Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
HK wrote:
Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
HK wrote:
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
"Toller" wrote in message
...
- Did the previous owner tell you anything about the wheel
bearings? Do you see something like this in the centers of your
wheels?
http://www.bearingbuddy.com/ Or, do you just see a metal cap?

There is a plastic cover over them. Is that adequate since it is
exposed to water so little?

Unless you're talking about the soft plastic cover that can cover
Bearing Buddies, I honestly don't know. Are you sure there's not a
metal cover under the plastic thing? Plastic seems like a weak
option in a place that could brush against a curb.

If the original owner didn't mention when he last repacked or
replaced the bearings, it's probably worthwhile to get it done so
you've got a starting point for a maintenance schedule.



- Before it's too cold to work outdoors without gloves, take a
good look at all wire junctions. Make sure all splices look
clean, not corroded. If they're made with electrical tape over
soldered wire joints, that's sloppy and they should be replaced
with crimped connections covered with heat shrink tubing.

Yeah, they are all covered with electrical tape that is falling
off; expect the connections are pretty bad underneath also.
Wouldn't soldered joints covered with shrink be okay? I did that
for my invisible fence 15 years ago and they are still okay. But
it is probably easier to crimp them anyhow if that is better.

Solder + shrink tubing isn't too bad, as long as you check the
joint for sharp edges that might puncture the shrink tubing, and
file or clip them. Crimps are easier, but you should use a properly
designed tool, and they not so easy to find. The jaws on most tools
don't shape the crimp correctly as it squeezes them, because the
jaws are almost flat, with slight curves carved into them. That's
useless. At this links below, check out the tool, and click on the
picture for a closer look at what the jaws should look like:

http://www.panduit.com/search/produc...2D1570&Ntk=All


or:

http://tinyurl.com/3dmk8f



- Spare ti Got one? Is it secured to the trailer with a cable
lock or some other method?

That's funny actually. Before pulling the boat out I checked and
found the spare was flat. Fortunately it held pressure okay; but
the bigger problem was that it was locked on and I didn't have the
key! When I put the boat in I didn't have the key either, and the
tire was probably flat then also; good thing I didn't need it.
Came off in 2 seconds with an angle grinder.

What about propping the front up?!

Someone else chimed in on that last question.



I've never propped up any of my boat trailers so the tires are off
the ground. The trailer is designed so that the weight is borne by
the the suspension and tires, and I doubt whether the tires "know"
whether they have been sitting for two weeks or three months. I make
sure the bearings are properly packed before storage, and that the
tires are properly inflated, and that's it for the trailer.

Once the boat and engine are winterized and the batteries are
removed, I have the boat shrinkwrapped.

I do check on the boat every month. With the rig on its own wheels,
if I have to move it for some reason, it's no big deal to do so.

Harry,

When I had a runabout, and kept the boat stored on the trailer, I
ALWAYS kept the trailer propped up using trailer jacks. The reason I
did, was my father (a mechanic engineer) told me to do it. He was
emphatic that the weight of the tires sitting on one section of the
tire over the winter, would cause the tire to become permanently
unbalanced (I think he said a "flat spot". He also said the tires
would crack prematurely, where they sat on the ground. I also
(based upon his recommendations) made sure the tires were covered
with a tarp to make sure they did not dry rot from UV degradation.
Both were very easy to do and took less than 5 minutes.

Now was he correct, heck, I don't know, but the tires were over 20
yrs old when I sold the boat and trailer.


Yes, I'm sure that all the cars sitting in dealer storage lots for
three or four months are propped up on frame jacks so their tires
don't develop flat spots. So are all the new RVs and travel trailers
at the distribution centers. And of course, the 150 boats that my
dealer stores on trailers over the winter, they're all stored on
blocks and jacks, too.


Damn, I normally didn't double check my father on engineering type
recommendations, but I just did on this. It looks like not only did my
Dad recommend it, but so do Trailer Mfg'ers:

http://www.tidewatertrailers.com/wst_page10.html

Winterizing Your Trailer

1. Park in a protected area or cover your trailer with a boat cover or
tarp. Cover tires to protect from UV rays of the sun.
2. Block the wheels, or better, jack up the trailer so the tires do not
come in contact with the ground
3. Fill / repack wheel bearings via Sure Lube
Moisture can cause rust and possible bearing damage, especially when a
trailer sits idle.
4. Lubricate moving parts such as roller bushings, winches and other
rolling parts with lightweight household oil.
5. Tighten loose nuts and bolts.

6. Block the tongue and crank the tongue jack to the completely closed
position.

http://www.discoverboating.com/resou...cle.aspx?id=93

Also

Store boat in a garage or other temperature controlled facility if
possible. If not, cover the boat with shrink-wrap or a large tarp.
If your boat is stored on a trailer, block the wheels so they are off
the ground and loosen tie-down straps to reduce stress on the hull.
Store your inflatables away from rodents, who love to eat hypalon and
PVC fabrics. Also, do not leave the inflatable exposed to the elements -
clouds do not inhibit UV rays.




Well, Reggies, if and when you ever have a boat, you can block up your
tires.