offshoredrillin

Just wondering what everyone does for their rituals to not wind up with issues...

1. How often do you change/repack bearings?

2. How often change brake pads?

3. do you rotate or balance your tires?

4. if you do balance do you use equal so they self balance or do weights?

5. aside from rinsing after dipping in salt/brackish water. what other tips to ensure everything stays in good working condition?

J.B. Marshall

I do a complete bearing job every other year but grease the hubs every couple of mths, but I also do not put a lot of miles on my trailer. Bakes & tires when needed again not a lot of miles.

I am also curious as to what others say.

1MOSES1

i would also like to know...thanks.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

I usually pull the wheels and check the brakes once a year. I'll also repack the bearings fully via the zerk until I see new grease coming out.

Don't forget about checking the boards, lag bolts, and carpet. The boards crack often and you will find out how quickly this can damage the boat.

I don't typically have my trailer wheels/tires balanced with weights, but I do have them spun on the balancer to make sure they are not WAY out of whack.

Next time you launch the boat, and are parking the trailer, take a couple minutes to gently pull the trailer up on a curb and check the give on each of the bearings.


The absolutely BEST tool you can buy/own/use for trailer maintenance is a laser pyrometer.

neva satisfied

I'm kind of curious...do many of you treat brackish water like salt water? I'm planning a trip to an area that is known for it and I have a steel trailer. Should I be concerned? Should I do anything in particular?

happy hours

dunk it in fresh water as soon as you return.

jima97

Salt Away

GO4BROKE

iTrader: (1)

Brian,
What temps are you seeing from your bearings, in what amount of time?

Bearings should be cleaned and packed every year so you can examine the brakes and bearings, and adjust them. I balance my tires when new and when 1/2 worn. I use weights not equal. Brakes are replaced when 90 % worn. All fasteners should be checked several times a season, preferably before every trip. Don't forget to grease the actuator and trailer ball also. And keep the tires fully inflated.

Griff

1. I have axles that have a zert in the front and a hole near the rear bearing that repack 95% of the grease and pushes the old stuff out the front. I usually push in new grease at the beginning of the year and half way through the season. I do trailer 3-4k miles a year though.

2. I just finished replacing all the brake plates on my drum brakes about 3 hrs ago. It sucked!!!!!! They were the original plates. Not sure if the pads had ever been changed. Since I've owned the boat, the brakes have sucked. Most of the pads were still 20-30%, but the rest looked like crap and most looked to froze. The prior owner pretty much did next to maintenance on the trailer from what I can tell.

3. I don't rotate or balance. I did just replace 4 of my 6 tires and will probably do the other 2 soon.

4. I just have the tires mounted without being balanced.

5. N/A for me. I know the prior owner dipped the steel trailer in salt and it shows.

baywatch

I re-pack bearings each fall

Brakes replaced as needed as well as tires.

I do rotate tires when I do the bearings

Check tire pressure and give a couple squirts of fresh gease before each use.

When ever the boat is off the trailer I check the boards and bolts at least once in the spring and once in the fall.

If I am parking it for a long period I always park on a couple 2x12's as well as put on tire covers (even when its inside the barn).

After my last brake job I noticed a lot of rust from it sitting after launching so now I tow it 10miles or so to create some heat to dry everything out rather than launch and then let it sit for a couple weeks.

I also go through it anytime I let someone else borrow it (at loto many people don't have trailers so if you have a 38' trailer set up for a straight bottom V you find a lot of friends wanting to borrow it).

Lastly, I don't tow that much (spring, fall, mid summer drive service, and any repairs that pop up so less than 1500miles a year) because I normally leave boat on its lift so once a month or so I will take the empty trailer for a spin around my neighborhood just to get the tires rolling a bit.

I am a bit paranoid and I probably go overboard but I would rather check everything out often than be stuck fixing stuff on the side of the interstate with my family sitting in truck.