With spring arriving & thoughts leading to trips to warmer climes, or buying new Cats, I thought it might be helpful for a primer on bearing maintenance.

Turbohobo has a post in tech help on bearing replacement. IT really is a simple job, & no you don't need a bearing_packer. Since a short video is worth 10,000 words here are a few You-Tube clips that show the process.
I just pulled the wheels off the trailer that I brought my 5.7 home with last fall. We didn't have time to inspect the bearings when I bought it, hell the wheel turned freely, & didn't build up heat after 20 miles, so we drove on. Upon inspection last week, I'm amazed we made it, the races are pitted/rusted & one bearing set is full of rust, & quite stiff. This would not have held together for a long drive.

The bearing sets are only about $12, so save yourself some grief & check them BEFORE you head out.

One tip that nobody in the videos seems to use, bearing work is dirty work, buy some nitrile/latex gloves, they are only $10 for 100, & cleanup is a 5 second job as opposed to scrubbing your fingernails for 3 days. I would also use a scrap of hardwood to reset the races & seals, it is easy to get them started crooked using a screwdriver. The worst part of the job is removal & re installation of the races. They are a tight fit, just keep working around the perimeter. Application of heat to the hub using a propane soldering torch can work wonders. If they fit loose, your hub needs to be replaced, much more $$ than a bearing job. If you use the old race to seat the new one, it is easy to drive in the old one & not be able to pull it out. If this happens simply flip the hub over & using your drift,( or screwdriver) gently tap as if you are trying to remove the NEW race. This will push the old one out. You will have to support the hub between two blocks, so as to leave the center portion open, otherwise you will never get the race out. Note the video guys are using carpenters hammers, you really should use a ball peen. It is far easier to clean & repack the bearings every season, especially the salt water guys, & thereby never have to deal with the races. Clean & pack both wheels will only take an hour.



Removal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGDb83odXhU&NR=1

Race Removal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k2T79nHXgw

Packing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agxjGtmHV_4&feature=related

Text version Replacing trailer bearings:
http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wheelbearingpack.aspx

There are many other good videos on this subject, not worth documenting my own.



edited by: Edchris177, Mar 01, 2010 - 03:43 PM

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

Thanks for the reminder. I picked up my cat last year and have not yet re-packed the bearings, it has been on my winter list.

A great reminder.

There seem to be two types of cat sailors. Ones that have had bearing fail and now check them with some regularity, and ones that have not had a bearing failure and don't worry about them. I highly doubt there are many out there that have had a bearing fail on them and do not check them periodically.

Hopefully there is actually a 3rd type, which are those that hear of the horror stories and check their bearings periodically before they fail for the first time.

A great spring activity while it is to cold to be on the water, or a day the wind is not blowing (for those in warmer climates)



edited by: smfinley, Mar 01, 2010 - 09:19 PM

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Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
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I usually start the season out by replacing them. Something that I have not been able to find are bearing caps that actually stay on the entire season. Not to forget that the inner seals always leak.

Further, I have researched stainless bearings... but apparently those alloys are not hard enough. There are ceramic bearings, quite expensive.

Having been in the marine industry, I was exposed to all manner of special greases... very high temp greases that can actually be digested... still get rusty bearings.

It is the curse of the sport.

Thats the way my "X" wife was,,, seals were shot, pitted, rusted, seized up, stiff & COLD~~~~ traded her in for a younger model...

--
~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
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" Something that I have not been able to find are bearing caps that actually stay on the entire season."

Are the insides of the hub worn? I had a powerboat trailer with that problem,& could only keep the caps on by cleaning everything off & applying a few rounds of duct tape. I got tired of that after a few years & had on of the engineers in the maintenance hangar mill some fine grooves on the inside of the hub. I then placed a wrap of that super sticky aluminum duct tape around the outside edge of the cap. That seemed to work, they never came off until I removed them for maintenance.
The caps should take a good whack to seat properly, & they should stay on short of a wreck.



edited by: Edchris177, Mar 01, 2010 - 08:19 PM

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

i've had good luck with the "bearing buddies". i don't get the wheels wet when we launch to beach though, so wheels stay free of salt or fresh water imersion. i'm still going to replace them this season as we are "trailor sailors" and have a 70 mile trip to the gulf so we put some miles on 'em.

--
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook!
bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
--

Quote

A great spring activity while it is to cold to be on the water, or a day the wind is not blowing (for those in warmer climates)

This year, there has been little "warmer climates". I know we have it better than the frozen north, but i have sailed in 51* and 58* this year, and my blood is to thin for that crud!

popeyez7 - i hope you take better maintenance of your new "bearings" :)

Something else that needs to be done each season at least... removal of lug nuts. Especially for the saltwater sailors who have to submerge the axle to launch. Any road side failure is already a pain... frozen lugs just as salt to a wound.

Anyone ever use anti seize on lug threads?