Trailer tire came off

I’ve never lost a set of duals, but I have had axle issues and had to chain it up to get to a safe place.
Now it may not be legal, but I’m not sitting on the side of the road if there is something I can do to “limp” to the next exit or somewhere else off the road.

 

How? He had a bearing failure. It might've been full of oil at the last stop (if it's even the type you can visually check).

Each hub has it's own oil.

Last time I had to deal with a "Spindle Doctor", that trailer sat for 2 WEEKS waiting for the guy to do his regional circuit.

My suggestion is to take it to a terminal or service place that can do spindle replacements. Otherwise, it's gonna sit for quite a while waiting for a mobile repair.

 

Hub oil seals usually don't go that quickly and as most said, it's visual and part of the pre trip. Corrosion is a major issue that most ignore as trailers rust.

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/icZ74YqrSDs?si=agFN8hNg3JUDKPZW

Best you can do then is check for a hub oil leak and tightness of the lug nuts.

 

That video showing oil in the rim is from the hubcap gasket leaking. When a wheel seal leaks, it will only show oil on the inside as it has to go through the brake drum and then it will show on the inside rim and tire facing inboard. No way for it to migrate to the outside of the outer rim.

 

You’ll never not notice that again when walking around some POS undermaintained company trailer. Happened to me too a long time ago.

 

Gotta crawl under the trailer with a flashlight and have a look at the backing plates.