Identifying Nut Used For Hub Installation On Boat Trailer With AutoFlex-Knott Axle

Question:

i wanted to grease my boat trailer bearings and was expecting to see a cotter pin, castle bolt and grease zerk when i took off the dust cap, but instead i have this nut assembly. I read about using a tang washer on nuts similar to this but i dont see any washer at all holding the nut in place. Before i try to tear this apart i would like to know what to expect to find if i disassemble this to see if this is something i want to do myself. Can someone provide a little assistance?

asked by: Andy B

Expert Reply:

What you have there is a Knott axle with Knott hubs. The bearings in these hubs are sealed so you won't be able to grease your bearings. It is also secured with a one time use flange nut so if you remove it you will have to replace it with a new one to reinstall your hub assembly. If you need to replace the sealed bearings or removed that flange nut you will have to get the replacement parts from the manufacturer.

If you want to replace the hubs with a traditional hub assembly you would need to know the which bearings are used on that spindle. More than likely it is a straight spindle and uses either # L44643 (1" inner diameter) or # L44649 (1.063" inner diameter) bearings.

If you don't already have this information, you will need to measure your spindle where the bearings ride. I recommend using a digital caliper like the # PTW80157. You may be able to find part numbers on the bearings, but I'm not sure if you can find them since they are self-contained. If your measurement is 1" you can use the # CE13215 and if it is 1.063" the # CE13315.