Boating season is here and if you’re planning to hit the water, it’s important to ensure that your boat trailer wheel bearings are in good condition. These bearings are crucial to keeping your trailer’s wheels rotating smoothly and ensuring safe transportation of your vessel. Here’s what you can do to maintain your boat trailer wheel bearings and extend their lifespan:
1. Inspect the Bearings
The first thing you should do is inspect your boat trailer wheel bearings for any signs of damage or wear. You can start by checking if there are any cracks or chips in the bearing race or the cone. Also, check if there are any signs of rust, corrosion or pitting. If you find any of these issues, you should consider replacing the wheel bearings.
2. Clean the Bearings
The next step is to clean the wheel bearings carefully to ensure they’re free of debris and dirt that can wear them out prematurely. You can use a solvent specifically designed for cleaning wheel bearings, automotive brake cleaner spray or mineral spirits. You don’t want any dirt or debris remaining in the bearings.
3. Properly Lubricate the Bearings
After cleaning, it’s important to properly lubricate your trailer wheel bearings to prevent friction from causing damage. Apply a generous amount of high-quality wheel bearing grease, which is specially made for boats, to the inner and outer races. Add the grease pin neck to match specific ID for proper installation torque. You might want to consider using waterproof grease because you don’t want it to wash out when launching or mooring your boat.
4. Reassembly
Finally, it is time to reassemble the wheel bearings. Ensure that each bearing is kept in its appropriate position, which means that the bearings are not mixed up. Put the wheel back onto the hub and use the right torque amount for the wheel bearing nut.
Maintaining your boat trailer wheel bearings can save you time and money in the long run. Regular wheel bearing inspection, cleaning and lubrication might help you extend the lifespan of your boat trailer and prevent unexpected breakdowns. By following the tips above, you can keep your boat trailer’s wheel bearings in great condition and enjoy a safe, worry-free boating season.