Bearing Grease and Salt Water Question

Scott,

Thanks. The flow thru hubs are an intersting work around to the flow thru axles. Seem reasonably priced, too.

Thansk!

-Bill
 
Might check out Trailer Super Store...I think that is the name. I got my LED lights from them a few years ago and they have everything for trailers at great prices.
 
http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/c-160-oil-bath-kits.aspx

Bill I have oil bath hubs on my EZ Load trailer.You can buy the entire hub,but the above site shows a replacement for under $30.The lexan cap lets you see the oil level,and if it turns milky,water is present.I don't kow how long term use in salt water will be,but they run cool and as long as the seal is intact,they shoul do the job.
 
I think that the Trailer Super Store Lee Harker was referring to is local to me. It's great place called Eastern Marine. They have everything! http://www.easternmarine.com/
Are the seal protectors mentioned earlier in the post similar to boots?
I try to circumvent the entire bearing fiasco by keeping the axle out of water - luckily our ramps are steep enough (and the 14 footer is light enough) that I can shove her off and bring her up while keeping the bearing buddies out of water. This also helped to keep the lights out of water, but didn't matter after I put boat guides on the sides of the trailer. On my setup, the guides act as nothing more than mounting posts to keep the lights way above water - everything has a purpose I guess. They work great until I walk by and break a side lens with my hip at 4am. Always something...
Every time I run the boat, I make part of my clean up routine of washing up (the colder, the quicker), flushing the motor, rinsing the insides of the hubs and leaf springs, and hitting the bearing buddies with fresh grease. Haven't had problems since I've been doing this, but I'm sure I just jinxed that...
 
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Bill, just like the old days... ; )

This thread was incredibly timely for me. Do me a favor and hijack one of mine so I won't feel so guilty... are you still in the service?
 
That's the place Kevin. When they email me specials they tag it trailer super store...forgot it was Eastern Marine.
 
We've tried the oil bath hubs down this way over the past couple of years.

Several of the trailer manufactuers also placed them on thier new models.

The problem with them if they leak or fall off while driving, your hubs goes dry & burns up.

If the BB's fall off, the grease remains within the wheel long enough so not to hurt the hubs, axle & bearings.

The trailer manufacuters are no longer using the bath systems & went back to the bearing buddies.
 
The problem is the axel. None of these mail order places have the proper axels... they serve their primary market which is 2,000 lbs and up... they don't serve the little boaters like us duck people. Axels have many characteristics such as spring placement, blah...

I have no choice but to buy from the original trailer manufacturer because of the axel.

signed,

Bill Burruss (actually it's Andrew pretending to be Bill Burruss)
 
Andrew,

First, why do you need the new axle? The spindles can be replaced by any competent welder. You can also have them make up an axle for you either by cutting down a commercial one or starting from scratch with mechanical tubing and adding the spindles. Ideally, if you have time, you should send the completed axle assembly out afterward to be galvanized. I didn't for my scull boat trailer, I just painted it up real well. The homemade axle came out really well. It's equiped with grease thru hubs ;^)
 
Not trying to come across as pushy, but the dimensions on this look to be the exact replacement for my rig. http://shop.easternmarine.com/...5&categoryID=168

If you give me some stats on your trailer and what you need, I'd be happy to make some calls to see what's around town.


HOLY COW! This thing DID get way off track! Sorry I added to that, I didn't mean to aid in the hi-jacking...

I use Lubri-matic marine grease for just about everything. I know they're all different, and some don't play well together, so I picked ONE, and I figured the one that said "marine" was good enough for everything else.
 
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Scott... can galvanized be welded?

Kevin, you're not pushy at all... I appreciate the help. Sadly, my springs are 54" apart, therefore that axel won't work. Which is the story of my life.

Signed,

This is Not Bill Burruss.
 
Andrew,

Kinda, galvanized is only surface deep. Best procedure is to grind the coating off in the local area being welded. Welding through the galvanized coating will produce toxic gas and possibly contaminate the weld. Even after grinding off the galvanized coating I would recommend welding it outside or in a well ventilated area. If the welded area is small enough the exposed areas can be cold galvanized (spray can). While not as effective as hot dipping it's better than paint.

Scott

ps: I don't apologize for helping hijack the thread. It's all related and free thought is good!
 
Welding galvanized is highly scoffed at. It emits a yellow greenish gas that can cause nausea, vomiting, headaches, blurred vision, or (like my freinds brother who welded it for years cause us pansies wore respirators and did it outside on a very, very limited basis) EMPHYSEMA. Not just minor, but a severe case that has him on a list for double transplants. I suggest to you a 3m respirator, wide open outdoors, grind away the galv. and then weld. This is a longer process but the end result is the same. You will still have to coat the new weld and place you ground. This is alot safer than burning the galvanized off. Sorry for the same info as Scott, but we see alike on this one, and I want you to know the consequence before you lean over and huff it. Wire welders usually don't get hot enough unless you have a pretty big rig. The cold galvanized is better than paint.
 
They get used on hyd pumps, motors, etc. anywhere the shafts are pitted and tear up the seals. I bet there are a few machine shops that could get them for you. Match the seal to the new id. and existing od and away you go. Maybe cheaper as a kit though.

I was foolish enough to think that BB's or their competitors could fit on most if not all trailer hubs with their size selection.

I use a Synco synthetic grease that is compatible with most greases (I can grease shaft packing during installation and not have issues with the customers grease.) and is a good dielectric grease.

Bill you have me feeling inadequate now. I still haven't flushed out my outboard. Every year I swear I'll do that.

An old trick when welding galvanized is to use stainless rod (On noncritical-strength welds) as the zinc seems to flow back to the weld and galvanizes it. (So you thought getting zinko was bad enough now your kids will be born deformed and won't be able to help you with your emphazima sp? in your later years.) Use forced air respiration or a good respirator with good ventilation.

Give me a call when you get up this way Bill. Better yet I'll get your number when the time comes and it will be on my dime.

Eric
 
Pete,

Moved on to greasing my other trailer, which happens to be a Karavan, and look with I found! Can not believe I did not make the conection between your post and what my Broadbill was sitting on sooner.

Anyhow, the Karavan thru the axle system is great. I cleaned and replaced all the grease so as not to mix soap types (who knows what it came with). The tires on this trailer wear evenly accross the tread (unlike the ones on my BB2 trailer, which wear uneven on the inside), probably because Karavan puts 1.5 degees toe in. An interersting learning point was that the Karavan spindles are 1-1/16th, which came as a surpise. Would have been a bigger surprise if I needed to use the spare hub, which is on a 1" spindle. After some more research, I found out the only difference between the 1" and 1-1/16" set ups are the actual bearing cone (outer race, seal, and hub are the same), so it's not that big a deal.

Wish my other axle was by Karavan.

Thanks again for the assitance!

-Bill


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