Spring time is the best time to service your trailer... actually any time is a great time. The important parts is to service it even if you haven't pulled it.

Your grease seals are only designed to last a year and if you can change them before they start leaking you can prevent costly repairs replacing grease contaminated brakes. Even if you don't have brakes, you will keep a mess off your wheels.

Things to do in your yearly maintenance:
Clean, inspect and re-pack you wheel bearings
Replace grease seals
Check your lighting, wiring and plug
Clean and adjust your brakes
- check for free movement in the magnet actuating arm/caliper, etc
Check frame for bends/cracks
Check Floor for bad boards or dry/wet rotting
Check your tires- read date code- tires should be replaced every 5 years even if they aren't bald.(most dry rot and fail long before the tread is gone)
Lube you jack
Check function of the break-a-way system
How do the chains look?

Spending an afternoon looking over and servicing your trailer will save you time when you are ready to use it and find out you now have to fix it before the trip you planned tomorrow.

Happy Trailer-ing
Colorado Osprey

 

Thanks.

Spring, eh? I'd simply love to do what you suggest ... if I could just find me trailer.



Dint know aboot the seals. Thankee.

Lastly- it's cheaper fer me to buy two new tahrs, already mounted on new wheels, from Princess Auto (Canuck Harbour Freight clone), than it is to have two new tahrs mounted on existing wheels at any of our over-priced trailer/tire shops.


MGD

 

Snow and spring is relative.
Here in Colorado, we get 65 degrees and then 1-3 ft of snow the next day... but those in warmer climates have already broken out their trailers. I lived in Northern Ontario. People don't understand snow until they lived in the heartland of Canada... but we get our share.

 

Question? In the past, when I was a yut, I had friends that had small fishing/crabbings boats. Every spring I would help with getting things ready, including the trailer. So I have a good idea of what should be done. But now I am physically unable to do it. So my question is, any idea what I may expect to pay for the servicing, assuming nothing replaced? I know it will be different in my area here. But if I had a general idea? I have an enclosed Homesteader Challenger, 7x14 tandem axle. I had it custom built for my Polaris Ranger HD. I want to get it serviced when the weather breaks but don't know what to expect. This will be it's first servicing since I took delivery in Oct., '12. Thanks for the additional advice.




Day I took delivery, Oct. 8, 2012.

 

Can you please elaborate on these 2 items?

Is it possible that the grease seals are built into the bearings? I repack my bearings every spring (only 2 times so far) and I'm trying to picture what you mean by grease seal but can't recollect any items that make me think "that was the grease seal".

Also - what's the best way to test the break-away cable? I'm picturing having my wife in the bed of the truck, driving 60 MPH down the highway, and then having her yank on the cable... unless you have a better suggestion?

Thanks!

 

Yes, the grease seals would be the seals on the wheel bearings.

You can test the brakeaway system by jacking up the trailer and pulling the cable to actuate the switch. The wheels should be locked by the electric brakes, so you won't be able to turn them by hand. Be sure to reset the switch once you test the wheels, because if it's left on, the battery will drain quickly. You can do this one side at a time if needed.

- Jack

 

The grease seals are what you remove from the back side of the hubs to remove the inner bearings. They should NOT be reused.

http://www.easternmarine.com/Grease-Seals-Oil-Seals/

 

I know what you are going through as I can't work on my own vehicles anymore either.

Maybe a quick call to the dealer where you bought the trailer from will get you a price? I'm sure just about any trailer dealer does routine maintenance like this for people. It shouldn't be that costly for a new trailer - more of an inspection.

Here in PA we have to have our trailers (licensed over 3500#) inspected anyway (just like your truck inspection). I would just ask the inspecting mechanic to check/adjust the brakes and check the wheel bearings.

 

You should expect to replace grease seals at $3-9ea (Your trailer uses 10-19 seals)
Don't use automotive seals! Trailer seals are different.... and cheaper than automotive seals.
A tandem axle trailer service should run $99-250

It really depends on exactly what is being done for that price.
Trailers in our shop for a yearly service are being worked on for between 2-3 hrs. to do a complete job. That means bearings go in a parts washer and are fully inspected for hot spots or pitting. Cleaning out drums and brakes. Adjusting and testing all the systems and lighting. Lubing the coupler and jack. Adjusting air pressure and spending time with a light running the frame checking for cracks. Checking the suspension for wear and measuring the axles for alignment. It can be very time consuming and complete or just shoving grease in the hubs.

 

There are bearings with built in seals. These are not very common. They are called never-lube by Dexter. They are a sealed bearing like those found in modern automobiles. They are replaced as complete cartridges. Unfortunately overloading trailers is very common and never-lube bearings do not do well being overloaded. The easiest way to identify if you have never-lube is after removing the bearing cap. There will be a snap ring on the spindle that will need to be removed before removing the spindle nut. There shouldn't be any visible grease in the hub.

The newest push by axle manufactures' is to make wet hubs (oil bath) as they run cooler. The downside is the seals are more expensive and you can not remove a hub/drum without replacing the seal... they only work once.(removing the hub harms the seal)

As far as the break-a-way system the others covered that well.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. Stormtech - Here in good ole Delaware, we have inspection lanes. In PA, I thought the state had designated service garages that did the inspections. Is that true? So yea, I had to run my "new trailer" thru the lanes for inspection, title and tags. All they really do is check lights, safety equipment like chains I guess? And for brakes you get a running start, and then nail the peddle over some kind of metal grate, that I guess measures the stopping force? New vehicles get five years. So I'm good to Nov. '17 with that. Colorado - Thanks for the extra advice. I figured I'd call the dealer where I purchased the trailer. But had no idea what the cost might be. If they had said either $100.00, or $500.00? I would have no idea if that was a competitive charge or not. Maybe I should call around for some local pricing? Yea, I think that's a good idear. Thanks again

 

I guess looking at this now



maybe I do recollect a grease seal on the back side of the assembly. I've always just cleaned, greased, and then re-installed the existing parts. (I do inspect for wear or damage but none noted so far)

Whats the best way to figure out what size you have?
Is there a way to look it up by Model & year?
Or should I just wait till I get the trailer home this spring and take one of the wheels off?

Thanks for all the advice!

 

I believe the preferred/correct approach is to remove the existing bearings and grease seal and write down the part numbers that are stamped into them. Then, replace with identical parts.

I think any other approach is a gamble. And, you certainly don't want to try to install parts that are not correct.

- Jack

 

I remember those type of inspection stations when I lived in NJ as a kid. In PA the inspections are done by independent repair shops. Each inspection mechanic has to pass a test and the shop has to have the proper equipment. So when you get an inspection a mechanic is actually looking everything over. Inspections here are once a year for cars, light trucks, and trailers. The cost including the sticker is usually ~$35.