trailer maintenance

[biggerseagar]

The last of the fleet is my jet ski and I was able to get my stx-15f out of my garage today. I have a lift for it at our marina where the boat is and with the help of a friend he dunked me in the water and I drove it on the lift. The pwc is a 09 that we bought in 10 brand new with trailer.

I am heading down to Arkansas in June with jet ski with my son and family so I wanted to repack the wheel bearing and making sure all was ok.Now I haven't touched any of this since I bought it and got what I deserved. Chocolate grease! Cleaned all the hubs out and bearings were shot too. Worked for around 15 minutes trying to pound out the races with the Ole socket method with no luck , so loaded up all the parts and headed to my local trailer shop and l'll pick the new and improved hubs tomorrow afternoon.

I could not believe the condition of the grease, just how shot it was. Chocolate goo. The trailer had what I thought were buddy bearings but when i popped them off it was just a cavity where the grease would go and that was it, no spring-load like the real buddy bearings have. Next headed over to the trailer tire store and ordered two 4:80 x12 tires to replace the old ones.. As little as I have used this trailer hopefully I'm good for another 6 years.


Roger

[mmwjr]

Is there a grease fitting on the hubs? When trailering do you let the hubs cool before dunking? I am assuming no and no which is why you got what you got.

Good decision to check it now before the trip, may have soured the time with your family.

[biggerseagar]

There are zert fittings on the each of the hubs. One trip to the marina in the spring and one trip back home for the winter. Maybe a couple trips to a local lake. I have grease splatter all over the back of the wheels so IMHO I think the rear seals failed.

Do you recommend a grease for this app Mike?

Roger

[mmwjr]

I had trailers for my first 2 boats and used the quicksilver grease recommended for gimbal bearing. I have one of those little grease guns and used it for everything. When re packing the bearing I would just break open a tube, basically used one tube per hub as they are small.

[mmwjr]

BTY if the hubs are hot when dunked and there is a void from not enough grease it will suck water in, probably what happened.

have a great trip.

[biggerseagar]

Thanks Mike!

[shrew]

Any grease is better than no grease. 5 years is a long time to go without replacing wheel bearings on a boat trailer IMHO. (Enter the flood of guys claiming they go much longer). 'Possible' and 'Best Practices' are mutually exclusive. You're submerging them in water.

I would be repacking the grease seasonally. I would then use that time to asses the condition of the bearings and whether they need replacement. I would expect to be replacing them every few years. This will also help with the removal of the bearings.

When they're stuck like that, heat often helps. A little trick I used to use for re-installation. Freeze the bearings and heat the hub. The hub will expand and the bearings will shrink. a good coat of Mercruiser 2-4-c grease on the outside and they should slip right in again.

[shrew]

Incidentally. Is this really 'Off Topic'? Seems like it would go well in General.

[biggerseagar]

Nothing to do about maxums so I thought ......dock walk imho��

I guess 6 years is a long time not to do any maintenance I should of known better.

I can remember wanting to but then something else pops up that has more precedence.

Roger

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by shrew

Any grease is better than no grease. 5 years is a long time to go without replacing wheel bearings on a boat trailer IMHO. (Enter the flood of guys claiming they go much longer). 'Possible' and 'Best Practices' are mutually exclusive. You're submerging them in water.

I would be repacking the grease seasonally. I would then use that time to asses the condition of the bearings and whether they need replacement. I would expect to be replacing them every few years. This will also help with the removal of the bearings.

When they're stuck like that, heat often helps. A little trick I used to use for re-installation. Freeze the bearings and heat the hub. The hub will expand and the bearings will shrink. a good coat of Mercruiser 2-4-c grease on the outside and they should slip right in again.

"asses the condition"

shrew where's you mind been

[biggerseagar]

My spell check was off on that one too ....all you asses.

Well..... reconditioned hubs and new buddy bearings are on and waiting for my new tires,

My little Kawasaki got a total makeover this week. Had to order new cover for it too .Thank you overton's


Roger

[shrew]

Wow, one innocently dropped "s". LOL

[Kevlar7r]

The last of your fleet? Did I miss something while I was away?

[biggerseagar]

Where have you been Kev? Still got the 3000. Just jet ski was last in its slip.

[Kevlar7r]

I've had a tumultuous year... Career changes, loss of pets, deaths in the family, etc.... And those are all just since January. Finally got the boat back, and hoping to have a fun summer.

[biggerseagar]

Well boy oh boy! Glad your back save and sound.

Roger