Roody727

Guys (and Ladies) .... I am taking my new to me 292 on a road trip to Lake Kewnee in SC. I have new tires and lubed up the trailer bearings ... What are the points on the boat that should be lubed/checked to ensure a good trip. I have only had my baby for 1 month. Thanks for the info sharing

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Buy a Laser Temp gun from Lowes/Home Depot, or whatever. Lots of details on how to use on this thread;
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/t...drw-truck.html

It's also helpful for troubleshooting some motor problems.

As long as your oil in the boat isn't too old, (25 hours is old); you are good.
If you don't know when the outdrive oil was changed, I'd do that too, to start your own calendar.

There may be a couple of grease fittings on your transom assembly as well Some do, some don't. A few pumps of quality grease in there will lube up your gimbal bearing.
Have a great trip.

Chart

Not lube, as other than the few Sydwayz mentioned, there's not much to lube. But, there are other important things to consider when trailering a heavy boat.

Get two strong tie down straps for the rear of your boat.
Get one very strong tie down for the front of your boat. (Don't trust the winch strap/cable to hold your boat in place). Some use a turnbuckle and threaded rods to secure the bow down, and that would probably be okay. I use a 10,000 lb ratchet strap like OTR truckers use. But for all three, tie them DOWN to the trailer

Bring enough jack to pick up the axle with the flat tire. I prefer a 3 ton racing floor jack, but bottle jacks work. Problem is they are too tall to fit under the axle once the tire is flat. So, either get a short jack, or pack sections of 2x10's to drive the good tire up on, raising the flat tire up.

Bring at least one great spare tire, and better two.

If you can, a spare hub lubed up with good bearings. If not that, at least spare lubed bearings ready to be installed in the old hub, along with seals. You'll want tools for this too: rubber mallet to remove the hub caps, pliers and cotter pin remover tool to pull the pin, channel locks big enough to remove the spindle nut, drift to remove the old bearings if needed. Also, Emory cloth to clean the spindle if the old bearing scarred it, and lots of paper towels and hand cleaner. Disposable gloves help here too.

Early on, run the rig over truck stop scales to get weights on all the axles (trailer axles will be combined). Make sure your truck tires are inflated for the weight on them. You don't necessary inflate them to max. Don't forget your truck spare tire either.

Oh, and you might want to remove your lug nuts with an impact wrench at home, put on some anti-seize, and then re-install the nuts. This way you wont be fighting them on the road with a flat, which is never in a good place. Oh, make sure you have a good enough lug wrench to remove the trailer lug nuts. I use a 30" breaker bar and a deep impact socket, but something else may work better for you.

Roody727

Thanks Guys!! I did tow it once already 3 hr trip, but nothing this long .... 7 new tires (1 spare), bottle jack in my Excursion and 4-way lug wrench in the truck box. Engine oil has 3 hours and lower unit fluid changed last fall. A friend said to carry two pieces of 6"x6" board to drive the good tires on to change a flat (best case no jack needed to change the bad tire). I tow my 30' travel trailer everywhere, but this boat rides like a dream compared to that thing!

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Take that 4 way lug wrench and wing it into the woods. It's junk.
You need a thin wall socket set for taking lug nuts off of aluminum wheels and a really nice breaker bar. Just keep those in the truck at all times.

Buy both the kit and the breaker bar at Northern Tool (1st choice) or Harbor Freight (last choice).

I just bought a lug nut socket kit from NorthernTool a few weeks ago, but I can't find it listed online,
Here are the Harbor Freight versions:

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-d...-pc-69781.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-d...-pc-69829.html

I have an older HF kit as well, and have never had an issue with it.

84 Formula 272

Do you really change your engine oil every 25 hrs?

84 Formula 272

I just broke my break over bar taking my wheels off!! A 4 way wrench is nice to have when your ratchet or break over bar breaks!! A great trip is one that doesn't include blow outs!! But hot weather and tires are always a problem!!! Keep your speeds down and make frequent stops to check your trailer!!! Try to travel at night when it's cooler!!! Everything runs better in the nighttime air on a long trip!!! That's just my opinion!!

VoodooRob

At Max 25 hrs , I usually change oil in drives and engines at 20-25hrs.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Yes, I tend to.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

I've broken a breaker bar before too. Then I stepped up to better quality tools. I now have a 1" (socket) breaker bar, and you could take out a whole motorcycle gang with that thing. It is SOLID.

Also, I tend to have this in the truck when towing as well: