Is my trailer bearing shot?

[Volffas]

I apologize in advance for the dumb questions. I checked the FAQ's and didn't see anything and I did some searching but couldn't find my exact issue.

Bringing the boat home this afternoon the trailer was making a high-pitched squeak on the driver's side. Backing into my driveway grease was coming out of the inside of the rear tire.

Pictures are attached below, but the Bearing Buddy looks awful, and there is still grease slowly dripping from the inside of the tire.

The trailer is original to the boat which is a 2007 AR 230. I can't find the name of the manufacturer anywhere.

My questions are;

1. Is the issue my bearing?
2. Is this something that a person like me who considers themselves incompetent with maintenance work can do by himself?
3. A quick search on AutoZone shows Marine bearings, are there different types and sizes or can I use just anything?
4. Do I need to get a new Bearing Buddy?

Thanks!

 

[Scottintexas]

I don't have any advice to give unfortunately

It should be mfg by MFI

 

[Scottintexas]

Some reading until someone smarter chimes in

https://jetboaters.net/search/25333918/?q=Trailer+bearing&o=relevance

 

[bronze_10]

If its the Axel with the brakes like the picture shows it could be a hung brake that made everything real hot.. The high pitched squeal would tip me off to the brakes... Most often u hear a crunching sound when the bearings fail.... That or your tire passes u at a stop light.

 

[Bruce]

The grease should not be on the outside of the bearing buddy. It certainly has failed. You might have seized brakes as well.

My old LX210 trailer would run out of grease occasionally. When it did the bearings would squeal. I would add grease and the squeal would go away. I likely should have rebuilt those bearings but I only had her for a year. I promise that I take better care of my trailer now.

I suggest jacking the trailer up so that that tire is off of the ground. Check if the wheel spins freely to test for a bound brake. Feel how the wheel moves in and out with one hand on top and the other on the bottom. Excess play is an indicator of bearing problems.

As for changing the bearing buddy hit the existing bearing buddy with a hammer on alternating sides until it comes out. Once it is off you can get a look at the grease and bearing inside. When installing the replacement place a piece of wood on the end and hammer it straight in.

 

[itsdgm]

This is usually caused by a sticky brake caliper. When it hangs up, it creates so much heat that the grease liquifies and flows out the bearing buddy. It doesn’t mean that the bearing buddy is defective though.

In my experiences a brake caliper sticks for three reasons.

1. Air in the brake lines.
2. Sticky or frozen caliper.
3. Possibly a bad actuator.

For your vintage (assuming it’s an original 07 MFI trailer) it’s probably the sticky caliper or a combination of the above problems.

In a pinch you can pry the pads apart and lockout the actuator up front. But this will deactivate the brakes entirely and should only be used a
In an emergency situation.

Depending on how well maintained your trailer is, it might just be best to replace the entire braking system to ensure a fix the first time. Sometimes replacing one component at a time leads to a more costly repair in the long run.

Btw, the calipers on an 07 MFI trailer would by DB35’s. You can find them pretty cheap at www.pacifictrailers.com

 

[Matt Phillips]

anothe culprit may be if you were going downhill for a good distance. With surge brakes, they can compress the tongue and you can then drag the brakes without realizing it.

Likely though it may be a stuck caliper on your vintage trailer.

 

[Neutron]

Dude you need tires badly. I wouldnt tow with those especially the rear one

 

[Volffas]

I appreciate all of the replies. I'll jack it up in the morning and try to spin the wheel and see if it's hung up or not. The brakes were just replaced two summers ago after one of them was getting hung up, and we haven't trailered very far since then. This is a completely different scenario than the last time when the brakes hung up and it smelled like the brakes were frying and the wheels were ridiculously hot.

Also, I didn't mention that the squealing only happened when I turned left while driving. Driving straight or turning to the right there were no sounds.

The tires will be changed before we take the boat from Kentucky to Florida for the Bimini 2019 trip, but between now and then we're just trailering 5 miles to the river, so no big deal.

 

[zipper]

I agree with the diagnosis from those above. I had the same issue last year, it was a stuck break caliper. Replaced it and the bearing buddy. All good since. I tried to compress it with a c-clamp, with no success.

 

[swatski]

Dude you need tires badly. I wouldnt tow with those especially the rear one

I agree, but to me this looks like you may have a (slightly) bent axle causing uneven wear.

--

 

[Neutron]

I agree, but to me this looks like you may have a (slightly) bent axle causing uneven wear.

--

Bent, not square to the frame, uneven loading, etc.
A lot can cause that.
For what trailer tires cost, i wouldnt put my boat at risk even for 5 miles. Sorry thats just me

 

[Betik]

I would change all bearings before the trip. You have invested too much to have a failure on the way to Florida. Less than $100 and you are good to go.

I would not hurt to check your bunks too. Had to replace mine before Florida last year.

 

[Volffas]

Once again, you guys are correct. I jacked up the trailer and that tire is damn near impossible to rotate. Looking back, I think the last time the brakes were changed was May 2015. Guess I'll have the shop put new brakes all around and get some new tires while its in there and my wallet is already open.

Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[haknslash]

I have a question for my bearing buddy. This year I've noticed that I'm having to add more grease to both of my bearing buddies more than I've had to two the other years with the trailer. I don't have grease gushing out of looking burnt. It's just that when I do my pre-checks before getting on the road I've noticed the bearings needs some grease as the piston and spring will have some slop and can move. So I keep adding grease until the piston pops back out and doesn't move much. Where is my grease going so soon?

 

[zipper]

@haknslash Hard to tell without seeing...but if not leaking past a seal on the inside and slinging it on the inside of the rim, then if your bearing is popping out more frequently causing you to add more grease, it is going somewhere, maybe evaporating over time. Do you notice any residue on the rim? Sorry for the question, not fluent in 19' trailers, do they have brakes? Just trying to figure out where heat may be coming from. I know not much help...other may have more knowledge on this

 

[haknslash]

@zipper yes mine has surge brakes. I don't see any residue inside of the wheel which is what has me baffled where it's going. I inspected them yesterday after traveling 75 miles mostly interstate and they weren't smoking or anything. I do trailer my boat everywhere and it does get some mileage. I've just been adding is as needed but perplexed why or where it's going. Haven't seen anything slinging on the inside of the rim or oozing where I park. I guess I'll take the wheel off and have a look.

 

[Zonie]

I have the same trailer. The brakes were replaced before I purchased the boat and i finally got around to servicing the bearings last month when one of my bearing buddies failed (looked just like yours). When I removed the other three two of them fell apart so I just replaced all four from Amazon. One set of bearings was discolored and looked a little sketchy so I replaced the hub assembly on that wheel. I repacked the sketchy bearings and hub and stuck it in the truck as a backup. Hopefully I'll never need to use it but it's nice to have. See lots of trailers stranded on the side of the road.

 

[the MfM]

Drum brakes


Someone had to say it