# Trailer Tires/Wheel and hub advice?



## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

We got home last night and discovered (by this screaming metal sound backing into the driveway) that one hub on the trailer seems to have blown out. I think we're kind of lucky to have made it home without a problem. Amazingly we heard and felt nothing, maybe it finally went just before home. Could we be so lucky?

So now we're venturing into trailer hub repair, something neither of us have done, and thought some rad techies on the Buzz could point us in the right direction. I'm thinking that we might as well replace both, with waterproof seals, so we're good to go for a while. The trailer is only 2 years old, but was what we thought a pretty beefy trailer regarding the clearance and wheel size. Not like that matters for the quality of what is inside it, but it's not a teeny-tiny wheel thing and so we thought it was a bit more durable. Seems not.

I suppose a bent axle is a possibility?

Does anyone have any advice, a direction to point us in?


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## cpollema (Mar 9, 2009)

lhowemt said:


> We got home last night and discovered (by this screaming metal sound backing into the driveway) that one hub on the trailer seems to have blown out. I think we're kind of lucky to have made it home without a problem. Amazingly we heard and felt nothing, maybe it finally went just before home. Could we be so lucky?
> 
> So now we're venturing into trailer hub repair, something neither of us have done, and thought some rad techies on the Buzz could point us in the right direction. I'm thinking that we might as well replace both, with waterproof seals, so we're good to go for a while. The trailer is only 2 years old, but was what we thought a pretty beefy trailer regarding the clearance and wheel size. Not like that matters for the quality of what is inside it, but it's not a teeny-tiny wheel thing and so we thought it was a bit more durable. Seems not.
> 
> ...


Sounds like bearings and potentially the chases (the part that wears against the bearings. They are not too hard to replace if you're comfortable mechanically. If you take weight off the wheel try moving it side to side. It shouldn't move that way, but if it does...bearings are loose and potentially shot. Use a screwdriver to take off the hub, there will be a pin holding a large bolt on, remove the pin and the bolt should come off easily, when that bolt is out you can remove the whole wheel and hub. You can remove the wheel and tire from the hub and take the whole hub assembly to a good parts shop and they can recommend if parts or a whole new hub makes the most sense. Sometimes it is not much more money and a lot less work just to replace the whole hub assembly. Good luck.


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## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

do you have a greasable hub? zirc fitting behid a rubber seal? if not depending on your axle size 2000 lb axles are 150 bucks all the way to the wheel nuts. best bet fastest fix. if you have a tandem axle floater, you might just do the bearings. EASY diy's on the google search. a no brainer.


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## rwhyman (May 23, 2005)

Not to be a smart ass, but it's bearings and races, not chases. 

I repack my bearings once a year and always carry a spare hub and bearings. It's pretty cheap insurance.

It's also my opinion that grease zircs on wheel bearings don't get the grease where it needs to be. I hear many stories of bearing failure with "bearing buddies", as they are sometime called.

I never let my axles get submerged when loading/unloading my rafts.

Any trailer or even auto shop can easily fix your problem. The problem may be getting the trailer there. Depends on have bad the situation is, but I wouldn't drive too far or too fast.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

No idea what kind of bearings/hub we have, yet. Here are some photos, it doesn't look like it is good to go to move to a shop for repair. It seems kind of amazing we heard/felt nothing until backing up (perhaps that little metal shaft sticking out just caught at that time, and screamed), and we drove the last 4 miles through town with our windows rolled down. We're pulling with a 1 ton van, so it takes a lot for it to register any strain too. 

We're inclined to fix it ourselves ($$, if it would save), but I'd rather be playing and gardening than learning about bearings and hubs, personally. 

I think we'll be repacking these regularly in the future, and spares will be going in the toolbox.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

lhowemt said:


> No idea what kind of bearings/hub we have, yet. Here are some photos, it doesn't look like it is good to go to move to a shop for repair. It seems kind of amazing we heard/felt nothing until backing up (perhaps that little metal shaft sticking out just caught at that time, and screamed), and we drove the last 4 miles through town with our windows rolled down. We're pulling with a 1 ton van, so it takes a lot for it to register any strain too.
> 
> We're inclined to fix it ourselves ($$, if it would save), but I'd rather be playing and gardening than learning about bearings and hubs, personally.
> 
> I think we'll be repacking these regularly in the future, and spares will be going in the toolbox.



Hey Laura, 
Glad you made it home with that. 

Bearings are toast. It doesn't sling that much grease without frying something. 

Not hard to do seals bearings and races at all. It's dirty but not hard. Packing the bearings by hand is a "little" messy too, but at least it's clean grease. 

It can be a little hard to get out the old race on the inside, sometimes it is pressed on which is another thing to think about. 

I would think about doing the other side too - or at least taking it apart cleaning it, looking for pitting and scoring on the roller parts and races.

One of the most challenging parts is getting the right pre-load on the bearing. 

You usually need a good torque wrench to do this. 

Good luck.


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## rwhyman (May 23, 2005)

Take the tire off, take the cotter pin out, remove the big nut. It should come off easily. Now the hub will come off the axle. Check the axle for damage, but from the looks of the photos, I'm guessing the axle will be ok. Take the hub to a parts dealer to get new bearings and seal. If the hub is damaged, you may need a new hub. It looks like the big washer behind the nut may be gone. You'll need a new one. The race for the outer bearing is pressed into the hub, so the race may be shot, but the hub may be ok. If just replacing the race, it will have to be pounded out with a punch from the back side. There will be a couple of small areas where you will be able to just get the edge of the punch on the race to push it out. If you can have the parts shop do this, it will be much easier. The new race has to be pressed in also. Make sure it is all the way seated. If you are not comfortable with this, it might be easier to just buy a new hub and bearing set. This is also what you would want to carry as a spare. Just be sure that you have the bearings packed on the spare so it's ready to go if you need it. Keep it boxed up and clean.
Once the new inner bearing and seal are installed (the seal must be carefully pressed into place), you can reinstall the hub. The tricky part is how tight to tighten the nut. I was taught to first over-tighten it and then back it off just a touch so that the wheel turns freely, but not too loose or you will just be doing this all over again. Some goes for too tight. 
Looks like I failed to mention that the bearings must be properly packed with grease before the reassembly starts.
If you want to talk to me about this, shoot me a PM and I will send you my phone #.


Looks like Carvedog addressed some of this while I was typing. Good info there.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Thanks everyone, lots of good info. The Buzz is so excellent!

I did find a cool video:

YouTube - Remove and Reinstall a Trailer Hub Review - etrailer.com

It actually scared me more than anything, wondering if the axle is bent or something. but a good visual on adjusting the pre-load.

I'll be passing this info on to the project manager (husband), I'm actually supposed to be staying out of this repair! I'm pretty sure we have a good torque wrench too. And we are definitely doing both sides.


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## cpollema (Mar 9, 2009)

rwhyman said:


> Not to be a smart ass, but it's bearings and races, not chases.
> 
> My bad...races not chases. Should proof read more carefully. Anyway, it is a pretty straightforward repair and a good parts shop should still be able to tell you just what parts are needed and the price difference between getting the parts separately or the whole assembly. Latex or similar style double gloving is also a good idea. It is a messy job. Good luck.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

lhowemt said:


> Thanks everyone, lots of good info. The Buzz is so excellent!
> 
> I did find a cool video:
> 
> ...


wow they have everything on the utubes these days. yeah that's the bit.


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

I've been dealing with the same thing a lot this year. Last year I bought a homemade trailer, took it apart and repacked everything with grease. I reused everything including the grease seals. This year I took it apart before the season and found the bearings on one side to be dry and rusted. I took everything to the parts store to find replacements only to learn that it is all old and odd-sized. They put a micrometer on everything and gave me the nearest thing they had. I bought two of everything to do both hubs. The rear seal didn't fit very well and I destroyed one trying to get it to seat. Finally I was confident that the one side was good but I was now short one seal for the other side (an hour round trip to get another one). I pulled the grease cap and the other side didn't look dry like the first so I put off doing it. 

Suddenly, without hearing any bad noises, I lost the tire after a great day floating. I had enough parts to rebuilt it to get it home and then spent father's day at the parts store getting a new set of everything to make it right before hitting the river again. I still don't trust it is right and ordered a new axle and hubs that I can get replacement parts for.

Up until now, I have kept the hubs out of the water when loading and unloading. I was hoping that with new, good seals and annual maintenance I would be okay backing the trailer down further and sink the hubs. 

Does anyone have good or bad experiences sinking their trailer?


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## dgosn (Sep 8, 2006)

lhowemt said:


> We're inclined to fix it ourselves ($$, if it would save), but I'd rather be playing and gardening than learning about bearings and hubs, personally.
> 
> I think we'll be repacking these regularly in the future, and spares will be going in the toolbox.


It's a messy job, BUT you oughta learn how in the comfort of your driveway and in close proximity to liquid refreshments. It sure beats trying to do it on the side of the interstate in a blizzard, I can attest that sucks.

Grease, grease, and grease some more whenever you think about it. I carry a mini grease gun in the tool box. You ID and MT folks don't seem to have many putin/takeouts where you can float a boat onto the trailer, so you are probably saving some wear there. JC Whitney and other interweb sites have axels for cheap, they should be easy to put on. You may want to think about getting the biggest tire you can fit on the trailer, less rotation = less wear. 

I saw a trailer shoot a wheel off at 70mph, toasted the hub and axle. It was funny only because he'd had been bragging about NEVER having to lube his bearing buddies.

Now I better go grease my axles after talking shit!


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Gremlin said:


> Does anyone have good or bad experiences sinking their trailer?



Um, this might be our problem. Our raft & frame are heavy, and last weekend it was just the two of us, and not a soul at the takeout (freaky - 4th of July - WTF) to help. So instead of taking the frame off the boat and loading them separately, we backed into the river just enough to float the boat up next to the trailer and we could horse it up ourselves. I didn't think we got the hubs in, but we may have. It seems too coincidental for it not to be the cause. That's why I'm thinking waterproof hubs/seals/bearings etc.


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## mttodd (Jan 29, 2009)

Sounds like you have it covered, good info from good folks. If I might suggest this stuff. It is marine grease meant just for bearings that are subject to dunking. You should be able to get it from napa in your area. It specifically resists washout due to submerging. (even the best of seals seem to let a little water in) It is made by Sta-lube. All that I use. Good luck!


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## mttodd (Jan 29, 2009)

Hate to repost, but bearing buddies are junk. If you do replace an axle go with EZ lube axles made by dexter axle. They are built with a drilled out spindle with a zerk on the end that allows the grease to push through the back bearing forward. If you are careful to allow time enough for the grease to ooze forward and not pop the seal out the back it will repack the bearings without taking the wheel off. These are the standard nowadays, and it is hard to find a good trailer without them. They also do not have springs but incorporate a pressed in torsion axle with dropped spindles , no axle across the middle (way better clearance).


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## dgosn (Sep 8, 2006)

What he said.

I have to replace one of my DExter EZ lube axles(bent), the whole thing with hubs is like $250, I always back the trailer in the water when possible, well worth it to me.


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## ngeoym (Jun 13, 2007)

First I will admit to not having read every post or watching the video so if I am redundant I apologize. Packing the bearings correctly is important. Simply smearing grease on the race and rollers will not do. Another important and often overlooked part of all of this is assuring that you adjust the re packed or new bearings to the proper running clearance. A wheel bearing that is too tight will self destruct quickly, and too loose can cause the grease to prematurely run out and cause burnelling (pitting) of the race. With a little research this can be done easily by even the most non mechanical. Good luck!


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## leery (May 16, 2005)

*Get a new axle*

I went through this last year. Went to ainsworth repair in denver and they took good care of me. 

They got a replacement, welded the brackets on, and had it back to me in 2 days. ~150 bucks out the door.

Ainsworth Trailer Repair ? Denver, CO

You're gonna end up doing this in the long run. No point in wasting 100 bucks on a new hub and bearing.


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## handlebar (Jul 5, 2010)

wheel bearings are to easily maintained not to be one of the items on your check list, same as your boat and gear. Repack the bearings with bearing grease at least twice a year and more often if you submerge your axles in water, to check for wear jack the trailer wheel off the ground and shake it in and out looking for slack, tighten the axle nut just enough to take the slack out, do not over tighten the axle nut.If you are afraid to get a little or a lot of grease on your hands take it to a shop.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

*If the spindle's bent, just get a new axle*

I went through something similar after spending a summer in MT where I was able to back down into the river on the fine concrete boat ramps after doing solo after-work floats near Libby. After coming all the back to CO, the bearings failed that fall, the spindle was shot, and I made the mistake of assuming a new axle would be much more expensive than repairing the spindle. The shop that had the trailer re-welded the spindle on crooked and a few months later I noticed the tire was wearing very unevenly. I don't remember the exact pricing but I think I was able to get the entire axle & bearings replaced for about $75 more than the yearly bearing replacement I've been doing.

-AH


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Gremlin said:


> Does anyone have good or bad experiences sinking their trailer?


I am one of those Idaho guys who doesn't back his trailer in. Must have wife with strong back. 

I did have a bad experience with sinking a trailer. I was catching boats on the top of a large stack (working commercial in a former carefree life without a mortgage) I was on boat four catching number five, when the truck and trailer started rolling into the river. I was sure wishing I had my LJ on right about then. The trailer was all the way in the river when someone made it to the E brake on the truck and slammed it on. I had almost made it to the bow of the top boat getting ready to jump for the truck when the brakes were applied. I rolled over both thwarts backward and almost ejected into the water out the back of the raft stacks. 
Scared the piss out of me. Of course someone had left it in gear and not set a wheel chock. Dohhh.......

I know nothing about the bearings on that trailer but it was a bad experience for me. 
That's all I have.


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## handlebar (Jul 5, 2010)

AH, you are right on with the new axle, I have known several people that tried having new spindles welded on and ended up buying new axles anyway, extremely hard to get them welded on straight. The bearing issue is something I am dealing with all the time, I have horse trailers and equipment trailers, the heavier the trailer load the more likley to have bearing failure, I repack mine before any long haul and check them fairly often through out the year, nothing ruins a trip like sitting on the side of the road or having to leave your trailer on the side of the road. Checking and replacement is not very hard to do, also check your trailer lights, could save you from a ticket or an accident.


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## NoCo (Jul 21, 2009)

easy fix bearings and races (or cups)at least thats what they told me they were called when i worked for ford....just make sure to push the grease through the the bearing....always slap a bunch of extra grease inbetween the 2 bearings.....the parts should be easy to find at napa....bring the hub with you and it'll be easy.....ps....repack the other side while your at it so pick up an extra grease seal


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

Always check your trailer before, during and after, for problems ( tires, hubs, lights, hitch, safety chains, make sure everything remains secured etc. ) when towing your trailer. I always reduce my driving speed when towing a trailer. Nothing worse than being whipped around by your safety chains with a trailer laying on it's side and river gear all over the road. I was pulling a trailer once when I notice one of my trailer tires passing me on the road and things got ugly in a hurry . So inspect your trailer whenever you fill up with gas or if things do not feel ok.


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

raymo said:


> Always check your trailer before, during and after, for problems ( tires, hubs, lights, hitch, safety chains, make sure everything remains secured etc. ) when towing your trailer. I always reduce my driving speed when towing a trailer. Nothing worse than being whipped around by your safety chains with a trailer laying on it's side and river gear all over the road. I was pulling a trailer once when I notice one of my trailer tires passing me on the road and things got ugly in a hurry . So inspect your trailer whenever you fill up with gas or if things do not feel ok.


PS. do not use your brakes if you find yourself being whipped around by your safety chains.


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## handlebar (Jul 5, 2010)

Another thought, " Bearing Buddy's" do not repack the wheel bearings regardless of how much grease you pump in them, and it is the wrong kind of grease. I have never seen wheel bearing grease come in tubes for grease guns, bearing grease is a whole lot heavier than gun grease, regardless if it is marine grease or multi purpose grease these types are to thin and will turn to liquid when it warms up. Bearing grease will come in a tub or a can and make sure it says wheel bearing grease on the label it will have to be applied by hand, hold the bearing in the palm of your hand and smash the grease into the sides of the bearing until grease comes out of every crack and opening around the entire bearing make sure to do both bearings the inner one and outer one, most larger axles have two on each wheel fill any spaces with grease when putting the wheel back on tighten the axle nut accordingly and always use a new cotter pin and new grease seals. Nothing to it, Auto Zone, NAPA, or any jober will have everything you need.


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## CROE (Jul 29, 2008)

*Trailer Tires/Wheel advice?*

I need to pull the trigger and get a trailer for my 14' hyside/frame fishing set up.......said last year that I wouldn't go another year without a trailer.....and I need to do it soon....don't have time for much of a project ie welding,modifying.......I know lots of experience out there at the "Buzz"......options are a good shape (good price) snowmobile trailer with 10'' fat tires, utility trailer with 14" tires to constuct a flat bed onto (a couple hours of work for this summer.....more hours to perfect it later this fall) or bite the bullet and pay about list$ for a new "Raft trailer" with 13" wheels ready to go.(price is an issue, but could squeeze out the $ for "new raft trailer" if I must/prefer less$)..........anyway, my longwinded ? is re TIRES/size......though most of the time the trailer will be at my inlaws in Edwards doing day trips on the Eagle (less than an hour away off highway) Colorado (less than an hour at highway speeds) or Roaring Fork(...towards 2 hours with I70 highway speeds), BUT once or twice per year down to the Gunnison (5 hours including highway) an every year or two a bigger trip with highway to Idaho or Montana.................so, howmuch hassle, maintainence, HIGHWAY RISK, dick-around factor issues with 10" snowmobile wheels, vs 13" or larger wheels on a trailer from youall's out there's opinion/experience in reality?????? I don't want to wish I made a different decision in the future (loaded question) I have never packed a bearing in my life, but am not a clutz.........thanks, Chet


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## LineDawg (Oct 18, 2009)

Well, bearings generally have a rotation life span. With a smaller diameter tire you would of course reach that rotation number sooner. Also, the faster you spin a bearing the more heat you are going to generate. Heat, is what makes the grease break down. Myself personally, I prefer a larger wheel. Do some research on the cost of tires also. The 14" may be cheaper and more readily available in case of a flat. Also look into the cost difference of a single axle versus the tandem axle. I prefer to pull a tandem over a single. The difference is night and day. 

What ever you decide get some EZ Lube or Bearing buddy caps for the wheels.


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## Snaggletooth (Jun 2, 2008)

I agree with LineDawg with the recommendation of looking into a tandem axle. I don't want to be caught somewhere when something goes wrong and have to abandon my boat and trailer. I have taken my trailer just about everywhere you could go including down the Chukar Trail multiple times and have had no issues with clearance or anything on 15" tires. Last fall on the way to Lodore we had a brake malfunction and overheated a wheel and it actually broke clean off about 100 miles from nowhere. Needless to say without the tandem axle we would have been stuck but we were able to continue on the 3 wheels and get the boats dropped and trailer fixed during shuttle. The only thing to consider with a tandem in the added weight you will be pulling. I think my 16' tandem flatbed probably weights about 1,200lbs.


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## rwhyman (May 23, 2005)

Everyone has an opinion. Here is mine. 
I have a 12x7 utility trailer with 15 in tires. I've pulled it all over CO, AZ, UT, WY and ID. I keep the tires properly inflated and repack the bearings about once a year. 
I wouldn't go smaller than 14in tires and I would never buy a trailer with 10 wheels.
I think a tandem axle for a raft or two plus gear is severe overkill. Twice the tires and bearings to deal with and more weight to pull. 
I think bearing buddies contribute to more bearing failures than not having them. People seem to think that if they have them, they can just forget about bearing failure, just shoot a little grease into them once in a while and they're good to go. NOT! If you don't have them, you will be more inclined to repack.

These are my opinions, I could be wrong, but it's worked for me.


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## pbowman (Feb 24, 2004)

i suspect i saw the same pricey "raft trailer" based on a recent buzz post, and i was dumbstruck at why they would build that trailer with only a 13" wheel. if i had my choice of choices, i would build my raft trailer on 14" or 15" wheels for all the reasons stated by others. i have pulled a pop-up camper nearly 25k miles in the past 4 years that only has 12" wheels and weighs considerably more than any single raft/gear trailer ever would, and that pop-up eats tires like crazy. the tire tread wears out quickly, and it is very prone to blow outs. in addition, i have had the bearings replaced every other year and plan to continue this once i teach myself to repack hubs over the winter.

all that being said, i found a good deal on a used utility trailer this spring that had the desired size requirements for my rafts BUT only has 12" wheels. the deal was good enough to pull the trigger, and i bought it being fully aware that i will be servicing the hubs once a year given the exposure to water at the put in/take out, or every other year if i am very lucky and keep them dry. it also has a spare wheel/tire already, so i plan to keep the spare in good shape anticipating a tire blow out at some point. given that the raft trailer will generally have a max load of 500lbs +/- with raft, frame, and gear, i am hoping the tires will last longer than those on my pop-up (total weight around 2000lbs). 12" tires are relatively cheap so i will probably replace them every 2 years on the raft trailer depending on the tread wear i get.

imo, if you can afford a trailer with 14" or 15" wheels, you probably will not be disappointed with it. the larger wheels will most likely extend the time between servicing your hubs, extend your tire life, and probably tow smoother at highway speed. my 2c as well, later.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

A larger tire/wheel will also ride smoother, and not bounce as much, especially through inevitable put-in gravel road with huge potholes. I can't imagine having a tandem for our raft, but we also have a crowded driveway and sometimes stow the raft trailer across the yard, moving it by hand. Get the smallest lightest trailer you can, with the biggest wheels.

And don't forget to pack your bearings every year and stay out of the water!


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## yarmonymatoid (Nov 5, 2008)

lhowemt said:


> A larger tire/wheel will also ride smoother, and not bounce as much, especially through inevitable put-in gravel road with huge potholes. I can't imagine having a tandem for our raft, but we also have a crowded driveway and sometimes stow the raft trailer across the yard, moving it by hand. Get the smallest lightest trailer you can, with the biggest wheels.
> 
> And don't forget to pack your bearings every year and stay out of the water!


I agree with everything here. Unless you plan to haul two or three boats at once. Light weight with 15" tires is great. The convenience of moving by hand fully rigged is more valuable than you would think, specially around a campsite. Bearings will last 5 seasons driving everywhere possible, if you pack them each season and stay out of the water. Sometimes a mid season pack is advisable.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

*Update*

The trailer repair is going well, perhaps because I am staying out of the way! (I got relegated to replacing the well pressure switch, WOW FUN). The bearing buddy nixing advice was great, I was able to pass that on so (and be a useful back-seat contributor) we're just going to have to replace one bearing (hub is OK), and are repacking both. Hopefully we'll be mobile tomorrow sometime for a wonderful day on the river Sunday. Thanks again!


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## billfish (Nov 22, 2009)

raymo said:


> Always check your trailer before, during and after, for problems ( tires, hubs, lights, hitch, safety chains, make sure everything remains secured etc. ) when towing your trailer. I always reduce my driving speed when towing a trailer. Nothing worse than being whipped around by your safety chains with a trailer laying on it's side and river gear all over the road. I was pulling a trailer once when I notice one of my trailer tires passing me on the road and things got ugly in a hurry . So inspect your trailer whenever you fill up with gas or if things do not feel ok.


great advice, i know this because i too have been passed by my trailer tire. fortunatlely damage was relatively minimal (new axle but no one hurt). aside from what could've happened to the boat/vehicle combination, it was also really fortunate that the escaping tire/wheel did not hit a pedestrian, bicyclist or another vehicle as it crossed the opposite lane and went into the bushes. when ever i stop for gas i feel the hubs for heat. normally operating brearings should be no more than warm. any sign of intense heat means that the bearings are not getting sufficient lubrication.


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

When you buy tires......buy trailer rated tires. They will save you in the long run. The sidewalls are thicker and so is the tread which means you are less likely to have flats and sidewall punctures with them. The price is about the same as a regular tire would be. 

I was pulling a trailer with a skid loader on it coming into BV when I had to swerve to miss a car coming around a corner in my lane. I ended up flatting out one of the trailer tires at 65 miles an hour as I left the black top. When I got into town I refilled the tire with air and drove home on it. No way I could have done that with any other type of tire. Being trailer rated D type tire saved me lots of time and expense that day.


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## handlebar (Jul 5, 2010)

if your building a trailer I would certainly recomend using 15" tires, all the advantages the other guys mentioned plus it is a whole lot easier to find 15" tires with heavy duty ratings, it is getting harder to find 14" tires especially out on the road, stay away from the smaller ones if at all possible, too many problems like bearings,availability,etc
I try to buy at least a 6 or 8 ply for extra sidewall strength.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Alas, we ended up replacing both hubs, but the trailer is ready to roll tomorrow! We've decided we'll be repacking them twice a year, it seems like there is a lot of room for water to get in the backside. Now that I think of it, driving out of the MF Salmon in a deluge (and then incessant rain for 2 boating weekends) probably had a lot to do with this. Trips like that will likely warrant a mid-year repack in the future.

Laura


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## fdon (Jul 23, 2008)

A couple more thoughts on a well-covered topic. Bearing Buddies (or any other type hub lube device) are not designed to service wheel bearings. They do repack the outer set as grease is forced in but they do not repack the inner set which carries the bulk of the load. The advantage of these devices is quite simple. When hauling a trailer, heat is developed in the hub. When the warm hub is immersed in cold water, a vacumn is formed and water can be drawn into the hub thus compromising the lubricant. The buddy bearing is a spring loaded device that floats in and out during temp changes thus negating the vacumn effect and eliminating the water in the hub . 

The best advice has already been given. Service trailer bearings twice a year with new seals each time. Carry a spare bearing/race set . Devices like bearing buddies do what they claim but are not to be used for bearing service. JMTCs


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Admin note: thread on hubs merged with this one. 

Also, my opinion is if you've got the smaller wheels, keep a grease gun in your vehicle and lube them about every 500 miles or so just for good measure. I've taken my trailer on 3000 mile road trips and just make sure to lube the bearings every second tank of gas. Repack the bearings yearly.

-AH


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Aw thanks Andy. Two good old-fashioned Buzz gear posts, I mean besides posts of Coloradoans trying to meet up to boat, and you mix them together.

Nah, just giving you a razz to say HI.


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