Trailer Bearings!!

[Torque]

Previous trailer, I never replaced the bearings for 14 years......... Even took the boat on a 500 mile trip and a few trips down to Baffin. The key is to always keep them greased. Everytime I took a significant trip, I would pump out the old grease with new grease.
As far as I know, they are still good.

[kenny]

Kenny don't you travel like only 2 minutes to the ramp


Bearings should be replaced yearly. The bearing buddy just allows you to put grease into the bearings and assists you in prolonging the life. I'll be messing with my trailer Saturday evening.

I trailered my boat to Venice & back four or five times and to Baffin five times and everywhere in between many times over a seven year period and only changed bearings once. I have never had a bearing failure.
BTW it's silly to change bearings yearly IMO just like it is to replace the impeller yearly.......overkill!

[reeltime]

Sure did. I think the big guy upstairs is trying to tell me something... no more fishing! we found the dust cap in my driveway too, guess it fell off in the morning. but even w/ all that, i would say it was the most relaxing day i had all year.. nice stress relief to get aways from work and everything else. Thanks fo tha trip AP!

try these guys they help me out big time when i replacwed my axles and anything with a trailer....wwwchampiontrailers.com

there prices were good several years back as well not sure anymore being boatless...lol

[Robalo]

It aint too hard sliding in a new axle assembly-I certainly would go ahead and replace the springs while doing the axle. If those springs are old and quite rusty, they may snap and then load is lopsided and not good. Been there-seems I replace the twin axles, hubs and springs about every 3-5 years and I aint trailering much at all.

[Beandaddy]

I would replace the axle now and avoid the cost of bearings and seals that won't last long enough for the water to get hot on that spindle.
Beandaddy

[WestEndAngler]

Kenny don't you travel like only 2 minutes to the ramp


Bearings should be replaced yearly. The bearing buddy just allows you to put grease into the bearings and assists you in prolonging the life. I'll be messing with my trailer Saturday evening.

[kenny]

That sucks Slyell. I never have had bearings fail..........yet! I have a torsion axle now which seems to be working fine.

[reeltime]

If it happens again reel soon replace the axle.

[slyell]

Well... that emory paper really cleaned it up.. sadly the spindle is damaged pretty bad.... cant even get it out the garage to a shop until i grind down the melted metal so the 2nd bearing can be pushed to the end. ahh.. $$ down the drain for a new axle.. another lesson learned.

Looks like surf and kayak fishing for the next couple months!

[WestEndAngler]

I don't know about this stuff, but I thought "bearing Buddies " were the way to go for sure to lube and protect the bearings from salt water.

Everything fails... In a perfect world after trailering your boat / trailer down to launch ~30 minute drive highway speeds you'd want to let your trailer "cool" cause as soon as you back it in water the heat dissipates... water enters and its pretty much unavoidable... Buddy Bearings are nice but heck if I know how to rebuild one looked pretty complicated more so than a normal bearing... Guess I need to get mine to the shop hope she makes it back home from Louisiana.

[plugger]

I don't know about this stuff, but I thought "bearing Buddies " were the way to go for sure to lube and protect the bearings from salt water.

[slyell]

Sure did. I think the big guy upstairs is trying to tell me something... no more fishing! we found the dust cap in my driveway too, guess it fell off in the morning. but even w/ all that, i would say it was the most relaxing day i had all year.. nice stress relief to get aways from work and everything else. Thanks fo tha trip AP!

[aqua pimp]

Did that happen after our trip on Monday? That sux!!!!

AQUA PIMP

[WestEndAngler]

Wow!! That's not the worst I've seen, but pretty common. Here's what I suggest. I would replace the hubs but examine the spindles real good. I had the same thing happen to me and grooved my spindle real good. I was able to round it off by hand with emory paper and the new bearings slipped on real easy.
The most common misconception is that water enters the bearing thru the bearing buddies etc.... the truth is the rear seal breaks down and the bearing buddy causes the grease to seep out the back seal...if there is no pressure, water just settles in the bearing.
In the future, peek at the back of the hubs to see if there is a buildup of grease. This is usually a sign of worn rear seals.. time to replace them.

Also, I would use the new synthetic grease options. I found some stuff. I don't know the proper name. It is nuclear green and cast 9$ a tube at Autozone... but nothing can break this stuff down. Wear gloves because Lava, Go-Jo, Gasoline, Acetone, cannot wash this stuff off.

Good luck....

Good tip mine are showing wear...

[WestEndAngler]

Ouch I had that happen... Ended up replacing the axle. I pulled bearing off tried putting new one on but it was bent from the heat... You'll probably need a new axle bro.