Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
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Topic author - Posts: 490
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:14 am
- First Name: Henry
- Last Name: Petrino
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Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
I have a 2006 boat and trailer, which I purchased new. Everything seems to be working fine right now, but being the old poop that I am I've been thinking. What maintenance should I be doing on the axle hubs?
I seem to remember that the axle is a "Trailer Buddy Axle by LIFP", but I'm not sure. Anybody have any input?
Thanks in advance for any advice!!
I seem to remember that the axle is a "Trailer Buddy Axle by LIFP", but I'm not sure. Anybody have any input?
Thanks in advance for any advice!!
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- First Name: Mack
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Re: Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
I think the "buddy" part of that is a grease fitting in the end of the hub that allows you to use a grease gun to put fresh grease in the bearings.But after a few times,the excess goes out the grease seal on the back of the hub and makes for a big mess.
I would pull each hub,clean and repack the bearings and adjust them. The axle seal has to come out but if you tilt the hub up or down with the outer bearing off,sometimes you can pull the axle seal out from the hub without damage.But they are not exspensive if you do damage it.
I would pull each hub,clean and repack the bearings and adjust them. The axle seal has to come out but if you tilt the hub up or down with the outer bearing off,sometimes you can pull the axle seal out from the hub without damage.But they are not exspensive if you do damage it.
If you can't help em, don't hinder em'
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Re: Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
I always find a seal that is the same id and od but 1/2 the width and put 1 in to hold the grease in and another in backwards to hold the water out, seems to work real well, and be sure to use blue boat trailer grease.
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Topic author - Posts: 490
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Re: Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
Thanks fellers. That helps.
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Re: Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
I had a boat trailer with "Bearing Buddies" on it--it is a spring loaded bearing cap that you grease before putting the trailer in the water--the spring keeps the grease under compression so that (theoretically) water can't get sucked into the warm bearings when the wheel hub is dunked into the cold lake (stream, bay) water.
T'ake care,
David Dewey
David Dewey
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Re: Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
What Mack said. And to add to what Dennis said, there are double lip seals that do just what he described, I've used them many times in a past life as a Maintenance Supervisor in a Lead Recycling plant that had a lot of issues with outside contamination on gearboxes. They kept the crud out and the lube in. Maybe they would work if there isn't room for two seals back to back, we never had that option. I do like his idea though. JMHO Dave
1925 mostly original coupe.
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Re: Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
The general recommendations is that boat trailer bearings should be disassembled, cleaned, inspected, and re-packed every season.
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Re: Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
And the wise boat trailer owner does this at the end of the season so the trailer doesn't sit all winter with water in the bearing grease rusting metal and expanding when the weather freezes the water!
T'ake care,
David Dewey
David Dewey
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Topic author - Posts: 490
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Re: Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
Well, my learning curve has been vertical on this. I found in my file the Trailer Buddy Axles by UFP service pamphlet that has a diagram and detailed instructions on greasing the hub and bearings. So, after reading that a few times and watching a few videos I got busy. The first thing to do is tap the hub cover gently all around until you work it off. There is supposed to be a Zerk fitting under it. I tapped it off. The damn hubs are oil bath.
Turns out everything is just fine except my blood pressure. I plan to find out why I was given incorrect literature when I bought the thing. Time for an adult beverage.
Turns out everything is just fine except my blood pressure. I plan to find out why I was given incorrect literature when I bought the thing. Time for an adult beverage.
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- Posts: 521
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- First Name: David
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Re: Boat Trailer Axle Guidance Please
What you describe, grease fitting under the cap, seems right--it's been a few decades since I had that trailer! Oil bath, that's interesting.
one day at a time!
David D.
one day at a time!
David D.
T'ake care,
David Dewey
David Dewey