supertackle
Member
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.
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.