Ever blow a hub on a boat trailer?

[Roosterrusek]

Guys, this happened to me about 3-4 miles from home we think. We were towing the boat home after a day on the lake and judging by the actions of the 3 mexican dudes and their faces, that's how we know where it happened.

Anyway, I am betting I can just get a new axle and hub system correct...jack up the boat and replace.

Yeah, we were really freakin lucky...any advice is appreciated.

[URY914]

That happens when you don't grease the bearings.

[Mark Henry]

Water is heck on the hubs, seals can only do so much. You can get special caps for boat trailers, basically it's just a cap with a grease nipple on it, it still doesn't eliminate regular maintenance.
As long as it hasn't buggered the threads too bad you can buy a standard hub, nut and a bearing kit.

Our version of Harbour Freight (princess auto) has all this stuff cheap.

[Gretch]

pull the hub off and see if the inner races protected the axle. If the axle is not badly marked up, dress it with a file and install a new hub. You dress the axle with a file so the new inner races on the hub will slide on to the axle. Nut it down to proper torque specs and you are good to go.

Yes, had that happen to me pulling sleds from the Canadian hinterlands down to mid state NH. had to leave trailer in Montreal and get hub from Manufacturer.

If you really ruined the axle, well there are some alternatives depending on how bad the axle is chewed up.

[E38Driver]

You might check these guys for pricing. Trailer Brake Drum and Hub Assemblies by Dexter, UFP, Titan, Kodiak

No connection to these guys.

Dave

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by URY914

That happens when you don't grease the bearings.

Yep,,,happened to a friend who borrowed his BIL's bass boat years ago...fortunately we had just reached our "weekend destination" and a local guy fixed it while we fished (....err, I mean drank beer ).

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Water is heck on the hubs, seals can only do so much. You can get special caps for boat trailers, basically it's just a cap with a grease nipple on it....

I've kept "bearing buddy's" on my bass boat trailer and kept 'em packed with grease for over 20 years...no issues "yet"

[Roosterrusek]

Oh yeah, I am familiar with the water in the hubs and bearing buddies and all that. I am a little irritated as I had the trailer serviced last Sept, and only put her in the water 5 times and trailered her 10 or so times. Since this is an older trailer I think a new axle is in order....and they are only about $120...better safe than sorry and bearing buddies will be happening too...

[KFC911]

In addition to the bearing buddies, I also overpack them until the outer portion is practically full of grease and then have rubber caps that cover it all. That seems to have been very effective at keeping the water out over time.

[ODDJOB UNO]

well the problem is obvious...........lack of grease and LACK of maint.


but what all of YOU FAILED TO MENTION OR EVEN THINK OF......................


is after you work yer azz off getting ready the night before to go to the lake, get up next morning, haul azz to lake on a nice hot day, is when you arrive, GUESS WHAT?



yer bearings are HOTTER THAN HELL and I MEAN BURN YER HAND HOT!


the heavier the boat, the hotter they(bearings) will be.


so what do ya do, because if the boat ramp is empty, you automatically(like a lemming) haul azz to launch. and therein LIES THE PROBLEMO!


yepper, bearings HOT=MEGA INGESTION OF H2O!


wait 15 minutes+ and rig yer boat and get everything together and let bearings COOL OFF and I MEAN COOL OFF ENUFF SO YOU DONT BURN YER HAND FINGER TO TOUCH!



another community service moment from the united states coast guard.



ask me how i KNOW????



and grease yer bearings after EVERY TRIP ANYWHERE NO MATTER HOW SHORT of a trip. adding grease will force any H2O OUT!



waterproof grease helps also.



changing out bearings along the side of a freeway is damn good way to get KILT!



if ya want the tail wagging the dawg.................dont grease yer bearings religiously and see what happens! i promise it will be UGLY X a MILLYON!



watching idiots submerse their trailers all day/night long in lake sometimes for days, while boating, ie. pulling pwc or boat onto trailer and leaving it there, while camping is an invitation to an accident.

[LeeH]

I was driving on a two lane road at night and thought the guy in front of me was letting his kid hang a sparkler out the window. As I got closer I realized the hub on his boat trailer was shooting sparks. Very impressive light show at night! I passed him and motioned for him to pull over. Based on his posture I think he thought I was trying to start a fight or something. Once I told him what was going on he sheepishly thanked me and started trying to figure out what to do next.

[Roosterrusek]

Well I am going to invest in a good new axle and hubs and bearing buddies. I just re-did my whole boat and it would be stupid to not make sure the trailer is cool.

Again I thought that I was OK with the greasing but I will FOREVER have a marine grease gun ready for every before and after trip. I was really lucky and will not play with fate again....

FWIW, this is the boat that I just re-did. I move the CC forward 10 inches, put in all new electrical everything, new gauges, new gas tank, new steering, new paint, new leaning post, made a leaning post riser so the cables could run underneath....labor of love but so worth it.

[ODDJOB UNO]

after towing a dual axle 26 ft boat with a big block,80 gallons fuel,a/c unit,generator,35 gallons water,6 billion gallons of beer, ice chests w/food ice,scuba gear ,fishing gear.....................ALL OVER HELLS CREATION.....................



YOU WILL BECOME "ONE" with yer bearings/tires............trust me.



we have seen some preeeeeeettty damn ugly trailer stuff on the way to and fro lake powell, and the central az lakes.



always cover yer trailer tires with covers to avoid sun rot. here with temps the same as the surface of the sun, trailer tire blowouts at 55-65mph usually end up ALL BAD!



if ya ever want a real damn GOOD LESSON ON WHAT THE HELL NOT TO DO BOATING...................



go grab a 12 pak, some bait,yer poles, and go watch "BRP'S" (boat ramp peoples).



i gurrrrrantee in a few hours of nonchalant "BRP" watching you will see just about every bit of BOOFOONARY known to man and boats.


deeee-vorces are very OFTEN CONSUMMATED on boat ramps.

fist fights very often occur.

sinkings very often occur.

dead batteries are a NORM!



dont be a "BRP"!



not enuff action for ya????????


then wait til a real good storm brews up.....................and YOU WILL GET TO WATCH POO FLY LIKE NEVER BEFORE on a boat ramp!



add some good 'ol lightning.....................AND THE SPARKS MAY FLY ALSO!



ahhhh i CANT WAIT TO GET MY NEXT BOAT! LOVE 'EM! lake powell THE BEST VACATION I HAVE EVER HAD ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET!


crewmember (just short of coxswain rating) USCG!

[sammyg2]

Ever blow a hub on a boat trailer?

Naw, it's just ice cream.


Bearing buddies are aptly named but they work soooo much better with waterproof grease.
I've had some form of trailer or another for over 30 years and have never lost a wheel bearing.

Knock on head ......

[onewhippedpuppy]

Another vote for bearing buddies. My new (to me) boat came with them installed, it's pretty compelling to grease them and watch it force the water out. I grease every other trip with waterproof marine grease, and plan to clean/repack/rebuild my bearings this fall. Bearings and tires are pretty cheap relative to boat stuff, but can ruin your lake weekend just as quickly as a boat problem.

[sammyg2]

A wise old guy once told me to grease my bearing buddies when I got home from a trip, not before I left to go on a trip.

Why?
Driving across the desert might let a little grease out, and launching might let a little water in. greasing when I got home forced the water out so it couldn't sit and rust on the races.

Not sure iffn he was right but it does make sense.


BTW, the average cheapo grease gun you can buy at the FLAPS can put out well over 2500 psi with very little effort. A good one can do 5000 psi.
That's enough to blow out any seal and prolly enough to crack a hub.
A little goes a long way, if you caint wiggle the cap its got too much grease in it already.

[notmytarga]

The bearing buddies have a spring loaded piston that lets you see if there is grease pressure behind them. The hub on the axle with the brake on it always retracts faster because of the extra heat.

[johnco]

I've had to change out axle stubs before from shot bearings. not hard to do. carolina skiff.. calm water boat.. gonna beat you up in waves

[URY914]

I had a friend that was towing his boss's boat with his truck on the interstate. He looked in the mirror and saw the axle ON FIRE! The bearing grease caught fire. He about crapped his pants.

[Roosterrusek]

Originally Posted by johnco

I've had to change out axle stubs before from shot bearings. not hard to do. carolina skiff.. calm water boat.. gonna beat you up in waves

Yeah, we get that lovely spray over the bow every once and awhile when I don't pay attention, the wife loves that. We're hoping to relocate to the Jax area...when we were down there I asked them about my boat...they told me that basically I had the boat that is perfect for that area. Inter coastal will be my realm one day.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Roosterrusek

Yeah, we get that lovely spray over the bow every once and awhile when I don't pay attention, the wife loves that. We're hoping to relocate to the Jax area...when we were down there I asked them about my boat...they told me that basically I had the boat that is perfect for that area. Inter coastal will be my realm one day.

That's a nice fishing boat, and I remember your inquiries about Jax some time back. The IC is a "travelers ditch" and I think you'll change your mind about that . Your boat is perfect for the lower St. Johns (south of the I-295/Buckman bridge), but I wouldn't spend much time in the upper part of the river without a V shaped hull. I've played on that river a bunch in all kinds of boats over the past 30 years...it's a wonderful playground . The bearing incident my friend encountered, we were south of Jax on the St. Johns...(around Palatka)...fantastic bass fishin'!!!