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Posted

G'day raiders,

Today I noticed a strange noise coming from my trailer. On closer inspection the wheels appear to have movement in them so I'm guessing I need a new set of wheel bearings? The shackles seem a bit rusted over the years too!

So my question is, how much should it cost me to get these replaced?

It's a dunbier trailer that suits a 4.7m boat.

Cheers scratchie!!!

Posted

Perhaps it may be a good idea to drop all of the axle from the trailer and check your u-bolts, fish plates, shackle bolt and bushes. Once you have the axle out it is easy to work on. I dare say looking at your location that the trailer is immersed in salt and I am sure you hose it off but salt water can work its way into every nook and cranny.

Posted (edited)

Are you going to do them yourself Geoff, if so send me a PM.

A possibility I could be up there in the next week or so as well as you probably no, I could allow a couple of hours to show you how to do it if you haven't done it before

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Edited by Ian Bat
Posted

Perhaps it may be a good idea to drop all of the axle from the trailer and check your u-bolts, fish plates, shackle bolt and bushes. Once you have the axle out it is easy to work on. I dare say looking at your location that the trailer is immersed in salt and I am sure you hose it off but salt water can work its way into every nook and cranny.

Thanks for your reply. I wash it after every use but since moving near the beach 4 years ago, I just can't stop the rust. And I have nowhere to garage it. Not to mention I use it at every opportunity.

Posted

Scratchie

If you do it yourself you'd get away with it for around $100 in parts and a couple of hrs labour

Take it to a dealer and he'll charge you $350 to $500 depending on the dealer

Posted

Are you going to do them yourself Geoff, if so send me a PM.

A possibility I could be up there in the next week or so as well as you probably no, I could allow a couple of hours to show you how to do it if you haven't done it before

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Thanks for the offer Ian and make sure you give me a call when you head up.

I do ok in the fishing and boating sense but when it comes to mechanics I'm useless.

I would just like to know roughly what it will cost, that way I don't get ripped off.

Posted

Crossfire answered it about right.

As I said we would knock over the bearings in under 2 hours for less than advised.

Personally if you have a good local Mechanic that does your cars, talk to him.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Posted

Hi Scratchie, I once refurbished the entire undercarriage of a dual axle boat trailer on my own with the boat still on the trailer. The mechanics are pretty simple, once you start pulling things apart you realize there's nothing really to it. If your axle spindles aren't pitted or worn then replacing the needle bearings is an easy job. You can use little wet and dry sandpaper to smooth and remove surface rust on the spindle if it's there.

Cheers,

Billy.

Posted

If you decide to replace the U bolts don't bother trying to undo the nuts unless they look easy , ie not badly rusted. Just get an angle grinder & cut them off.

As for the bearings , the first thing you need to determin is if the bearings are Holden or Ford. Ford is the most common. If you remove one of the outer bearings , which is very easy , there will be a No. stamped on the side.

Note down the No. & call a local bearing supplier & they can tell what type you have.

Others have mentioned cost , as a guide a set (2 wheels) of ford bearings , you should see change out of $50 depending on the brand & where you purchase.

The only other item required is a can of good quality wheel bearing grease eg Castrol or Valvoline.

Geoff

Posted

Hi scratachie, Mate i just replaced my bearings and hubs on my trailer it cost me about $60. I went to a mechanic he said around the $300 mark to replace stuff that did it my self . Go on youtube and type in how to replace bearings on trailer and watch and learn , thats what i did easy as.

Posted

Maybe you could film the process and post it on here. :sun:

Great idea but I'm probably the wrong person to do it. I would spend too many hours editing out expletives!

Posted

all gal trailers will rust

the gal coating isnt there to make it last for ever
it is sacrificial, if rust i sshowing through the gal on the main part of the trailer then its normally at the end of its useable life

things like fittings bolts u bolts nuts plates get damaged during installation where new and should just be replaced

Posted

I replaced my HUB's for Ford ones and new bearings for under $100

Very relaxing doing the bearing packing. Im in IT so if I can do it

I think anyone can.

I needed a shifter for the castle nut, a pair of pliers for the split pin

a few rags for cleaning off the old grease and a mallet for gently

pursauding the cover back on and the back seal, and a couple of jacks to lift them all up.

I even used some latex gloves so clean up was pretty easy too. I don't like my typist

hands to get too damaged ;-)

Posted

Sounds like a pleasant therapy experience... packing bearings is a bit like mud squishing through your toes.

I have never done the boat trailer ( getting slack in my old age so I get the boat dealer to do it) but I did plenty of box trailers and my cars when I worked as an auto electrician/mechanic in my much younger days.

There were two different types as I remember.

1) Tapered bearings in two halves which require a very specific and fairly low tension on the castle nut or sometimes thin shim washers to ensure that the bearing is not overloaded or;

2) A fixed single piece bearing where the castle nut is tensioned quite high because it does not load the bearing up at all.

Both are secured with a split pin.

Anybody know which type is used in a boat trailer?

Posted

Sounds like a pleasant therapy experience... packing bearings is a bit like mud squishing through your toes.

I can picture him in the scene from ghost sitting at the pottery table then mr swayze comes up behind him to help.lol.

I have never done the boat trailer ( getting slack in my old age so I get the boat dealer to do it) but I did plenty of box trailers and my cars when I worked as an auto electrician/mechanic in my much younger days.

There were two different types as I remember.

1) Tapered bearings in two halves which require a very specific and fairly low tension on the castle nut or sometimes thin shim washers to ensure that the bearing is not overloaded or;

2) A fixed single piece bearing where the castle nut is tensioned quite high because it does not load the bearing up at all.

Both are secured with a split pin.

Anybody know which type is used in a boat trailer?

To my knowledge they use one piece tapered bearings pre loaded and secured with a split pin.
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Thank you all for your advice. I conned my elderly father in law to help me as he has been a mechanic for 55years. The jobs done now and I replaced, bearings and brake cable. And cost me about $80 all up with grease etc.

But thanks again!

Cheers scratchie!!!

Posted

Thank you all for your advice. I conned my elderly father in law to help me as he has been a mechanic for 55years. The jobs done now and I replaced, bearings and brake cable. And cost me about $80 all up with grease etc.

But thanks again!

Cheers scratchie!!!

Good to hear you got her done mate.

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