Wheel Bearing failure.

[supertackle]

We helped put out a bush fire along the highway today near Royston. The fire was ½ km long & 5 meters deep into the bush. This was cause by a seized wheel bearing on a boat trailer. Once the bearings failed the hub & wheel left the trailer and flew into the bush. The axle then shot a stream of sparks along the highway and lit all the bush on fire. Luckily a group of people including us used every tool and water possible to extinguish the huge blaze. The fire department & helicopters showed up 30 minutes later.
All this because a guy neglected to service his wheel bearings. This is one of the easiest things to do on a boat trailer. If you dunk your trailer every time you go fishing you need to take the dam bearings apart and service them. Do not go on any long trip without doing this first. At least pry the hub off and inspect for water contamination. You need grease, cotter pins & a couple of new grease seals. If the bearings are rusty then change them! There are part numbers on the bearings, races and seals. If the trail has a brake system, be prepared to change everything. Some guys use white grease but my 25 years of experience would advise the sticky red automotive grease.
Do not put automotive bonded (glued) brake shoes on your trailer. The brake shoes may be a generic GM webbing and you local parts man may cross the part to a typical 1970's GM truck lining. Ask for riveted non metallic boat trailer linings on your trailer. The side stamping or lettering of the lining needs to be less than a FF. FF is metallic which will rust & disintegrate.

 

[Drewski Canuck]

As much as some guys HATE Bearing buddies, They are the easiest thing on earth to maintain. if the plate is out, there should be grease under pressure which will flow to the inner bearing if hot. If there's not, give it a few pumps of grease!

As for brakes, the new caliper style bronze sure are nice, and easy to flush, compared to drums. How much is your fishing time worth to you? Only question you have to ask to put things in perspective.

Drewski

 

[daddystoy]

Yup, busted down trailers on the side of the road/highway is something you see every year. Guys must figure those trailer bearings are magical and never need attention. It's hard to do any boating/fishing if you can't get the boat to the water!

 

[jaymasta]

All this because a guy neglected to service his wheel bearings. .

Not necessarily the guys fault maybe he maintained it very well and it was just bad luck, this can happen. It happened to my dad on his tent trailer, which he kept pretty meticulously maintained by professionals.

 

[bigdogeh]

there would be a lot less trailers on the side of the road if manufacturers would go one more size up on the axles that a trailer uses in relation with the weight of boat (load) being carried. as with most items engineered, engineering seems to be ok with minimum strength to get the job done.

 

[spring fever]

there would be a lot less trailers on the side of the road if manufacturers would go one more size up on the axles that a trailer uses in relation with the weight of boat (load) being carried. as with most items engineered, engineering seems to be ok with minimum strength to get the job done.

I agree with you there but in addition for salt applications the very least should be a stainless sleeve for the rear bearing seal to ride on. Boat dealers do not come away unscathed either-they always undersell the trailers-trying to get the least trailer under the boat so as to not wreck the deal. Too bad when most guys get to buy a new boat they have no idea how heavy she'll be for a west coast trip. That knowledge comes later -usually through the school of hard knocks.

 

[finaddict]

Well you guys have inspired me. I haven't done the bearings on the little trailer (15' duroboat) this year. Was going to give it a try, but considering I can get new hubs already packed for $70 from Lordco, it was a no brainer. Less than an hour to change form jacking up the trailer to dropping the jack, its all in and done. All I can say is that I sure as hell don't want to be "that guy" on the side of the 19A with a melted bearing.

Thanks for the inspiration gents.

 

[gungadin]

Your bearings on a boat trailer that is immersed in water especially salt water, need a lot more maintainence than those that never see the water. Spring Fever is correct, you need that stainless sleeve for the seal to run on, without it corrosion forms on the area where the seal runs. If the seal has the slightest run out, from being installed unevenly, the rust will tear at the seal and will allow the lubricant to escape and water to enter the hub. Once salt water enters the hub, bearing failure is inevidable. The seal is also important. Most seals designed for automotive use have only a single lip to prevent the grease from leaving the hub. Marine seals have two lips, one to prevent grease from leaving and one to prevent the entrance of water. The lip seals each face a different way. The hubs and bearings, both need a quality water resistant grease, with a hub that has a large enough area to dissipate heat buildup. As far as bearing buddies go, IMO you need them. Drewski Canuck has it on the button, if the plate or other indicator is showing you need grease, then grease it. When is the best time to grease it? Before you leave on your trip and if you have a long trip, just before you launch, while the bearings are still warm.

 

[AlK]

Last year I installed brand new hubs, kodiak disc brakes on my boat trailer. Just before I left for my fishing trip this year I decided I should check the axles and on two out of four wheels I found that water had found it's way into the hub. Talked to couple of boat trailer places and they both suggested that I should have stainless steel sleeves on the axles. Now the axles have ss speedy sleeves.

 

[spring fever]

Last year I installed brand new hubs, kodiak disc brakes on my boat trailer. Just before I left for my fishing trip this year I decided I should check the axles and on two out of four wheels I found that water had found it's way into the hub. Talked to couple of boat trailer places and they both suggested that I should have stainless steel sleeves on the axles. Now the axles have ss speedy sleeves.

Only way to go-did mine 7 years ago-yearly maintenance and still on the same sets of bearings for all 4 wheels-AMAZING!!