This is what was left.....

[TimM]

...of the bearings on one of my trailer wheels when I got back from the river last Thursday night.... ....as you can see there is some pretty significant damage to the spindle as well and it is welded to the axle, so now I'm left wondering if I'm going to have to replace the entire dadgum axle as a result....     

It's official now Mike...I guess I really am at least half deaf as I never heard anything odd on the way home and even had the windows down. My first clue that something was wrong was when I got out of the truck to open the rear hatch and smelled something really, really too hot.

[MikeA]

Oooooouuuchhh! I can help you put a new one on. Just let me know, I'll be there.

[Rusty Garoutte]

Man oh man, It's a wonder your trailer didn't catch fire.

[Steve H]

I'm thinking I need to measure and put bearing buddies on now.

Mike, did you put them on your trailer?

[TimM]

Thanks Mike. I might take you up on that generous offer of assistance.   For what it's worth, I had dinner on the patio at Chuck's tonight and the inlet was LOADED with bait....it was dark when I left so when I started the car the lights came on and shined on the water...it was  freakin' pandemonium! The bait scattered everywhere with washtub sized boils all over the place.  Cool stuff.   

As for the trailer thing I'll be in touch if I need a hand. Wonder if I could get away with towing it 20-30 miles at comparatively slow speeds with only 3 wheels?

Oh, and by the way Steve, I had bearing buddies on all 4 wheels when this happened. Or at least I think I did!  Go figure. 

[MikeA]

Ahh man you’re killin me Tim. I was about to get adjusted and then wham, you hit me with fish busting in the inlet and Chucks in the same post. Come on man, I guess next you’ll tell me you were sipping a top shelf margarita and eating some conch fritters when you posted that. 

[Steve H]

Oh, and by the way Steve, I had bearing buddies on all 4 wheels when this happened. Or at least I think I did!  Go figure. 

Oooohhhhhhhhh nooooooo.....I am sure they are not a savior for everything but...

[MikeA]

The guy I have my trailer work done by hates them. He says folks will over grease them and blow out the back seal. I've been lucky and not ever had to deal with this. I change mine out every other year whether they need it or not. I'd do it every year if they were in the salt.

The Supreme already has grease fittings under the rubber caps Steve.

[Steve H]

The guy I have my trailer work done by hates them. He says folks will over grease them and blow out the back seal. I've been lucky and not ever had to deal with this. I change mine out every other year whether they need it or not. I'd do it every year if they were in the salt.

The Supreme already has grease fittings under the rubber caps Steve.

Mike, thanks for the response. I thought they may be there, a little tough to read under the paint. I will be removing the paint off the caps this evening.

Good idea to change them. Like brakes and everything else. Preventative maintenance is key.

[dleo6446]

As for the trailer thing I'll be in touch if I need a hand. Wonder if I could get away with towing it 20-30 miles at comparatively slow speeds with only 3 wheels?

Take the total weight of the boat and the trailer, divide by 4 and add 150 to it, that will tell you the divided load range then look at the load range of the tires on the trailer....works much better if the wheels are at four corners rather than in the middle of the trailer, but it will give you an idea of what you can expect.  In all probability, you will be just fin if you watch the speed and avoid chuckholes....

LD

[TimM]

Ahh man you’re killin me Tim. I was about to get adjusted and then wham, you hit me with fish busting in the inlet and Chucks in the same post. Come on man, I guess next you’ll tell me you were sipping a top shelf margarita and eating some conch fritters when you posted that. 

Well....yeah I was doing something like that as a matter of fact.    Does it make it any better knowing that it's rainy and windy as all get out?? Besides, no fishing for me this week anyway.

[TimM]

Take the total weight of the boat and the trailer, divide by 4 and add 150 to it, that will tell you the divided load range then look at the load range of the tires on the trailer....works much better if the wheels are at four corners rather than in the middle of the trailer, but it will give you an idea of what you can expect.  In all probability, you will be just fin if you watch the speed and avoid chuckholes....

LD

Thanks Leo! Just curious, why do you add 150 to the load/wheel value?

[dleo6446]

the 150 is 1/4 of the safety margin supposedly manufactured into the tire...always wondered that myself when I read it the first time in the Tire Guide..


edited...

duh!! went back and read that again and it is 1/2 not 1/4!!
The load index indicates the maximum weight that a tire can accommodate vertically at a given PSI (pounds per square inch). Typically, the load index of the tires for passenger cars and light trucks range from 80 to 100.

   
Load Index    Pounds    Kilograms            Load Index    Pounds    Kilograms
71    761    345                                               91    1356    615
72    783    355                                               92    1389    630
73    805    365                                               93    1433    650
74    827    375                                               94    1477    670
75    853    387                                               95    1521    690
76    882    400                                               96    1565    710
77    908    412                                               97    1609    730
78    937    425                                               98    1653    750
79    963    437                                               99    1709    775
80    992    450                                              100    1764    800
81    1019    462                                             101    1819    825
82    1047    475                                             102    1874    850
83    1074    487                                             103    1929    875
84    1102    500                                             104    1984    900
85    1135    515                                             105    2039    925
86    1168    530                                             106    2094    950
87    1201    545                                             107    2149    975
88    1235    560                                             108    2205    1000
89    1279    580                                             109    2271    1030
90    1323    600                                             110    2337    1060

it looks like you will be ok based on the NHTSA chart....