Wheel bearings

[Renae]

Ok, I admit it.  I'm a trailer sailor who's afraid of trailers.  Without shoreline, and with a desire to sail multiple nearby lakes, however, I deal with it.

I got out to the barn today to make a punch list for getting back afloat this spring.  Job #1 is the trailer.  I stored inside, unheated in Minnesota winter conditions.  Today, I jacked up the wheels to test for lateral play and just spin the wheels to check the bearings.  The right side has not even a hint of play.  The left, maybe the tiniest hint, but it's really in the "I'm probably just being paranoid because that's what I do" territory.  Bearing noise/feel with a hand spin is smooth on the right and smooth on the left with perhaps just a paranoid hint of "Is it a little louder?"

I know this is a job that most of you don't mind, but I'm not especially strong, would likely have to work on a gravel surface, and, here is the really important part...I'd rather not change my bearings if I don't have to.  If I ever do, I'll probably go with Tie Down/Vortex hubs so as not to be so likely to have to mess with it.

Total trailering ~ 1000 miles last year and probably similar this year--certainly no more than 3000.

So, the question:

How obvious would a bad bearing be in terms of lateral play and/or low speed spin noise?  Is this something I'm definitely going to notice, or can it be pretty subtle, as I am describing above.?

[nies]

Take to local boat dealer ............for less than $100 get new bearings ,races and repacked...........at 2:00 a.m. in the middle of no where you would pay a lot ..............cheat insurance and peace of mind......nies

[brackish]

A very slight amount of lateral play could be just the the amount you have to back off the nut in order to insert the cotter.  Better slightly loose than too tight.  I have EZ lube spindles. I generally just put a small amount of new grease in and then take the trailer out for a five minute test run, stop, feel the hubs for heat.  If no heat build up in any of them you should be good to go.  I pull the hubs about every three years, inspect and repack the bearings.  My trailer is fifteen years old and I changed all the bearings at ten years when one of them failed (showed significant heat upon inspection)  Auto repair shop or trailer place will do it inexpensively and worth it they have the presses to remove and replace the races without doing damage to the spindle or bearing.

[slode]

First, as Brackish alluded to, take off the cap on the hub and check how tight the nut is.  Pull the cotter pin and see if you can get another notch out of it.  Not too tight, the wheel should still spin freely. Then compare again.  If it's still just a bit louder I would recommend the budget route for someone in your position.  Get both tires in the air with stands/blocks and take the wheel of, then the hubs, check bearings for grease and if dry or dirty clean and re-grease, assemble, repeat.  If grease is ample and still making noise bring the hubs to a shop to get new races pressed in.  It's a very simple task to re-assemble from there with the new bearings and you'll save some money on the easy labor.  You could even have the shop pack the new bearing for you if you're concerned at all about getting grease in them properly.

Either way it's a good idea to take the bearings out and re-pack them every few seasons.  Unless you have true through axle greasing (Zert in hole through center of axle with hole coming out right at rear bearing), which is rare, you aren't getting grease throughout with any other system. bearing buddies DO NOT get grease to the rear bearing, they only pressurize the bearing housing and keep water out.  You have to take the hub off to manually grease the rear bearing.

[Renae]

I generally just put a small amount of new grease in and then take the trailer out for a five minute test run, stop, feel the hubs for heat.  If no heat build up in any of them you should be good to go.

Perfect!  I did this yesterday and the bearings remained cool as a cucumber.  I infer from this that I am good to go for at least short, early season jaunts.  At some point, I want to completely service the trailer with the boat off, which is going to involve either a lift or finding someone who will lend me some dock space for a day or two.  Alternatively, I could go to my local mechanic who won't have trouble doing the job, but this doesn't match my understanding of "essential services" in the context of the pandemic.

[moonlight]

I service axles as part of the varied services we provide.  $125/per cleans the bearings, checks them for marks/scores/checking, repacks, and replaces the seal and grease.  Anything found the only added expense is the bearing set, usually under $15~20.

Recommended annually; but I'm in a saltwater environment.

Strongly recommended no greater than every third year, in any environment.

That side of the highway crap SUCKS EGGS.  And it's dangerous too; can you control it when the wheel passes you by?

ANY CUSTOMER TRAILER I TOUCH, first we check tire pressure.  Then we pull over ANYWHERE at 10 miles and check hub temperature, usually with an infrared gun as well as hand.  We stop again at 25 miles, 50 miles, then I relax A LITTLE.  Trailers are one of the most neglected parts of trailerable boats, and short trips (that never let the bearings heat up much) are generally considered WORSE for water intrusion than longer runs.  But they never get warm enough to drive moisture out, so that could be an old wives tale.  Rarely do I see them above 125F except perhaps on braked axles (with working brakes, another rarity).

[Renae]

I'd drive down there for service, but by the time I got back, I would need it again. 

[hoddinr]

I went through the same spring Worrying about bearings as you did.  And called this mobile trailer outfit.
  Instead of doing all the disassembly repacking and reassembly, they come out with two new hubs - bearings and all - already packed, and for $150 they swap them out.
  That's $150 for BOTH new hubs and bearings.  Plus it takes very little of their time.

https://bigbullytrailers.com/

Plus they come to your place or find you broken down on the road!  The first is much preferred.
They cover the entire west coast of FL and are expanding.

Ron