What maintenance do you do on your Boat and Trailer Annually?

[tcbass]

I just changed the marine grease on my Spartan Trailer's 'Superlube' hubs. It's quite a bit of work. You basically pump new grease into the hubs while rotating the tire until new grease starts showing signalling that you've expelled all of the old grease and now the hubs are full of new grease. I have small hands so I can't grasp the grease gun normally and have to hold each part and close it which is far more work than regularly doing it. Also, since the hubs take a ton of grease it takes about 50 minutes to do while you are attempting to clean up the old grease and pump the new stuff in and your hands get tired. It's also really messy. Luckily last year I found a battery operated Plews Lubrimatic Grease Gun on sale at Menards for $49 bucks and it was well worth it. It takes a 14 oz. tube of grease not the small 3 oz. tubes that my hubs must have taken 2 of per hub for a total 4 if I recall correctly. Not having to refill the gun with a new tube 4 times per lubing is nice. Did the hubs this year with help from my brother using the battery operated gun and it was way easier, still about a 30 minute job though. Not something I look forward to each year if I don't have too.

I have heard some people say they only top off with a little new grease so that they expel any water but don't put all new grease in the hubs. I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but if it works, I'd rather do that than put all new grease in the hubs.

Also, I change my my outboards spark plugs every year but I know that some others don't. 

 

1.)  What maintenance do you guys do every year?

 

2.)  What do maintenance do you guys do every few years?

[Glenn]

Try using this 60 Point Boat Checklist: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-clubs/boat-checklist.html

[tcbass]

7 minutes ago, Glenn said:

Try using this 60 Point Boat Checklist: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-clubs/boat-checklist.html

Thx. I checked that list but I didn't see anything about hubs or changing out spark plugs. Maybe I missed it.

[riverbasser]

I change the oil in my lower unit annually. I also like to drop the foot and inspect the water pump impellor, if all looks good I spray it down good with wd40 to keep it from getting stiff over winter. I always use stabil in my tanks during the 3 months I don't fish. That's about it. Everything else is done as needed

[tcbass]

7 minutes ago, riverbasser said:

I change the oil in my lower unit annually. I also like to drop the foot and inspect the water pump impellor, if all looks good I spray it down good with wd40 to keep it from getting stiff over winter. I always use stabil in my tanks during the 3 months I don't fish. That's about it. Everything else is done as needed

So how often is changing plugs and lubing your hubs needed?

[riverbasser]

3 minutes ago, tcbass said:

So how often is changing plugs and lubing your hubs needed?

I lube hubs every other trip and I just pump the water out and a small amount of grease. After about 3 or 4 years I remove bearings to inspect and either replace or repack (normally replace). This might not apply to everyone as I only live 20 mins from my lake and 5,mins from the river so my trailer See's few miles. 

Changing plugs annually is not bad practice but not always necessary. I normally run mine for 2 seasons but they get checked and cleaned more often. ( always check plug wires for rust and corrosion)

[Glenn]

I replace plugs annually, and the water impeller every 2 years, without fail.  Lower unit oil gets changed annually as well.  I have oil bath bearings, so I cannot comment on greasing them.  I service them about every 20,000 miles (3-4 years).

I add Stabil + Ring Free every time I add gas - ethanol free gas (it's 2003 Yamaha HDPI).

I do more than that, but I cover it in these videos:

 

 

 

 

[WIGuide]

Lower unit, plugs and hubs. The rest is pretty much done as needed.

[tcbass]

3 hours ago, WIGuide said:

Lower unit, plugs and hubs. The rest is pretty much done as needed.

 

 

When you guys do hubs, do you just put enough in until it starts coming or do you fully replace all the grease?

[WIGuide]

5 minutes ago, tcbass said:

When you guys do hubs, do you just put enough in until it starts coming or do you fully replace all the grease?

My other trailer had bearing buddies. You'd just put the grease gun on it and fill them up until the grease coming out was fresh. I don't know that it removed all the old grease, but just refilled the hub and flushed out some of the old. 

[BrianSnat]

I have a small boat with a 9.9 HP motor. All I do every year is change the crankshaft oil. For the trailer it's lubing the trailer bearings once or twice a year. I have Bearing Buddies on my trailer, which makes it very easy.

[crypt]

repack hubs every year,plugs yearly.lower unit also every year.grease all components that need it monthly.detail boat every other month.keep a good wax on it at all times.always do a walk around to check over before each trip. tire pressure before each trip also. remember if you take care of your stuff it will take care of you.

[S Hovanec]

Change the gear lube, change the oil in the outboard, put a few pumps of grease in the trailer axle and in the fittings on the outboard,  add gas and go fishing!

[tcbass]

On ‎6‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 5:27 AM, crypt said:

repack hubs every year,plugs yearly.lower unit also every year.grease all components that need it monthly.detail boat every other month.keep a good wax on it at all times.always do a walk around to check over before each trip. tire pressure before each trip also. remember if you take care of your stuff it will take care of you.

 

 

Do you have regular hubs, bearing buddies, superlube hubs, or what?