Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

[karrick]

It was about 8:30 at the ramp and everyone is trying load before dark. My buddy had just stepped out of the truck to help me winch the boat up and the resident CO starts flashing his flashlight at us. I'm wondering, What did we do wrong? Then the truck slides back about 3 inches and he climbs back into the truck fearing that the truck might take a dip. I walk around to the right front and see a tire,wheel,hub combo rolling to a stop. I look up the ramp to see a nice tandem axle trailer with 3 wheels Oops... He was cussing up a storm about how the local tire shop had just packed the bearings(obviously they forgot one). The tire had bounced of the front bumper of my truck, which is what the CO was warning us about so we didn't get hit by it. I talked to the guy as I was leaving and he apologized and offered to make it right. No harm was done to my truck and I told him sometimes its just better to do the work yourself.

 

[monoshock]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

Was the hub on the wheel, or did the lug nuts come off?

 

[karrick]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

It was hub and all. The bearing must of got really hot

 

[monoshock]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

 

[karrick]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

That's funny ...you said mechanic. I half expected high school punks tyo be working at Big O<br /><br />

 

[monoshock]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

 

[Brew2]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

That happened to my family once when I was about 10 years old. Dad took the trailer to the local shop to have the bearings greased before our vacation. <br /><br />We were about 20 minutes down the highway when dad noticed the wheel about 80% off the trailer smoking like crazy. Luckily we were able to make it to the shoulder without it coming completely off. Bearings were completely melted and welded to the spindle.<br /><br />Spent about 8 glorious hours on the side of a six lane highway while dad sought out the proper bearings, chipped the melted ones off the spindle and got us going again. Because it was a homemade trailer, he wasn't able to find an exact fit for the bearings. We ended up with something close, then could only drive 20 minutes or so before stopping and letting the bearings cool down.<br /><br />Learned a valuable lesson that day. If it is within your capabilities to do something yourself...you better do it yourself.

 

[QC]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

I had my bearings repacked at a tire shop once. Got it home and the guy had filled the OUTSIDE of the bearing buddys with grease and stuck the little buddy bra on top . . . Yep, do it yourself.

 

[Triton II]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

Just repacked my own today - and added anti-seize to the wheel studs (Loctice 771). I'm not a qualified mechanic so I know I may have got things wrong, but even if I have, I know I followed the instructions, ticked everything off as I went and have confidence that I did it that way. After numerous experiences of qualified "mechanical engineering technicians" stuffing things up, I now prefer to do basic mechanical things myself - within reason.

 

[Capt Joe]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

Last wet season, while coming home through a tropical downpour I hit a stick/stone on the road that I hadn't seen. No problems-trailer was handling beautifully. Arrived home & my mate who was now following said: "Where's your back wheel?" It was the trailer wheel hitting the guard that I had felt. Thankfully it was the off side & must be still in the bush. At least I found out that I don't really need a spare. Now I get them packed at a trailer manufacturer, by an expert.

 

[GrandLarsony]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

Dad was trailering the 1974 Starcraft 18' I/O when I was a kid. Coming home from lonnnnngggg day fishing. Going down a steep downhill to a T intersection, the entire rig got fish-tailing... gravel to gravel no less. The metal wheel rim sheared right off the hub and the rim\tire went flying down the embankment. Saw it splash into the damn lake, no less. Luckily, we had a full spare and were able to remove the lugnuts from the hub to remount. Weird to be pulling off little raggged doughnuts of metal from each stud, however. Very weird. Got home safe.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

I usually wash out the bearings in some diesel or even gasoline (I know its stupid but ive been doing it my whole life and never burnt myself up yet ... yet! (and pros will tell you fuggetaboutit, just pack em) but I like to flush out the old crap, then load your palm with grease and start scraping at the pile of grease with the beaing till it starts coming out the other side, working your way around the entire bearing<br /><br />they have adapters that let you do it in a minute with a grease gun<br /><br />take the extra few minutes, its satisfying<br /><br />if you dont wash em out, just keep scraping grease into it (packing it) till the old dirty grease is all pushed out by the new clean grease<br /><br />bearing buddies, by the way, are to keep the bearings happy AS LONG AS THEY ARE PROPERLY PACKED BEFORE BEING INSTALLED<br /><br />slapping the bearings in dry and pumping the buddies will just blow out the rear seal after youve jammed a tube of grease into the hub<br /><br />star pattern on the lugs when tightening, too<br /><br />its the little things that git ya ...<br /><br />

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

tin boat two....that's how I do it. I pack mine every year. Completely clean them out, let them air dry (never never never put compressed air on the bearings), then repack. Fill the hub with grease too, install bearing buddies and squeeze more grease in until full.

 

[Marauderk]

Re: Runaway Wheel = DIY Wheel Bearings

Last time i went out with my Brother i met him at the ramp and as he backed his boat down there was a huge cloud of steam launched his boat and went to pull the trailer ahead only to have the tire fall off the pasangerside of the trailer.<br /><br />I asked him whens the last time you greased those bearings and he asked me what bearings