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Trailer bearings
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Author:  Mishaps [ Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Trailer bearings
Looking for some advice with trailering boat (April06 180 Horizon)

I want to carry some spares with me when trailering the boat like wheel bearings and anything that I might need. I thought I could get the part number from the bearings when I took the hub off to check they were okay, but no luck. How do I find out what my bearing numbers are - it's the standard fourwinns single axle trailer for the boat.

Also, any tips on other things like the bearings that I should carry?

Thanks for any info.
Author:  230 Mike [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 12:49 am ]
Post subject: 
Your dealer's service dept. should be able to get those part numbers. If not, call FW and ask for Tech Support. They'll probably tell you that the numbers are Timken part numbers, but they're universal bearing numbers.

When we go on a very long trip, I take along a complete spare hub with new bearings in it, already packed, with it's own new lug nuts. However, this is probably overkill - if anything happened that would necessitate a new hub, the spindle is probably trashed, too.
Author:  Mishaps [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:25 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks for that. I don't think I will go with the full hub option :)

My dealer (in the UK) don't like dealing with the US trailer as they prefer a standard UK supplied one. I'll have to get on to Four Winns technical support then for the part numbers.

Should I also get any other information from them like the inner deal thing to stop the grease from filling the hub. Just a thought.
Author:  jvalich [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
Things that are in the back of the truck in addition to the obvious:

1. Several 12"x12"x2" pices of wood. If you pull of the road to change the tire and your on the sholder side chances are you will need one, two or three to get the bottle jcak under the trauker properly as well as a solid surface to place the jack on.

2. A portable air tank filled to capacity. Great for topping off a slow leak to get you home.

3. A breaker bar with appropriate sized socket.
Author:  230 Mike [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:32 am ]
Post subject: 
Yep, I'm with jvalich. The boat doesn't leave the barn without a section of 4x4 fir beam, a couple sections of 2x4, 2 good chocks, a breakover bar, and a 1/2" torque wrench.

Not sure what's meant by the thing about not filling the hub with grease, though.
Author:  Mishaps [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 10:31 am ]
Post subject: 
Never thought about the blocks to support the bottle jack. I carry one normally to put the jockey wheel on when I unhitch the trailer, but it sounds like a should carry a couple.

What is the 'breaker bar' for?

The grease comment was that a friend of mine kept topping up his grease for the bearings using the external grease nipple. At some point the grease started to go inside the hub instead of pushing the old grease out past the hub nut.

Just curious is this is common and people carry a spare seal to stop this happening when changing bearings that have gone bad on the road. Does the seal usually get damaged?
Author:  230 Mike [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 5:05 pm ]
Post subject: 
A breakover bar is a long socket handle used to break lose difficult or rusted nuts. Similar to a "cheater bar" which is just a piece of pipe to fit over a standard socket wrench, etc.

Seals normally don't go bad unless the hubs are overfilled. It's easy with the modern hubs & grease fittings to overfill the hubs. Things heat up and expand while going down the road, and the grease has to go somewhere - so it blows out the seal. Sometimes the rubber seal lip will actually tear.

I do take a couple of seals with me on long trips, along with all the tools & other parts that I would need if I had to remove a hub to repair it on the road. I don't want to have to look for a trailer parts store while on a trip.
Author:  170Ken [ Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
I have a 12V impact wrench for that purpose. Got it on sale from HF for $20. :D
Author:  njlarry609 [ Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
A spare hub greased and with new seals already to go would make things alot easier.
Author:  jvalich [ Mon Feb 12, 2007 5:59 am ]
Post subject: 
Be careful of breaker bars and impact wrenches. I learned a lesson last year. Don't let the nuts get real tight of rusted. I now go around and just break them free and the re snug every 43-4 months.

Why you ask... I had a woman cut me off coming out of a gas station. I caught the right third tire on the curb and damaged the rim and oc course the tire went flat. I was able to break them all free with a breaker bar, however, two "broke free in the hub and the whole stud was spinning. Well, had to call for help and come back with a generator and an electric grinder to grind off the nuts. End result,
1. New rim as it was damaged (still would have been damaged with only a flat as the grinder damaged it in the process of removing the nuts).
2. All new studs in the hub after I got the boat home.
3. A long night. Fortunately I was in a parking lot so the removal was easier and safer than on a road shoulder.
Author:  230 Mike [ Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:36 am ]
Post subject: 
That's a really good point John.

After a LOT of reading, talking to people, and calling FW, I took the plunge last year and applied anti-seize to my studs. I know what a controversial subject that is, and I proceeded knowing the risks. The cost of it is that I don't tow anymore without a torque wrench in the truck, and I check the nuts frequently (beginning of each trip at a minimum). The benefit is that I no longer worry about not being able to get a wheel off if needed, or whether or not the nuts are rusting onto the studs without my knowledge.

After a year of towing with the anti-seize, I've been surprised how little the nuts have loosened over time. On a couple of occasions, the torque has backed off a couple of pounds - probably within the margin of error of the wrench. Otherwise, they haven't moved. But I still check them. BTW, FW told me the torque spec on dry studs is 85ft-lbs. When I asked their opinion on using anti-seize, they said, "No problem, just decrease the torque to 65ft-lbs." I know this is to help avoid stretching the studs due to over-torquing them.

I've learned a boat would be a lot less stressful if it didn't come with a trailer :O).
Author:  jvalich [ Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:39 am ]
Post subject: 
Mike I have to agree, but looking at the cost of Hi-dry or a wet slip and the cost of bottom paint, etc, my trailer is cheap! Plus I get to explore wherever I want.

Anal trailer maintenance is the key!
Author:  230 Mike [ Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh yeah, I agree. It's just that it's like having another car to work on - and I stopped working on cars years ago because I decided it wasn't a good use of my time :? .

Like you, though, I can't imagine only boating on one lake.
Author:  Architectdave [ Wed Mar 07, 2007 1:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
Remember if you do the spare hub setup, to have a spindle nut socket, I have a spare hub for my utility trailer and its such an easy change if there is lug damage and or tire hub failure...I plan on one for my new purchase....
Author:  Jim_R [ Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:22 am ]
Post subject: 
Interesting. Seems to me that a parts diagram would be useful here. I've seen links posted to parts diagrams for motors and stern drives, how about trailers? I dug a little, but couldn't find any on the FW sites.
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