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Nothing can ruin a fishing trip quicker than to have the hub or bearing go out while you are on your way to a hot lake or river. Many times through the years I have seen boats on the side of the road with the hub off and damage to the spindle. To prevent this lets look at some tips and suggestions and maybe we can prevent a breakdown and possibly save you some money. The old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words can sometimes be deceiving and give you false sense that your bearings are in good working order. Simply looking at a hub and seeing grease on the hub and rim doesn't mean that grease is inside the hub. When we load our boat onto the trailer, mud and sand is kicked up and many times sand finds it's way into the hub where damage is done to the bearings, race, and seal. Inspection of these items is important and should be done regularly. When to service a hub is the core of this article. When you have it done or do it yourself can mean the difference between a good fishing trip or a long time spent on the side of the road. The first thing to do is to check your manufacture recommendations or your local garage or marine dealer for some guidance. I suggest the following schedule. One thing for sure, doing nothing is a sure ticket to disaster.
Annually:
Break the hub down and replace all bearings, seals, and race . Re-pack the bearings with a good marine grease that is resistant to water. Clean {or replace}the lug nut studs. Clean whatever grease delivering device you have(buddy bearings). Check spindle for pitting or scoring . Inspect the axel, look for splitting or any unusual bowing . Inspect your springs for breakage. Inspect tires for any unusual wear and inflate to proper air pressure. Have tires rebalanced and remember to tighten all of your lug nuts. Check your spare tire. Make sure that it is inflated properly and also insure that your jack and lug wrench are good working order.
Every 6 Months:
Repack the bearings. Inspect the hub and race and replace the seal. Inspect the axle and spindle . Clean your grease delivering device (buddy bearings) Inspect your tires for any unusual ware and check the inflation(don't forget the spare). Retighten the lug nuts.
Monthly:
Inspect the hub. Ad grease is needed and check tires for proper inflation and any unusual ware.
Check your spare. Give your suspension system a quick look .
What I have talked about in this article is just your basic maintenance that should be done on a timely schedule . It's up to you the boat owner. A few dollars spent in preventing a problem can save you big bucks down the road. And remember just like you always have a spare tire with you.....
NEVER EVER... leave home without a spare hub.
Good Fishing and Remember to put'um back alive!!
Mack "YW" Cramer
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