Long distance trailering advice

Everyone agrees that you should check the hubs at each stop to see if they are hot. I will ask a dumb question.....suppose they are hot? What's the next step other than let them cool down?
 
Dwight,
Assuming good bearing, proper bearing adjustment, and grease in the hub, you'll be fine. I pulled my BB2 2500 miles from MS to Washington state, and 2600 miles Washington to Alamaba no issue (sustaining 70+mph over a 4 day period). That was with same 4.80x12 tires you describe on 1" spindles and the boat full of enough stuff to bring the entire towed load to 1200 lbs. As everyone said, it is good to have a jack, lug wrench, spare tire, spare bearing set, grease, and if you are really concerned, a bearing puller or spare hub.

If you find the hub HOT, you could jack up the axle, spin the tire, and see if the wheel is tight. Could be the castle nut is too tight (but you should know that before you start the trip), or some issue with the bearing or lack of lube. Bottom line is if your rig is properly maintained before you start, you should have no issue.

Take care,
Bill
 
Ive had good luck with goodyear marathon trailer tires if you need a set. A chain for the trailer to boat bow eye. Some reflective tape on the back of the trailer frame.
 
My average hunt trip is 50 miles each way. The longest tow i ever did with my duck boat was 2200 miles. I put new bearings in the hubs, fresh tires, made sure the lights work, and carried my trailer emergency box in the back of my truck. The kit consists of a hydraulic jack, 4-way lug wrench, spare loaded hubs { with bearings and grease} spare tire, miscelaneous tools, extra bearing grease, rags and hand cleaner, and of course a couple of big yellow ratchet straps. The ratchet straps will hold almost anything together in a pinch, kind of a poor mans welder. I have two setups for my two traillers which each have different size tires and bearings. I also cary one of those infra red heat senser guns so when I am drowsy from driving I know exactly how hot my tires and hubs are, not just guessing. On that long trip I started out real easy, a I gained confidence and saw that my tires and bearings were not going to go up in smoke I eventually ran with traffic at 75 or so for the rest of the trip. My road kit sounds like a bit of an over Kill but I have seen lo many broke down trailers on the interstate that I promised mself I would never be helplessly stranded like so many of those poor souls. Rich
Click to expand...


Man, you need a trailer to haul all that stuff for your trailer. I feel inadequate as I have nothing spare for my trailer, not even a spare tire. I'll have to change my thinking this season and at least pick up a spare tire and mount it on the trailer.

Mark W
 
Mark, If you have the room and the ability to fix your own problems, you just cant have too many spare parts. When I lived on Long Island I was towing on the Brooklyn Queens expy, whick looked like a war zone. Hit a big old hole, sheared the pin off one of my springs. The axle slid all the way back on the spring, steered the trailer halfway into the adjoining lane. When I got to the toll booth I had to get out of my truck to pay the toll, barely fit thru it! Good thing I had a cable comealong in my truck. Found a spot to pull off and winched the axle back forward where it was supposed to be. Problem solved till I got home. Buddy of mine had a wheel bearing go out on I 95 south caroline middle of the night. He had no spare stuff with him. He tried to make it to the next exit. Wheel came off, went thru the windshield of a new Kenworth, Cost his insurance repairs plus down time for the truck. Besides he had to leave the trailer at a repair place for a week and as half and travel back to get it from florida when it was fixed. Bill was in excess of five bills. Need I go on. Dry land trailers are almost bullet proof any wheel bearing you constantly submerge under water is a disaster waiting to happen! Rich
 
All responces .....great. greese gun and a sparecap in case you loose a buddy bearing. Keep your spare tire in ur truck.

Phil
 
Rich Scheffler opened a good point about submerging axles...
I make it a point to keep my axles out of the water at all times...
Each season when I pull them apart they look like new...My
rig is setup as a winch on rather than a drive on rig...Mount your
lights high for visibility and the side benefit that they are never
submerged ... fenders are the sleeping dogs of trailer...keep the
rig in good condition , you should be fine ... I'm
waiting for a thread named trailer nightmares...I'll
bet there are some real horror stories out there... good luck...
 
As to trailers being a black art, I think boat ramps run a close second. Capt Sam Crutchfield, a sportfishing singer/entertainer as well as being a well known captain, sings a song called the"'Boatramp Rodeo," True as well as Hilariously entertaining! Rich
 
Rich Scheffler opened a good point about submerging axles...
I make it a point to keep my axles out of the water at all times...
Each season when I pull them apart they look like new...My
rig is setup as a winch on rather than a drive on rig...Mount your
lights high for visibility and the side benefit that they are never
submerged ... fenders are the sleeping dogs of trailer...keep the
rig in good condition , you should be fine ... I'm
waiting for a thread named trailer nightmares...I'll
bet there are some real horror stories out there... good luck...
Click to expand...


Ditto on the launching without putting the axles underwater. I also do all I can to never put the lights underwater. The last tip I got was from Tom Scholberg who said to run a ground wire through the plug to every single light on the trailer. Have not had a light issue since and I used to have to track down a light related issue at least once before the season and once during. One major PITA solved.

I'm going to have to take my hubs apart and take a looksie. It has been awhile.

Mark W
 
Back when my son graduated from high school, asked what he wanted for a present, he wanted to go to Florida to fish big bass.
So, I arranged 5 weeks off at work and we hooked up the sled to the mptor home and fished our way to Florida.
What I learned about the trailer and things I would take on a 6000 mile round trip.
1. There is no such thing as too many spares.
2. An extra hub is easy to change out, before failure. An extra hub, ready to mount, wrapped in plastic, takes up very little room and cost about the same or less than an extra spare.
3. Check hub heat at all stops. If too hot to hold your hand on, immediate action should be taken prior to full on failure.(this is where the extra hub comes in).
4. Do not over load the boat and trailer. Generally, the trailer is rated for boat and gear but not for hauling a house worth of supplies.
5. Check tires at all stops. I kicked the tires or tap with tire iron. It also gives you a chance to look at the tire for uneven wear or other damage such as bulge etc.
6. In multi day travel, check the lights and wiring each day before heading out, at a minimum.
7. Always carry tools and know how to use them. (if this is't an option, buy tow insurance)

Honestly, alot of people think of bearing buddies as a save all, they are not. If bearing buddies are lubed excessively, they cause wheel seal failure which will allow moisture into the hub.
Hubs with good seals, that get checked on a schedule, are a better option. IMHO
 
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