Trailer bearings

[musky5555]

I have a couple of long distance fishing trips planned this summer, and I haven't replaced my bearings in a couple years. Yesterday I took my wheels off and there was a little water in one hub, and the other looked good. Both bearings look just just. My question is, does anybody have a problem just cleaning everything up, and repacking the same bearing? Or should I just go buy new ones?

[Big Bobber]

Preventive maintenance is cheap if you are making some long distance trips. Buy some quality bearings, not the low cost ones, and keep your present ones for spares in case you have a problem on the road. It only costs a few dollars more to buy Timken bearings or something similiar. Just my opinion.

[Ralph Wiggum]

If they look good and you haven't had any issues, I would just clean them up and repack them.

[jeffreyd]

and if you replace them dont forget to knock the old races out and replace with the new ones. if you had water in a hub, that means a seal was leaking and you really do not know how much water was in the hub. you can check them for pits and roughness however you have half the job done now you might as well go on your long distance trips knowing that you have fresh bearings. you could always repack the old ones and throw them in a ziplock and keep them for the just in case event. i changed the belt on my truck a few weeks ago and threw the old one in the storage so if something ever happened, i am not stuck. just thinking

[musky5555]

Thanks... I think I will just put new ones in and save the old ones for spares. It only makes sense since I have everything taken apart already.

[Valv]

Bearings are not expensive at all, with 50 bucks you get the whole thing. I would replace them instead of reuse them, peace of mind on a trip.

[harvey lee]

I agree Valv.

[marine_man]

If I would have been into them that far (apart & off) I would have replaced them and felt good about what I had for another couple years...

marine_man

[harvey lee]

As cheap as a bearing kit is for a trailer, I always change them out every season. That may seem like overkill but it would be much more of a hassle to have a breakdown on the road on my way fishing for a weekend.

Maybe I would not need to change them that often but my trailer gets some miles on it every season.

Having it repaired on the road would not be cheap and could ruin a fishing trip.

[volksdriver]

Hi guys..... I am like harvey lee..... new bearing and races at the beginning of EVERY spring, plus I pull & repack them mid-season with new seals.....peace of mind with little cost and labor! overkill?....maybe but as previously mentioned, would rather do this on my schedule in my yard than on the side of the road during a trip!

[Double D]

If you want a tip for getting good bearings, take your old ones to a John Deere farm implement dealer (not the lawn mower only places). They can match them up with a best-quality bearing at usually a price way lower than a boat dealer.

DD

[harvey lee]

Do they also sell the races?

[Gordie]

I had a bit of a bearing dilema last sunday got up north and noticed that I lost the inner bearing and I went in search of a bearing kit as luck would have it (bad luck that is) No one had it and everthing was closed that may of had it. so monday went in to Carlton and measured up my bearings and found out that it was not a typical set up so now I will be carrying an extra set that are packed and ready to install for my trailer I will also have all the tools it takes to change them out including a hand file. I got mine changed out with a tire iron,needlenose pilers and a borrowed hand file. That will not happen again BTW the guy at the trailer place asked me when the last time I checked my bearings and he said that you should check them once a year and I told him that I check mine in the spring and in the fall because my boat is also used for duck hunting. It goes to show ya that you can still have failure even checking them regularly.