bucktail Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Just wondering when bearings should be replaced and or repacked. since its that time of year. I have never done it before and was wondering if places sell whole bearing kits including seals? I have a 22l Shorelander, I think it takes 1and 1/16 inch but I am not sure. The online owners manual didnt really help too much. Any help would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 I think it was two years ago, a bearing went on me in Northern Quebec. Rather than buy two bearings, I got two complete hubs, installed those and kept the best one of the two old hubs to mount my spare on. Worked great for me. Not saying this is what you need but it's what I did under my circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaspumper Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Just wondering when bearings should be replaced and or repacked. since its that time of year. I have never done it before and was wondering if places sell whole bearing kits including seals? I have a 22l Shorelander, I think it takes 1and 1/16 inch but I am not sure. The online owners manual didnt really help too much. Any help would be appreciated. Put a set of bearing buddies on the trailer,helps keeping the bearings well greased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musky66 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Put a set of bearing buddies on the trailer,helps keeping the bearings well greased. Just don't over grease them- I blew the rear seals out on mine from being overzealous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Just wondering when bearings should be replaced and or repacked. since its that time of year. I have never done it before and was wondering if places sell whole bearing kits including seals? I have a 22l Shorelander, I think it takes 1and 1/16 inch but I am not sure. The online owners manual didnt really help too much. Any help would be appreciated. So many variables. How old is the trailer/or bearings in the trailer? How far do you trailer each year? Does it have Bearing Buddies? No hard and fast rule. I've never touched the bearing in my 5 year old Shorelander, but then again it doesn't have go to far and it is equipped bearing buddies. Any decent bearing house should be able to supply you with everything you need. The question is, do you need it? If in doubt change them for piece of mind. I do like Roy's suggestion of a complete spare hub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuhaman Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 I jack up my trailer, spin the wheels and if all sounds good I'm happy. I also have bearing buddies and 2 spare bearing kits in my boat. Better safe than sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Ahhh.. the tri-yearly bearing thread. Thanks Darren! lol Jack.. rock side to side and hopefull detect no side play.... see if she rolls easily with minimal help on your part .. ONE FINGER against tire and turn. Rolls okay.. no noise.. grease and drive if you have bearing buddies. If not, I guess it's pull apart and repack. I would think a Shorelander would have buddies on it... Remember as long as the spring loaded plate can be rocked side to side.. they still have enough grease in them. You only grease until the plate is about 1/2 way back.. never bottoming the spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Just wondering when bearings should be replaced and or repacked. since its that time of year. Related to Rip van Winkle are you, slept over it all winter.. Now supposing there was water in them there hubs and bearings, what do you think it did all winter? A little bit of water and iron makes ferrous oxide, a.k.a rust. That rust will also attack the spindles and kinda screw things up there too. If you do them in the fall, you may save the bearings, and best of all, be ready to go in the spring when the Robins a bobbin' but your bobber ain't 'cause your trailers broke. As for bearing buddies, everyone has their opinion on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Ahhh.. the tri-yearly bearing thread. Yep,it,s that time again. All I can add is,make sure you pack the bearings, before you install them. Do not put them in dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 A little bit of water and iron makes ferrous oxide, a.k.a rust. Not without oxygen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf 3 Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 http://www.shoreland...&productID=1088 Where to buy? http://www.cerka.ca/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushart Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Been 6 years with bearing buddies Got an appt next week to change them anyway Not pushin fate---the cost versus being stranded in nowhere land no decision for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Always a crap shoot lads.. the old bearings are probably better than the new crap you'll get in many cases. I've always been an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda guy. I bought this trailer in 1989.. 9 ton rating.. 3 axles. Still has the original King bias ply tires on it and the original bearings and it's logged a LOT of mile originally hauling my cars to car shows across Ontario and the last 16 years or more recovering airplane wrecks. Yah I know, it's not even a boat trailer.. but she's been in the lake MANY times unloading float docks or picking up stranded float planes. Never a squawk as recent as Wednesday recovering this from a forest... but now of course I've jinxed myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handlebarz Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 I got lucky two years ago I was heading to the lake and noticed that the tire looked weired do I pulled over and sure enough the bearing just let go I did the same as Roy I bought a new hub and changed that one on the side of the road. This year I am replacing the other side and will have two spares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Always a crap shoot lads.. the old bearings are probably better than the new crap you'll get in many cases. I've always been an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda guy. I bought this trailer in 1989.. 9 ton rating.. 3 axles. Still has the original King bias ply tires on it and the original bearings and it's logged a LOT of mile originally hauling my cars to car shows across Ontario and the last 16 years or more recovering airplane wrecks. Yah I know, it's not even a boat trailer.. but she's been in the lake MANY times unloading float docks or picking up stranded float planes. Never a squawk as recent as Wednesday recovering this from a forest... but now of course I've jinxed myself! Kinda brings back the saying,they dont make them like they use too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushart Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 I'm already into aftermarkets so---original hold ons are no longer an option I too had shaky tire syndrome just prior to last change---fortunately it was a block from home little rollers on the road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeontroller Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Bay City Marine did my Trailer a few years back for $35 a side! I'll pay that any day to avoid the mess of doing it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucktail Posted March 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Yep I got bearing buddies on but the inside seal on the left rear leaks grease onto the inside rim. They spin nice and I am always "topping" them up with freah grease every month or two. Is it worth it to replace that inner seal or will just adding grease solve that> Trailer is 6 years old and on the same set of tires with no side to side movement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 That's another story Darren... first sign of a seal leak should have been taken care of immediately. Grease coming out.. equals water going in and your Bearing Buddy isn't doing what it's supposed to and maintaining a positive pressure (which keeps water out!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucktail Posted March 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Ill look for a bearing kit at BPS in the morning, btw I got a new |Core for 250 new of ebay and am going in search of a rod for it. Any one going to be there in the morning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handlebarz Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 What time are ya heading to the store at? I have yo go to YOM in Barrie for 11 am if I don't get held up I thought of hitting BPS around noon if I am delayed I will not stop in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tybo Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I would not buy a bearing if it doesn`t say made in the USA or Germany and preferably Timken Also nothing under APEC 5 for bearing grade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GYPSY400 Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) For me on my old boat trailer I visually check and repack the bearings every spring.. Considering a boat trailer gets dunked in water it's cheap insurance Not to have rusty grease in there.. My new trailer has bearing buddies, so I'll give it a few pumps and repack them this fall. It didn't get much mileage last year. My tent trailer - which doesn't see much water will run two years before re- packing.. But will get checked before the new tires go on this year. Also, the side to side play check is good for checking loose bearings.. But I've had occasions that if the bearing is coming apart it will still feel tight (happened on my pick-up).. So be sure to also roll the wheel and listen for growling. Also, in regards to tires... I've pulled off my tires for both my tent trailer and boat trailer.. No need for the sun to beat on them for 4 months in frigid temperatures, when they can sit in a nice warm basement. Edited March 20, 2012 by GYPSY400 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 The best way to know is to pull the bearings and have a look, as stated before it is cheap insurance. It doesn't take long and if you haven't done it before you learn a new skill and it can be done at your convenience rather than wherever it fails. I am a 'preventative maintenance' kinda guy rather than a 'if it ain't broke leave it' type though. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanD Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 When are trailer manufactures going to realize that its 2012; not the turn of the last century and start using sealed wheel bearings/hub assemblies? There are so many advantages with them over a tapered roller bearing; no more repacking with grease, being sealed no more worries about water intrusion. The bearings themselves can be properly rated for the weight the trailer's designed to carry and for the wheel speed that the tire (12” wheel VS 15”) is going to spin them. The ease of replacement, one centre bolt/nut and they slide off and again with no grease to worry about. Because of the bearing’s size (usually larger then tapered) even when they would fail, it would not be as catastrophic a failure; if you couldn’t feel or here one of these bearings beginning to fail you shouldn’t be pulling a trailer. They would howl and wobble the wheel a lot before blowing apart. As for durability sealed wheel bearings have been used for a number of decades in the automotive industry; on anything from mom’s grocery getter, 1 ton pick ups and larger. With the number of vehicles out there using them, compared to bearing failures; I’d say the percentages are pretty good. The one disadvantage is the cost; but I’d gladly pay $2-300.00 more for a trailer with them and never have to repack another bearing. Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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