Wheel bearings

[Speck]

I've been using Bearing buddies on my boat trailer for a couple of years. I thought they were the best thing since sliced bread. (What was the best thing before sliced bread? Oh well thats another discussion.) Back on topic. The left side started throwing grease all over the wheel recently. I figure the seal went out. Pulled the hub, replaced/repacked bearings and seal. the inner bearing still had grease but not alot. Decided to check the right side while I was at it. Same thing. Even though that seal wasn't leaking, the inner bearing didn't have much grease left either. The outer bearings were full of grease. Lesson learned. Just because you have Bearing Buddies on your trailer, it is no substitute for repacking them once a year. I don't think they get much grease to the inner bearings. Sorry if this belongs on the Off Topic board but I thought it was kind of important.

[ready2fish]

very good point

i put a lot of miles on my trailer and watch my hubs for grease and also touch my hubs to see if there getting hot, that tells me if one inner or outer hub is different in warmth, also i re pack mine every year

[Pomoxis]

ty for the heads up. I'm a new boat/trailer owner and had no idea..

[drfishjd]

have you tried using the hubs that pump the grease to the back and then through the bearings out the front? I have them on two boats, and they seem like they'd do a better job than the old bearing buddies. Time will tell.

[olesilverside]

I have had way more than my share of trailer bearing trouble and I only pull 25 miles a trip, I use buddy bearings also, but a very good point, think I will do that this week with all the rainy days we are going to get, don't want problems in cold weather...... thanks for the reminder.......:D some of these Truman pigs we are catching, I am thinking about going to duals on my trailer....:D:D

[beagle man]

good point speck, I do the wheel bering thing every year, it a good thing,

[rugsrme]

have you tried using the hubs that pump the grease to the back and then through the bearings out the front? I have them on two boats, and they seem like they'd do a better job than the old bearing buddies. Time will tell.

You have wheel bearings on your boats???
Just kidding, but I had to laugh at that.

[Just Jiggin]

Never hurts to do maintance. Keeps you fishing instead of being towed in

[Fishtaco]

What was the best thing before sliced bread?

Shirt pockets.

I agree about checking/repacking wheel bearings every year. Don't forget to check the general condition of all your running gear. As many of you know, I broke an axle earlier this year and while that wasn't all that much fun, not having the boat due to limited discretionary funds was even less fun.

So... take a moment, look over all your running gear and your trailer in general and save yourself some headaches, and perhaps some heartaches as well.

Thanks for posting this!

[Kit Papermouth]

Mine run in a oil bath.
I'll have to change the oil in them this week while I have the time before the kids basketball season starts up.
Not sure how many miles the ranger trails will go before the trailer bearings should be replaced for preventative maintenance. I have only a single axle under a 1 ton boat.