Trailer bearings

[phenom_1819]

...add another to the list of to-do's on my boat this season, the bearings. Just called Ski Masters -- to have them do it, they said it will be $400+, depending on if they find anything else wrong with the trailer.

I know that the bearings are an off-the-shelf part at marine stores (never more than now have I appreciated having a good marine store in town...).   The problem is, I can't get to my bearings without pulling the boat out of the garage.  Getting the boat out is a serious project that I'm trying to put off until I KNOW I can do the bearing-swap myself and have parts in hand. 

Does anybody have a part number?  Past searches turn up nothing.  How difficult is it to change the bearings?  Do you have to mess with the braking system at all? 

[toyotafreak]

Cal, I haven't done this either, but some people suggest doing it annually if you want to MAKE SURE you never have a reason for roadside assistance.

Part numbers are here: http://www.epicmarine.com/docs/Trailer%20Maintenance.pdf

You could always call Ameritrail at (407) 892-1100 if you need advice.

This is also where you would buy brake pads if you needed to do them.

Not sure about whether bearing change involves brakes, but would imagine that you'd need to pull the calipers off (two bolts and then spread the pads) to get the rotors off to get the hubs off to change the bearings.

Sure it's not a SUPER simple thing, but $400 is a lot of ducks. When I do it, I'll probably combine with a brake fluid change/bleed. Need to do this ASAP since the fluid in there's like five years old.


I'd like to add a question to the group: how will Bearing Buddies work on our hubs? I'm not sure if the existing zirk has got to be removed, or if the bearing seals need to be replaced or what. I'm not very good about adding grease after EVERY trip to the water, and think the Buddies would help. Ameritrail was like, "all the different grease systems are basically the same." I had probably asked them something lame like, "why didn't you guys put Buddies on there?"

[cyclone]

It definitely involves disassembling/reassembling brakes to get to the bearings. it is not very hard, I did it to replace seals, but would have put bearings in there if mine were not OK.

I will do mine this spring and document it. If you know someone that works on cars and can do typical disk brake pad changes, it is really no more complicated than that. The pads are '91 plymouth acclaim parts, but may have a galvanized metal backing plates or something. I'll get mine at Autozone and see if I'm OK corrosion wise with car parts. I'll flush and bleed the brakes too. Definitely use marine grease!!!! I'm going to ditch my crappy fake Bearing Buddies and replace with the real thing. Total cost of parts probably 100 bucks or so, maybe less.

The bearings and seals are available from West Marine and other places selling trailer parts.

[2000epic]

When you buy the bearings, buy the inner grease seals too.  They're cheap and get damaged easily when you remove them to get to the inner bearing.

[phenom_1819]

Thanks guys -- I think I've decided that the bearing project is over my head and I'm going to have a shop do it.  I'd like to give SkiMasters my business (they were more helpful than I ever would have imagined on a couple phone calls with their new service person this week).  I'm worried it's just to difficult to get the boat to them, since I'm living in E.Wa... I might twist the arm of my local mechanic to work on my trailer.  We'll see.

[2000epic]

It isn't anything a Les Schwab can't handle

[cyclone]

Any reputable mechanic could do it, print out the trailer manual, it's got stuff he might want to see. One big thing, you don't want to leave your boat overnight in an unsecured location. If you can just take him the trailer, no big deal. If not, make sure he can get it done that day. I can probably do it in about 4 hrs. He could do it quicker.

[festivus]

I'm a mechincal moron, so I have always taken my trailer and boat in for anything and everything, including oil changes.  I have taken my trailer in for extensive work (don't ask, but it involved those friggin' concrete barriers around gasoline pumps) and it has seemed fairly routine.  They have never asked for a manual or a phone number to Ameritrail or anything.  They just fix it and bill me.  SO I will be taking the trailer (and boat) in again this spring to have the bearings re-packed, brakes tested/adjusted, etc.  I think it runs $150 or so, but better than watching a wheel fly off at 80mph on the way to Powell.