decides the bearings, not the name on the trailer. The certain answer is stamped on the old parts: every Timken cone carries its number on the face, and the inner and outer bearings on the same hub are usually different sizes. With the hub off, read both and write them down. It takes a minute.
These are the two sets we kit:
| Axle | Inner cone / cup | Outer cone / cup | Seal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 lb, 10-inch drum | L68149 / L68111 | L44649 / L44610 | 10-19 double lip |
| 5,200 to 7,000 lb, 12-inch drum | 25580 / 25520 | 14125A / 14276 | 10-36 double lip |
If the hub is still on, measure across the brake drum: it reads close to ten or close to twelve inches, nothing in between, and that separates the two. The axle's rating plate, if it is still legible, says the same thing. Do not go by lug count; two five-lug trailers can have different spindles.
Buy the bearing with its race
The cone and the cup it runs in (the race) are a matched pair. A new bearing on an old race is a short-lived repair, so drive out the old race and fit the new one that comes with the bearing. That is the main reason to buy a complete kit rather than loose bearings: you get matched inner and outer cones, their races and the grease seal for one hub in one box. A single-axle trailer needs two kits, a tandem four. Do both hubs on an axle together.
What we sell
We stock two genuine Timken kits. The 10-inch kit carries the L68149 inner and L44649 outer set with a 10-19 seal and high-temp grease, for 3,500 lb axles. The 12-inch kit carries the 25580 inner and 14125A outer set with a 10-36 seal, for 5,200 to 7,000 lb axles. Add a new cotter pin for every hub, every time.
If a race has spun in the hub bore or the drum is scored, no bearing kit will fix it. Our greased brake drum hub ships with both bearings fitted, but it is a Black Series OEM part, so confirm the fit with us before ordering it for another trailer.
The one we do not kit
If both of your cones read L44649, you have the straight spindle common on 2,000 lb boat and utility trailers. We do not currently offer a kit for it; our 10-inch kit shares the outer bearing but its inner is the larger L68149. We will tell you that rather than sell you the wrong kit.
Black Series owners have a model-specific answer in what size wheel bearings a Black Series HQ uses. For anything else, send a photo of the stamped numbers or the axle plate and we will confirm the kit. Everything ships from Upland, California.
What you need
Want the full walkthrough? Read the complete guide.