lost a bearing, almost ruined a day...

[indy440]

Yesterday the family and I are on the way to the lake, we stop at a store about 1/2 way there so the wife and run in to get some things. I do my normal walk-around of the trailer and grab both hubs to check for heat. One hub is missing the bearing buddy, I grab it and its smoking hot. At least we were stopped in a parking lot and it didn't come apart going down the road. I pulled the wheel off and the rear bearing falls out in chunks. God must have been with us yesterday because we were within walking distance of two OPEN autoparts stores and a mcdonalds. The wife and kids went to eat and play, while I roasted in the sun changing bearings. We got everything back together and rolling again in an hour or so. We got to the lake a little late but still had a good day, the boat ran perfect.

This is the first trailer I've ever owned where I didnt completely disassemble, inspect, and repack or replace everything when it first comes home and its the first trailer that let me down.

You can be sure I'll never have a failure from my own laziness again... and I'll have an extra bearing kit and a tube of grease in the car whenever towing...

 

[CaptainYARRR]

Re: lost a bearing, almost ruined a day...

When was the last time your trailer had its bearings maintained?

 

[indy440]

Re: lost a bearing, almost ruined a day...

Its a new-to-me trailer so who knows when they were last serviced. Thats what I should have said when I typed about it being the first trailer I've owned where I didn't completely disassemble and inspect/repack/replace...

It could have been MUCH worse, at least we salvaged the day and had a good time anyway...

I should have known the marina I bought it from wouldn't have done it. I have no one to blame but my own laziness...

 

[soonerdg]

Re: lost a bearing, almost ruined a day...

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who's paranoid about the trailer. I give it the once over whenever I stop for anything. Including checking the bearing heat just as you did. It's saved me a couple of times too. Checked the bearings on a trip the Tenkiller once and found one that was hot. Turned out the lug nuts on that side were loose.

 

[Mark42]

Re: lost a bearing, almost ruined a day...

Both times I brought home a used trailer and jacked up the wheels the bearings were shot. Pays to inspect any trailer you get from lighting to tires and bearings. You never know what the previous owner did or didn't do.

When I brought home the Bayliner, I pointed out that the tires looked low on air. He said they looked fine to him. He usually put 40 or 45 psi in them for the trip to the ramp. The tires were 5:30x12 C load, and take 80 psi. As soon as I left his house I stopped at the first service station and filled them to 80 psi. He thought it was fine at 45, even said how nice and smooth it towed.

When I got home and checked the bearings, they were rumble city.

 

[64osby]

Re: lost a bearing, almost ruined a day...

When we picked up our boat the guy said it was good to go. I stopped at the first gas station and checked the tires one was 20lbs the other was 25. It cost $1.00 to get them up to 80lbs, and about 20 minutes. I hate those little pumps.

Got her home and inspected and repacked the bearings. There was very little grease in there.

Now I check both all the time.