Relentless bearing maintenance ?

[Bird]

So yesterday afternoon while waiting my turn at the boat ramp.

This older gentleman backed his boat down the ramp and jumped out of his truck with a grease gun.

I tied off and climbed out of the boat to see if he needed a hand.

 

Come to find out, this man does this at every single ramp before launching his boat.

I find this odd and very unnecessary.

 

I'm never in a hurry so waiting didn't bother me but I explained to the gentleman that excessive greasing without jacking up and spinning the tire will blowout the rear seal.

 

He said " if you grease the bearings every trip out you don't need a rear seal " ?

 

He was in his early 80's and blind in one eye so kudos there.

[TnRiver46]

He’s got a point haha

 

i certainly don’t grease mine every time but I’ve been known to slap it to them and sling it down the road 

[J._Bricker]

I don’t know @Bird, the man’s in his 80’s so if it works for him, good for him. I’m sure his mindset is a couple shots of grease at the ramp is better than being stuck on the side of the highway with frozen bearings, not to mention much cheaper. 

[gim]

15 minutes ago, Bird said:

He was in his early 80's and blind in one eye

This piece of information is the key part of your post.  I wouldn't put too much into what he's doing or what he said.  Guy's probably lost half his marbles by now.

 

[Tennessee Boy]

Has anyone here ever had a bearing fail on a boat trailer?

[TnRiver46]

9 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Has anyone here ever had a bearing fail on a boat trailer?

Yep, I used to have a 1977 boat that I had to replace one for. Luckily I noticed it at home. 

 

also learned replacing the entire hub is 1,000 times easier and only cost like 10 or 20 extra dollars. 

[Bird]

10 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Has anyone here ever had a bearing fail on a boat trailer?

I'm on my 3rd boat trailer and 4th RV trailer and not a single bearing failure.

I'm gonna get jinxed for this..... and never had a flat tire.

[J._Bricker]

19 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Has anyone here ever had a bearing fail on a boat trailer?

Had a leaf spring fail, that was bad enough

[gim]

10 minutes ago, Bird said:

I'm gonna get jinxed for this..... and never had a flat tire.

If I'm not mistaken, I think you just bought a boat this spring.  It was a Lowe mod V bass boat.

 

Make sure you have the proper size tire wrench for the trailer tires and spare.  I've never had a flat tire on the road, but I had both valve stems go bad in the same month while the boat was parked in my garage.  I realized then that my tire lug nut wrench for my truck did not fit the lug nuts on my boat trailer tires.  Not a big deal being that I was at home, but could have been a lot worse out on the road.  Additionally, I'm not sure where your spare is mounted, but mine is belly-mounted under the hull and its held tight with a specific size socket, which I also did not carry with me.  Again, not a big deal finding this out at home, but I hope my experience can help you avoid a potential problem should it occur out on the road.

[Bird]

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

If I'm not mistaken, I think you just bought a boat this spring.  It was a Lowe mod V bass boat.

 

Make sure you have the proper size tire wrench for the trailer tires and spare.  I've never had a flat tire on the road, but I had both valve stems go bad in the same month while the boat was parked in my garage.  I realized then that my tire lug nut wrench for my truck did not fit the lug nuts on my boat trailer tires.  Not a big deal being that I was at home, but could have been a lot worse out on the road.  Additionally, I'm not sure where your spare is mounted, but mine is belly-mounted under the hull and its held tight with a specific size socket, which I also did not carry with me.  Again, not a big deal finding this out at home, but I hope my experience can help you avoid a potential problem should it occur out on the road.

Yes sir,

I have the tools, just need to run to TS and grab a spare tire and rim...... the trailer didn't come with one.

[TnRiver46]

4 minutes ago, Bird said:

Yes sir,

I have the tools, just need to run to TS and grab a spare tire and rim...... the trailer didn't come with one.

That spare rubber/wheel gave me some sticker shock a few years back haha. Like $140. Seems like I eventually got that one onto the trailer and got a used tire for the spare 

[gim]

3 minutes ago, Bird said:

the trailer didn't come with one.

That's interesting.  You spend thousands and thousands on a new boat, trailer, motor...and there's no spare tire??

[Bird]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

That's interesting.  You spend thousands and thousands on a new boat, trailer, motor...and there's no spare tire??

Yeah, was considered an " extra " . Lol

I'll just throw in the bed of the truck.

 

[DaubsNU1]

2 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Has anyone here ever had a bearing fail on a boat trailer?

 

Not a boat trailer, but an ATV trailer.  About 5 years ago we borrowed trailer and two ATV's from my wife's ex husband...to take their boys on a trip to Colorado.  It's an 8 hour drive from Nebraska to the mountains...trailer was his company trailer, he said it was good to go!

 

Drove all the way to Colorado, spent 5 days ATV-ing...drove almost all the way home. Never checked the bearings once.

 

We are literally 5 miles from home and driver flags me down...said my trailer tire was a wobbling....yep, it was.  And about ready to fall off.

 

I felt horrible, how could I let this happen?  Wife's Ex is a great guy, said it wasn't my fault...his employee had not done the bearing re-pack. And he didn't double check the work. We got the ATV's off and axle replaced. Company paid for all the repairs.

 

I have been super-diligent with bearings ever since.  I do not want that to happen again!

 

All of my trailers have bearing buddies (boat) or the EZ-lube axles (ATV trailer, 5th wheel). I pull them apart, inspect and/or re-pack every year.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

12 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

 

Not a boat trailer, but an ATV trailer.  About 5 years ago we borrowed trailer and two ATV's from my wife's ex husband...to take their boys on a trip to Colorado.  It's an 8 hour drive from Nebraska to the mountains...trailer was his company trailer, he said it was good to go!

 

Drove all the way to Colorado, spent 5 days ATV-ing...drove almost all the way home. Never checked the bearings once.

 

We are literally 5 miles from home and driver flags me down...said my trailer tire was a wobbling....yep, it was.  And about ready to fall off.

 

I felt horrible, how could I let this happen?  Wife's Ex is a great guy, said it wasn't my fault...his employee had not done the bearing re-pack. And he didn't double check the work. We got the ATV's off and axle replaced. Company paid for all the repairs.

 

I have been super-diligent with bearings ever since.  I do not want that to happen again!

 

All of my trailers have bearing buddies (boat) or the EZ-lube axles (ATV trailer, 5th wheel). I pull them apart, inspect and/or re-pack every year.

 

 

It’s bound to happen if you play hard, sometimes it’s not anyone’s fault, stuff does wear out. 
 

im sure you now know/do this, but every time I stop I touch the hubs to make sure they aren’t hot. 

[Deleted account]

3 hours ago, J._Bricker said:

I don’t know @Bird, the man’s in his 80’s so if it works for him, good for him. 

 

Or maybe he's in his 80s and it doesn't work for him, but he thinks it does and his care nurse doesn't want to confront him about it because he spits out his apple sauce at her when she does.

Lubing your bearings every time you launch makes no sense, all you are going to do is blow out the seals,

Old man holding grease gun: "Seals?! I love the zoo!"...

[DaubsNU1]

18 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s bound to happen if you play hard, sometimes it’s not anyone’s fault, stuff does wear out. 
 

im sure you now know/do this, but every time I stop I touch the hubs to make sure they aren’t hot. 

 

Yep. I now bring a laser temp gauge and check on every stop.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

3 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

 

Yep. I now bring a laser temp gauge and check on every stop.

 

 

Lasers? You’ve taken it even one step further….. of course one day when I touch them and roast my hand I’ll wish I had that haha

[DaubsNU1]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

Lasers? You’ve taken it even one step further….. of course one day when I touch them and roast my hand I’ll wish I had that haha

 

Wife was grumpy about the house being cold...so I picked up one of these to check temps, find places where insulation could be better, drafts, etc.

 

Of course I get myself in trouble...she complains it's cold...I bust out the temp gun, shoot the wall, and loudly proclaim "it's the same d**n temp it's been in this house for the past 3 months..."

 

Then I duck, cause I know a projectile is headed my way!  : )

 

 

 

[TnRiver46]

Just now, DaubsNU1 said:

 

Wife was grumpy about the house being cold...so I picked up one of these to check temps, find places where insulation could be better, drafts, etc.

 

Of course I get myself in trouble...she complains it's cold...I bust out the temp gun, shoot the wall, and loudly proclaim "it's the same d**n temp it's been in this house for the past 3 months..."

 

Then I duck, cause I know a projectile is headed my way!  : )

 

 

 

Pretty neat! That reminds me the weather stripping on my front door has a gap in it…..

[Deleted account]

9 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

 

Wife was grumpy about the house being cold...so I picked up one of these to check temps, find places where insulation could be better, drafts, etc.

 

Of course I get myself in trouble...she complains it's cold...I bust out the temp gun, shoot the wall, and loudly proclaim "it's the same d**n temp it's been in this house for the past 3 months..."

 

Then I duck, cause I know a projectile is headed my way!  : )

 

 

 

 

Give up now, spend the extra cash on heating and cooling the house whatever the number is. You can have the most accurate thermometer in the world, and the perfect logical argument, you are never going to win the thermostat war. They cut the saying short, but it was originally "Happy wife, happy life, happy husband..., screw him, nothing rhymes with husband"...

[Way north bass guy]

I posted this a few weeks ago, was bringing a ton of flagstone back to my shop to cut for a fireplace, and while backing into the driveway I heard a weird squeal. Apparently somewhere, likely fairly close to the shop, my hub detonated, and the only reason the tire stayed on was the 2000lbs of stone holding it from bouncing on the bumps on our road. When I got the stone off and jacked it up, I slid the tire right off with just my hands! I’m pretty good about checking and greasing, and even did the touch test on the way home when I got gas and it wasn’t warm at all, but at about 20 years old I guess it was due for something to go. The spindle was all grooved up, and not in good shape so I just bought a whole new axle assembly, springs, u bolts and hardware and replaced it all, so I’m good for another 20 years ( hopefully). First time in over 25 years I’ve ever had a trailer issue, and hopefully the last for a while. 

[gim]

15 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

she complains it's cold...I bust out the temp gun, shoot the wall, and loudly proclaim "it's the same d**n temp it's been in this house for the past 3 months..."

Thermostat wars are a daily occurrence at my house.  She's always cold whether its January or August.  "I need a blanket" and there's like 8 of them around the house by the furniture.  Meanwhile I'm a human oven sweating up a storm at 60 degrees.

 

Lately I've been using "have some coffee" or "go sit in the sunlight" as my two regular comebacks to "I'm cold."

[TnRiver46]

4 minutes ago, Way north bass guy said:

I posted this a few weeks ago, was bringing a ton of flagstone back to my shop to cut for a fireplace, and while backing into the driveway I heard a weird squeal. Apparently somewhere, likely fairly close to the shop, my hub detonated, and the only reason the tire stayed on was the 2000lbs of stone holding it from bouncing on the bumps on our road. When I got the stone off and jacked it up, I slid the tire right off with just my hands! I’m pretty good about checking and greasing, and even did the touch test on the way home when I got gas and it wasn’t warm at all, but at about 20 years old I guess it was due for something to go. The spindle was all grooved up, and not in good shape so I just bought a whole new axle assembly, springs, u bolts and hardware and replaced it all, so I’m good for another 20 years ( hopefully). First time in over 25 years I’ve ever had a trailer issue, and hopefully the last for a while. 

That new one is sharp!! Mine is about 15 years old now, when can you start work on it?………..

[Bird]

3 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Thermostat wars are a daily occurrence at my house.  She's always cold whether its January or August.  "I need a blanket" and there's like 8 of them around the house by the furniture.  Meanwhile I'm a human oven sweating up a storm at 60 degrees.

 

Lately I've been using "have some coffee" or "go sit in the sunlight" as my two regular comebacks to "I'm cold."

When the wife complains about the house being cold I simply tell her...... " You'll warm up in the kitchen " .?