many trailer stories
Good discussion on boat trailers, I will throw in my experiences and maybe help.
I travel from Kansas city to Montana on a regular basis, always hauling a drift boat, or raft, I also have a 18’ hobie that we raced from north dakota to texas for a dozen years, couple of duck boats, and a couple of kayaks and one thing for sure is that tires go flat, bearings blow out, and I have even broken a couple of axels. I still have 6 different trailers, one with 8" rims, up to a double axel 18’ car hauler. One thing I always do is have a spare rim and tire, that is obvious, but I also carry a complete spare hub. It is really simple to swap out a hub as long as you notice the bearing failure in a reasonable time. I have swapped hubs on the side of the road several times over the years, it takes just slightly longer than changing a tire.
I did go too far once on a blown bearing, coming back from a duck hunt and that was a problem because the hub wears on the axel stem and puts a nasty grove in it making the races hard to get off. But near most cities is a farm and home of some sort and they have complete axels with hubs installed for small trailers and they are usually under $150 bucks, so I have just swapped out complete axels before. And you automatically have a spare hub from the old axel.
Don’t blow the seals out with too much grease, grab the tire once in a while and see if there is any play in the bearings, it should be tight. Feel the hub when you fill up with gas and see if it is getting hot, always a bad sign. If you can avoid it don’t back the trailer in the water over the hub just as you come off the highway when the hub is warm, this could suck water in. If you don’t have to put the hub in the water to launch the boat then don’t. The hub will be cool when you get back to the ramp.
scott
One trailer story…
Way back when I was towing a small sailboat on a trailer with 8" wheels with a 60’s muscle car.
Driving down the FL Turnpike when an old Porsche pulled up to me. We were above 100mph when the old Porsche gave up in embarrassment.
8" tires were fine.
you nut
(but it served 'im right)
Larger wheel/tire combo is best!
Going with the largest wheel/tire size you can go with is highly advised. It will reduce the speed the bearing has to turn at, and thus the heat buildup.
I recently on a long road trip, travleing below the speed limit, had a bearing seize on my trailer. The bearing sezied so bad it damaged the spindle, rendering the whole situation beyond repair. I had to buy anothert trailer to put the first trailer upon to continue my journey.
The small amount of extra cash it costs for a superior wheel is vastly less than being stuck in nowhere with a trailer that failed on you.