How can you tell or are there any signs that its time to replace bearings on your trailer?

Once a year, usually at the end of your fishing season when you winterize your boat, you should remove, clean, inspect and pack your wheel bearings and replace the seals with new ones.  If the bearings still have a nice, shiney surface with no pits or marks in them, they should be good to go for another season.  If showing pits and signs of wear, replace them.  Don't forget to check the races (cups) also.  They will have some discoloration where the bearing (cone) runs but there should be no pits in the metal.

I put new races, seals, and bearings on my trailer this afternoon. Been just about a year. It's an annual thing for me.

I put new races, seals, and bearings on my trailer this afternoon. Been just about a year. It's an annual thing for me.

This scene sounds like you have OCD.  I have two boats with trailers, two tow vehicles, a Polaris Ranger, golf cart, and two homes to take care of and I just cannot spend money like this without a compelling reason.  I do not even have time to check everything I need to do.  It bothers me too.

Pantherdev, with all due respect, some of us cannot afford all of the toys that you have, so we cannot afford to ignore the maintenance, as you do, on the few toys that we have.  Jack (fishfordollars) is a personal friend of mine.  Speaking in his defense, he has only one boat and one tow vehicle.  He uses them both as a licensed fishing guide and to fish tournaments.  Jack is not poor my any means, but the boat and tow vehicle help to make a bit of additional income for him.  If you were depending upon your boat, motor, trailer and tow vehicle to put money in your pocket, wouldn't you be a little obsessive about the maintenance of those items?

Please, take it from me, don't wait for "signs to replace bearings."

I spent 11 hours broken down on the highway and $1075 to get back on the road because of a blown bearing last spring on my Florida fishing trip.

It's amazingly simple , but messy, maintenance and may result in only having to clean and repack the existing bearings. You will have to replace the seals as they will be destroyed when removing them to gain access to the inner bearings. This won't cost $10. If you must replace the bearings, races, and seals the kit I buy (1 3/8 x 1 1/16) costs $12.50 x 2 wheels =$25.00. About 1 1/2 hrs labor.

A d**n sight short of $1075 and 11hrs broken down on a Fla. highway.

By the way, you can go on" You Tube " and see videos showing just how easy this critical maintenance is to perform.

I'm so angry with myself for paying the prices the thieves at the boat shops charged me in the past.

Good luck.

I put new races, seals, and bearings on my trailer this afternoon. Been just about a year. It's an annual thing for me.

This scene sounds like you have OCD. I have two boats with trailers, two tow vehicles, a Polaris Ranger, golf cart, and two homes to take care of and I just cannot spend money like this without a compelling reason. I do not even have time to check everything I need to do. It bothers me too.

OCD , well at least i take an active interest in my equipment. Sorry i don't have the money to just let it go until it craps out on me. Even if i did i still value the safety of me, my passengers, and the traveling public. Ever seen what a wheel running down the highway will do to oncoming traffic. Lack of attention gets people hurt.

OCD my A**!

Actually i bought and replaced the complete hubs.

Doing a tandom axle trailer with 3,500 lb axles used under most bigger bass boats can get a lot more expensive than your standard little single axle trailers.   

I've towed all over the south east and many trips to South Texas and have no problems with checking, cleaning and reinstalling if good.  Been doing that since 1965 and haven't had a bearing failure yet.

Granted though, I do get the bearing kits with bearings, cups and seals that you can pick up at Northern Tools and Wal-Mart for my jon boat trailers.  For the $10 or so they charge for those is cheaper than you can buy the seals at a lot of places.

Pantherdev, with all due respect, some of us cannot afford all of the toys that you have, so we cannot afford to ignore the maintenance, as you do, on the few toys that we have. Jack (fishfordollars) is a personal friend of mine. Speaking in his defense, he has only one boat and one tow vehicle. He uses them both as a licensed fishing guide and to fish tournaments. Jack is not poor my any means, but the boat and tow vehicle help to make a bit of additional income for him. If you were depending upon your boat, motor, trailer and tow vehicle to put money in your pocket, wouldn't you be a little obsessive about the maintenance of those items?

Yes, and I was just like him before I found out that you do not need to spend money needlessly just to feel better.  An inspection, cleaning, and re-application of the proper lube will go a long way and you do not have to spend a dime for this in these crappy economic times.  There are plenty of other things that are steadily going bad on your stuff that you must spend money on.   No offense is meant

 

When your trailer tires pass you on the highway

I check mine every year. If they look loose in the carrier, I replace them. I would rather replace them at a time and place of my choosing then on the side of the highway in the rain.

Considering trailer wheels spin much faster and turn many more revolutions due to their smaller diameter, a fresh set of bearings are cheap insurance and piece of mind.

Considering trailer wheels spin much faster and turn many more revolutions due to their smaller diameter, a fresh set of bearings are cheap insurance and piece of mind.

With all due respect, none of those really play much of a role in bearing failures when it comes to boat trailers.

It's the immersion in water.  A trailer serviceman explained it to me like this. 

There is always air space in the bearing area.  Travelling will always build up heat in bearings.  Not enough to damage them, but enough to cause the air in and around the bearings to expand.

Back the trailer in the water and that cools the wheels, the bearings and the air.  When the air contracts from being cooled, water will be pulled through any imperfection in the seals.

If you launch in salt water, and it gets into the bearings, they can be ruined in a matter of days.  Fresh water, though not as destructive, is still a problem to be avoided.

Frequent inspection, by pulling the bearing cap, is the best way to avoid a costly bearing failure while on the road.

Proper maintenance will take you a long ways. My 1994 Champion has been all over the southeastern U.S. in 18 years, never having a problem with the original bearings. A shot or two of grease after every backdown will protect them sufficiently, or maybe I'm just lucky. But if you want to change bearings, races and seals after each season thats your decision. If I was in Jacks shoes, I'd probably do that myself.........Mike 8-)

Posted by: BASSINATORBIGJOE Posted on: Today at 11:43am

Proper maintenance will take you a long ways. My 1994 Champion has been all over the southeastern U.S. in 18 years, never having a problem with the original bearings. A shot or two of grease after every backdown will protect them sufficiently, or maybe I'm just lucky. But if you want to change bearings, races and seals after each season thats your decision. If I was in Jacks shoes, I'd probably do that myself.........Mike   

You give your bearing buddies a shot of grease every time the trailer is in the water?

If so, doesn't that blow out the rear seal?  I'm confused cause I hardly ever need to add grease to mine as indicated by the blue collar on the buddy. :-?