www.iFourWinns.com

Can someone point me in the right direction to instructions or a video on how to properly grease the hubs on a single axle Four Winns trailer?

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2013 H190
4.3 Volvo Penta

It depends on what type of hub their trailers come with. There are several different types. If you have the type with the rubber plug in the center of the metal hub dust cover (TieDown super lube) what you do is jack up the wheel on that side. Then pry out the rubber plug and carefully (because the inner edge of the metal dust cover can be sharp) clean out the old grease to reveal the grease fitting in the spindle. Then hook up your grease gun and pump in grease while turning the wheel, till you see the new grease pushing out the old grease. Then take a clean rag and wipe out the opening in the hub dust cover (this allows some room for the grease to expand when hot) and replace the rubber plug. If the old grease came out looking like the new grease (ie not milky looking) you are done. If it comes out looking like water is mixed in then you have a much bigger job. You then need to take it all apart and clean and inspect the bearings. If you see any pitting at all on either the races or the bearings I'd change all of them.
Take a look here:
www.championtrailers.com
look in the tech articles.
I don't know for sure what hubs F/W puts on their factory trailers but the Tie Down Super Lube system is about the easiest one there is to maintain. I've had an axle with these hubs for 10 years and its just the best, easiest way to grease trailer bearings.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thank you Lou - I have the hubs you described with the rubber center plug. New guy questions: is there a preferred way to pull that plug out? Is there a specific grease I should be using? How often should I be greasing these hubs? This is the start of my second full season and I figured I should do this as I get ready for the season. I live 10 miles from the lake so the trailer itself doesn't have many miles from the first year of use.

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2013 H190
4.3 Volvo Penta

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6ndN_9NQL4

Helpful video...

As the video shows - gently pry them off with a flat bladed screwdriver......

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2008 Four Winns h180 Bowrider
3.0 Volvo Penta

2013 Dodge Durango HEMI

I use marine grease such as the Lucas blue grease but its a good idea to stay with the same base type of grease (ie lithium complex, vs aluminum complex). Some are not compatible with others. I do not know what F/W used at the factory. In mine I always used Pennzoil Marine grease but that was discontinued so I switched to the Lucas Marine because it is the same base type and therefore compatible.
As far as how often, its not that the grease will break down that fast, rather its a check on if you are getting water intrusion and then you can take care of it before the bearings corrode and leave you stranded somewhere. I do it at the end of each season, but I don't trailer much at all because the boat is moored all season. If you start getting water intrusion then you want to get on fixing it right away. I only put the trailer in the water maybe 4 times per season, even then I have not had to replace the bearings in 10 years using this system. Never had water in there either. If you dunk the trailer every time you use the boat, maybe do it once in the middle of the season and once at the end. At least you can't over pressurize the rear seals with this system.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thank you both for your help!

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2013 H190
4.3 Volvo Penta

No problem - I was going to look up how to do this this weekend, so I figured I would share.

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2008 Four Winns h180 Bowrider
3.0 Volvo Penta

2013 Dodge Durango HEMI

I have a single axle four winns trailer as well (with the rubber plugs). I have found that taking ONLY the rubber plugs out results in the job taking much longer. You might as well pry out the entire metal dust cover (with plug attached or not attached). It provides better access to wipe the area clean and view the new grease coming out of the actual bearing without worrying about old exterior grease that probably has water in it (which doesn't matter).

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

Also, as Lou mentioned, that metal cap is sharp. I've had to worry about blood diluting the grease more than I've had problems with water. Removing the metal caps completely can save your figures.

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Terry
Current: 07 Crownline 255 CCR cuddy - 350 Mag MPI/B3 "Casi Cielo"

Previous:97 245 Sundowner 5.7GI/SX

Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400

Yup, I cut my finger the first time I tried to grease my hubs. Now I just remove the metal cap.

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2004 248 Vista "Amante"
MC 5.0MPI/B3

I clean up the outside first. Then pry the rubber cap out with a screwdriver. Next take a bit of wadded up paper towel and wipe out the opening to expose the zerk. Then grease it till new pushes out the old. Next clean out the opening to give the grease a little room to expand (paper towel not finger) replace rubber cap no need to take off metal one. Maybe the ones I have are bit different but the only time I ever took the metal caps off, was to remove the drums to do work on the brakes.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Your metal cap must be smaller than mine. Mine protrudes out over an inch and can store a @#$%load of extra used grease in the cavity. So much that it is very difficult and time consuming to get it all out. To make matters worse there is a cotter pin in there which will instantly shred any paper towel you stick in there. If you don't get all the grease out before adding new, it makes it hard to tell if milky grease is coming out of your bearing, or it was already contained in the dust cap. The metal cap also does you the added favor of blocking all the light around the bearing area making it even more difficult to see.

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

I ended up with a pin hole in one of my metal caps that let water in and led to bearing failure. It was easy to see from the inside of the cap but not from the outside. I'm sure it was failure on the part of the previous owner not maintaning them. Now even though I replaced them all with new, I still pop them off to clean and inspect them inside and out. It is only once a year.

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2004 248 Vista "Amante"
MC 5.0MPI/B3

At that explains it I have the tab washer not the cotter pin. I would try to get these on any trailer I have in the future I like them that much.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Ever since I bought a couple of these, I find it much easier to just pry the whole cap off instead of messing with the rubber plug. You can do a much more thorough job of getting old grease out without the risk of losing a finger.

http://etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=cap+inst ... pa-1&ymm=0

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic