Scarey... smoked a wheel bearing

(wakebordr11) · (wakebordr11) **Join Date: May 2001** 07-05-2006, 1:07 PM

Just kinda wanted to share a very scarey experience I had today. I have been allowed to take the boat on 2 150mi round trips in the past year, last year I heated up the brakes real good on the way home... or so I thought... thought they were adjusted real tight, turns out it was the start of a much worse problem I believe... so my dad did the work on the trailer while I was at school and everything checked out OK by his standpoint... Well coming home today from the trip... the trailer did get hot on the way up but I figured once again... brakes, well on the way home everything seemed fine at first, and I was driving my neighbors dually diesel so I couldn't hear my impending problems. Well I get home, and the bearing is non existant, smoking and the plastic housing is melted away. Wheel didn't fall off somehow and I have a single axle trailer. I am thanking god it didn't let loose @ 70 mph when I was passing ppl on the highway. Moral of story, inspect everything before leaving on both trips... I did and everything seemed fine... and it probably isn't a bad idea to stop every 45 minutes or so to check... thanking my lucky stars right now, just wanted to share the harrowing experience and see if anyone else has done similar... or what may have caused this besides lack of grease which I don't think was the case...

(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 07-05-2006, 1:30 PM

did the same thing a few years ago...mine started smoking and was "glowing" red in the dusk/nite. There is a nut on there that should hold on the wheel even when the bearings fail. I'm surprised no one pointed at your trailer while you passed them...it should have been smoking.

(cyclonecj) · (cyclonecj) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 07-05-2006, 2:55 PM

Fire extinguisher is a must on a long trip Upload

(timmy) · (timmy) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 07-05-2006, 3:45 PM

perhaps don't tow so fast either? I have had a wheel come off at 55mph (due to studs shearing off thanks to not being tightened enough), it ended up being a very smooth stop, but it could get real hairy real quickly, especially at a higher speed.

I always stop and check my bearings several times on long trips.

(magic) · (magic) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 07-05-2006, 3:53 PM

I spun one a few years back on the way home from a long trip. Did not even notice till I parked it in the drive way. Good to have a tandem trailer. Axle co. blamed the trailer maker, the trailer co. blamed the Axle co., bit of a mess on who was going to pay for the new axle and costs.

I also had a tire just explode once on the trailer too. I had checked the pressure right before leaving, it was not that hot out and I was actually driving at a sane speed.

Funny, now when ever I tow, it is a habit to walk around the trailer and feel each hub to see if any of them are getting hot. I also had it down pretty fast to repack the trailer bearings once a sesaon on all four wheels.

grud8 07-06-2006, 2:51 PM

Tim - You took the words right out of my mouth SLOW DOWN. Nothing gets me fired up more than when some idiot blows by me on the freeway towing a boat. Especially when my kids are in the car.

(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 07-06-2006, 3:34 PM

I'm not advocating speeding but driving 55 on majors freeways in Houston on the weekends is probably just as dangerous as driving 70. The average flow of traffic is around 70 ish.

(99_slaunch) · (99_slaunch) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 07-06-2006, 7:43 PM

Adam
That was well put! You better do 65 minimum in Houston.

(bob) · (bob) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 07-06-2006, 11:52 PM

When the bearing destoys itself that little nut and washer dont do much to hold everything together. Reminds me, its time for a full tear down on my axles for an inspection and grease.