Everything Works Out....

[treeskier]

If you saw my last post in this forum “hats off to boaters that trailer” you know our boat typically lives on our lift but lately we’ve been venturing out with the boat on the trailer. You will also read we nearly lost a wheel from said trailer last Thursday on the NJ Garden State Parkway.

Disaster was avoided and thanks to a great tow service and a competent repair shop we were able to use the boat both Saturday night and Sunday.

We had a great time at the Proving Ground in Highlands NJ with great food and night time views of the NYC skyline all by boat. It was awesome.

So what began like this....







Turned out like this...

 

[gthh]

Glad it worked out!

one word. Bearing Buddy

 

[Speedling]

Over 4500 miles towing my boat this year.
I do like the bearing buddy system. It eats grease every year due to the miles but helps me know it's working!

 

[treeskier]

Believe it or not I've had bearing buddy on this trailer since day 1 and according to the trailer expert that was probably partially the cause of my issue. I was informed by the trailer shop that system is not intended as replacement for tearing down the hubs and cleaning or replacing and re-greasing the front an rear bearings. It is only designed to keep water out of the hubs. It seems that my shop has been substituting shooting grease in the bearing buddy for maintenance...which we got away with since until recently we only used the trailer about 10 miles per year. Now that we are using it for longer trips (300 miles plus) the trailer shop recommends cleaning and repacking the front and rear bearings annually. Also my boat and trailer were bought used so who knows what was done to the trailer.

 

[2kwik4u]

Yeap, definitely not a replacement for annual cleanings/repackings for certain. I've run them on this trailer, but didn't have them on the last trailer. No issues with either. Properly lubed and tightened bearings should be warm to the touch, but not hot enough to burn your skin. If they are hot enough to burn you, they are too tight, too loose, overloaded, or don't have enough grease.

 

[Julian]

the trailer shop recommends cleaning and repacking the front and rear bearings annually

That seems crazy to me....doing that after 300 miles of use? I had the same trailer for 5 years and towed it thousands of miles....just made sure the bearing buddies were always full and never had an issue (perhaps I was lucky?). I think your trailer shop would LOVE you to do it yearly!

 

[Gym]

I do agree dissembling, cleaning & repacking is the best bet but if bearing buddies were only to keep water out they wouldn't have zerk fittings.

 

[djetok]

I do agree dissembling, cleaning & repacking is the best bet but if bearing buddies were only to keep water out they wouldn't have zerk fittings.

completely agree. I don't tow as much as some. Probably 2000 miles total. I always grease my bearings before we do the 200 mile round trip a 4 times this season, and typically once every month on our 3 mile run to the ramp. Marine grease is all I use as well.