Spring Break and Trailor Trouble

[macpappy]

Camped at Okatibee last week and had a good trip. Fish shut completely off a couple days when they would suck the lake dry (they are keeping it 3-4 lower than it was this time last year, COE said they caught a bunch of heat for letting the campground flood 2 years in a row and lost revenue the campers brought in during those floods). It was ok though bc when the fish were not biting I got to spend a lot of time with my wife and kids at the playground and riding bikes. My kids are at the age they can be trusted to ride the bikes by themselves and come check in every hour or so while we sit around the campfire, so it is getting easier and easier.
Well, on Wednesday they pumped out another foot of water overnight so I knew it was time to go ahead and pull the camper out early and go to the turkey woods for the rest of SpringBreak at the in laws in Pachuta. I found a group of birds to hunt in a huge field and finally had them roosted where I wanted for Saturday morning. Long story-short...I missed Saturday morning. First turkey miss in 7 or 8 years so I was really aggravated. I told my wife and kids I was going to go ahead and drive back to Madison and start getting things cleaned up from the camping trip and possibly fish Barnett Saturday afternoon if I had time. I get all the way back to Madison and back the boat down the driveway. As soon as I get out I notice that one of my bearing buddies has came off.....first real issue I've ever had with a boat trailer so I am ignorant to what could possibly be wrong. Just this Summer I had the bearing repacked and sealed so I'm not thinking that's the issue. I decided to pull the boat to advaced auto and buy a bearing buddy. I bought it and installed in the parking lot...as soon as I pull out into hwy 51 I see it come off and get ran over by another car. So I pull into the next Autozone right down the road. Go in and buy another bearing buddy...samething it jumps off when I get into hwy 51 and then I see the wheel jumping as I am pulling onto rice rd(had fishing the dam on my mind). Well I slow down and try to make it back home but I start seeing smoke coming from axle and I pull over. Do the typical I don't know what to do move and call my dad(I'm 36 and do not think I could survive without my dad or his knowledge..he owned an auto parts business and knows his stuff). I described to him what happened and he set in to giving me a tounge thrashing. My bearings had evidentally busted out right as I was getting home and that is what was making the buddies keep jumping off. I spent the next 3 hours going all over trying to find a hub/bearing assembly.....for future reference Academy and Tractor Supply are the only one that have it. Finally got it fixed after buying the wrong size the 1st time. Dad has always told me best way to learn is spend money trying to fix something. Completely aggravating experience but I learned a lot and you can bet if it ever happens again I will have an extra assembly stashed in my boat somewhere.

[JonW]

Good info. I read an article the other day that said 75 percent of insurance claims with boats involve a broke down trailer. After reading your story I think I'll go ahead and swap out both my hubs.

[MO' MONEY]

Unless you replace bearings every year, you will eventually run into this problem. Ive had this issue quite a few times and it stinks. But, part of trailer ownership.

Miss having my dad to ask those type questions to. He seemed to always know just what was wrong and how i needed to fix it.


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[windstone]

you wipper-snappers best listen to dad!!

[CliffordN]

Sorry to hear about the problems, but man I wish I still had my Dad around to talk to... Did not know that you fish down there too. I really need someone who knows that lake to get me started in the right direction there, cause I have made four trips and never put a fish in the boat...

[macpappy]

Sorry to hear about the problems, but man I wish I still had my Dad around to talk to... Did not know that you fish down there too. I really need someone who knows that lake to get me started in the right direction there, cause I have made four trips and never put a fish in the boat...

At Okatibee? One of my favorite things to do this time of year on Okatibee is to go to the northend of the lake and let the wind(if its out of anything but the south) blow me wherever it wants to take me....you will go across everything from 2ft to 12ft and when you start getting bites stay on that pattern or depth. It is a very easy lake to learn.

["G"]

Every trip I have made to Okatibbee has always been a good one

[Eagle 1]

Unless you replace bearings every year, you will eventually run into this problem. Ive had this issue quite a few times and it stinks. But, part of trailer ownership.

Miss having my dad to ask those type questions to. He seemed to always know just what was wrong and how i needed to fix it.


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I have never had to replace a bearing in a boat . That said I do clean and repack every year. Worked boat patrol at Enid for 10 and they got done every year without fail .

[macpappy]

I have never had to replace a bearing in a boat . That said I do clean and repack every year. Worked boat patrol at Enid for 10 and they got done every year without fail .

So you pull your hubs off and cleanout all the old grease around bearing and put new in?

[CliffordN]

Every trip I have made to Okatibbee has always been a good one

A lot of folks who don't know me, vastly underestimate my ability to not get it done! I just started Crappie/White Perch/Sac a lait fishing not long ago, and fishing big water is totally mysterious to guy who was raised beating the banks and casting around cypress trees... I'm so lost that even when I get it right I often have no idea how I did it!