Trailer care

[jabiru]

Hi, being new into boating, I would appreciate some advise.  I tow my jetski from Mpumalanga where I live down to the coast (Cape), and back, dont want to pick up problems along the raod with wheelbearings after exposure to saltwater.  How often do I need to look at wheelbearings to have piece of mind?  After every trip?

Thanks

 

[bruce-bp]

Install a wheel bearing saver, it's a spring laoded device that fits in place of the bearing cap. It creates positive pressure in the bearing housing when pumped full of grease. the salt water does not have a chance to get in. Fone Ryan on 0824460018.

 

[Fanie]

Put larger wheels on the trailer. 15 inch wheels turn a lot slower than would 10 inch wheels and handle the same load a lot easier. It will lift the trailer some, but in the long term worth the trouble. I won't consider smaller wheels than 15 inch on any trailer.

If the wheel bearings were packed with the right grease and the nut tightened as it should, it should last as long as any car wheel. You have to check for play and adjust it out, without tightening the bearings. Too tight or too loose will damage the ball racers resulting in bearing problems.

 

[jabiru]

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback, much appreciated!

 

[H-Man]

Problem is you tow to the slip, and the bearings heat up. Well greased in good condition, they will not overheat, but still thefriction will cause some heat. Now you reverse the warm / hot bearings into the sea. The the cooling of the bearings will now cause a partial vacum. SO water will be sucked into any opening, no matter how small. Unlike your car, you don't use your trailer every day, so this little bit of sea water lies in the hub / bearing race etc. Corrosion starts after time, while your trailer stands. Little flakes of rust come free, get in the bearing races...........one day you get that "Bang" as the bearings come apart inside the hub.

Probably need to open them up every year at the least and check out what is going on inside. Much cheaper to do the preventative maintenance than have a breakdown on the side of the road.

 

 

[bruce-bp]

This is excactly the problem those bearing cap devices prevent. I think they're called axil mates, I may be wrong, but fone Ryan from Durban Yamaha, he can tell you more.