Sticker Shock

[Ed Kennell 38,113]

I bought this boat and trailer and was told by the PO the trailer bearings were just replaced.     I launched the boat 4-6 times in salt water last year.   Yesterday I pulled it out of the barn and both wheels slid on the concrete.       The hubs were almost as tight as a 60 yo Wheel Horse hub.

 

This is what I found.  No sign of grease in the hubs.

 

 

Went to NAPA to get 4 new  bearings and 2 seals (China).     They had them but were really proud at  $113. 36.      

Edited October 11 by Ed Kennell

[953 nut 55,156]

Shocks are probably next on the list, salt water will freeze them up too.

[squonk 41,051]

Depending on the bearing size a typical boat trailer bearing and race is a # set 14 and Set 17 which is $12 each or $24 a wheel. Can you shoot me the numbers on your invoice Ed? 

Edited October 11 by squonk

[Ed Kennell 38,113]

3 hours ago, squonk said:

Depending on the bearing size a typical boat trailer bearing and race is a # set 14 and Set 17 which is $12 each or $24 a wheel. Can you shoot me the numbers on your invoice Ed? 

Here ya go Mike.

 

 

[ri702bill 8,310]

Almost makes you want to buy the 10 pack on the Jungle site for short money..... Looks like DID give you the "Hey, I know Mike" friends & family discount though...

[Ed Kennell 38,113]

I try to buy local, but I ended up sending a C note to CCP anyway.       SKF bearings made in China.  

[squonk 41,051]

Guess it pays to have a garage acct. I can buy those parts for $20 less. What also hurts is the fact that these hubs use 2 different size bearings so the trailer kits you can buy at TSC don't work. But those kits are $80 a pair so it would have been the same price anyway.

 

Open a acct there Ed. " Ed Dog's Charters " or " E'd's Bucket Empourium "

[Ed Kennell 38,113]

3 minutes ago, squonk said:

2 different size bearings

Yeah, none of the kits I found had these different size metric bearings.    But what really shocked me was the price on the seals.

It's just tough for us old dudes to keep up with this inflation.   I am getting stronger though.

 

I can now carry $100 worth of groceries in one hand.  

[squonk 41,051]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

Yeah, none of the kits I found had these different size metric bearings.    But what really shocked me was the price on the seals.

It's just tough for us old dudes to keep up with this inflation.   I am getting stronger though.

 

I can now carry $100 worth of groceries in one hand.  

The way Arthur Ritus is getting into my thumb joints and knuckles it's getting to be more like $50! 

[peter lena 8,603]

@Ed Kennell  think I  would use , lucas marine grease in those bearings , made for boat drives , 570 deg  rated , made  for moisture , would still keep an eye on it , probably the ultimate test  on a bearing lube , soon as I saw your write up, looked on line , much better pricing  ,  but have to wait for the stuff to arrive. good luck with that , pete  

[lynnmor 7,303]

It doesn’t matter much what you pay for bearings if they will take regular salt baths.  I get my bearings and seals as a kit on the jungle site for little money.  For my travel trailer I bought Timken bearings from Summit.

[Ed Kennell 38,113]

18 hours ago, lynnmor said:

It doesn’t matter much what you pay for bearings if they will take regular salt baths.  

True Lynn.   I've had good luck keeping the salt water out of 5-6 boat trailers for many years.       Gotta have a good inner grease seal and seal the outside cap to the hub.

I have used sleeves cut from bicycle inner tubes, condoms, and electrical tape.    Unfortunately I never sealed this one when I bought it.   I don't think it would have mattered though as there was no grease in the hub.    

The new bearings and hubs are now packed with sticky marine grease and the end caps are sealed with tape and plastic ties.

 

 

[adsm08 2,046]

On 10/11/2024 at 10:30 AM, Ed Kennell said:

 

 

 

 

Hey! Bring back my log-splitter's wheel bearings!

 

 

 

Actually, those look a little better than the ones I took out of my splitter.