Relentless bearing maintenance ?

[gim]

4 minutes ago, Bird said:

When the wife complains about the house being cold

There is a scene in Grumpier Old Men when Jack Lemmon walks over to Walter Mathau's house with a pillow and blanket and asks to spend the night because his wife kicked him out.  Mathau says "Don't even think about it" and walks away.  Then Lemmon says "I'm cold" outside the screen door and Mathau hands him a box of matches and says "Here.  Light yourself on fire."

 

Maybe you should keep a box of matches handy.  Let me know what her response is.  LOL

 

[Jeff Zurawski]

4 hours ago, Bird said:

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.

I can recall a couple times when I wish I would've done that.  Maybe not right down at bottom of the ramp, but shortly before I got that far after trailering a long distance and launching in freezing weather.  Getting back to the harbor after a long night and trying to get froze up trailer wheels moving was not fun.  A portable propane heater and wasted time were a bit precarious and aggravating.

[N Florida Mike]

5 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

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

Had it happen twice with friends.

Both times it was their trailers… It is an ordeal …

[Skunkmaster-k]

5 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

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

Yep. I changed it out on the side of the highway. 

[Darth-Baiter]

my grease gun is the nastiest thing I own.  gross.  it is a wet greasy mess.  I wouldn't put it into my truck ever.  

[Woody B]

My opinion, as a professional automotive technician, and someone who's logged over 1/2 million miles towing race car trailers.

 

The worst thing "they" ever done was put grease fittings on boat trailer axles.   A boat trailer's axle(s) get backed into the water.  The best protection the bearings have are good grease seals.  Over greasing them with a grease gun has the potential to damage these seals, allowing water to damage the bearings.  

Tapered roller bearings in a trailer need maintenance.  A pump of grease isn't much maintenance.  They need to be cleaned, inspected, and then packed with fresh clean grease.  Seals are important on any trailer axle but IMHO they're more important on a boat trailer than most any other trailer.  

 

I disassembled, cleaned and packed the bearings on 1 axle on my race car trailer once a month.  (3 axles, so clean and pack every 3 months)   I never had a problem on the road.  It got a bunch more miles than my boat trailer.  I jack up my boat trailer and "feel" the bearings once a month.  I clean and pack once a year. 

 

The design used for trailer bearings is antiquated.   Someday "they'll" finally design trailer axles with sealed ball bearings, like automobiles and light trucks have used for years.   

[Way north bass guy]

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

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

You buy the plane ticket, and I’ll be there by Wednesday ??

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

[Kirtley Howe]

7 hours ago, Bird said:

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

And when do you get out of the hospital?