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.

Harry,

As I said, he could be wrong, but I was purchasing his boat and it was
in perfect condition so I followed his maintenance recommendations and
procedure. I not only jacked the tires off the ground, but also put a
jack under the tongue so the adjustable trailer jack was not supporting
the weight.

Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
HK wrote:
Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
HK wrote:

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.

Harry,

As I said, he could be wrong, but I was purchasing his boat and it was
in perfect condition so I followed his maintenance recommendations and
procedure. I not only jacked the tires off the ground, but also put a
jack under the tongue so the adjustable trailer jack was not supporting
the weight.

Whatever floats your boat. You didn't jack the tires off the
ground...you probably jacked the axles off the ground. That might work
with "solid" axles, but I'd be wary of trying it with a torsion bar axle
system, and if you jacked up the frame, the torsion axles would sag, I
would think.

"HK" wrote in message
. ..

Whatever floats your boat. You didn't jack the tires off the
ground...you probably jacked the axles off the ground.

One major advantage of leaving the trailer with the tires *on* the ground is
that in the spring you will notice that they are flat before taking the
jackstands out, only to have to jack it back up again.

Saves time.


Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
Whatever floats your boat. You didn't jack the tires off the
ground...you probably jacked the axles off the ground.

One major advantage of leaving the trailer with the tires *on* the ground is
that in the spring you will notice that they are flat before taking the
jackstands out, only to have to jack it back up again.

Saves time.


Eisboch



That, too, though surprisingly the radials on my last trailer and on the
new one don't seem to lose much air. Over the winter, the last trailer's
tires lost maybe a pound over the winter. I know, because I checked the
tires when I stored the boat and when I took it out of storage.

I do try to park in areas where there is at least partial shade,
especially for the tires, and when I store for the winter, I duct tape
plastic bags on the sides of the fenders so that the tires are screened
from the sun.

I've got an old sports car sitting in a garage. It is sitting on its
Dunlop tires. The car sits for six months at a time. I have never
noticed any "flat spots" on the tires related to storage. Car spends
most of its life under a couple of sewn-together bedsheets.

"HK" wrote in message
. ..


I've got an old sports car sitting in a garage. It is sitting on its
Dunlop tires. The car sits for six months at a time. I have never
noticed any "flat spots" on the tires related to storage. Car spends
most of its life under a couple of sewn-together bedsheets.

My '67 GTO has Coker Redlines on it. After sitting for several months they
develop a small flat spot that is noticeable for a couple of miles, then
they round out.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..

I've got an old sports car sitting in a garage. It is sitting on its
Dunlop tires. The car sits for six months at a time. I have never
noticed any "flat spots" on the tires related to storage. Car spends
most of its life under a couple of sewn-together bedsheets.

My '67 GTO has Coker Redlines on it. After sitting for several months they
develop a small flat spot that is noticeable for a couple of miles, then
they round out.

Eisboch



My old car is a 1959-60 model, and British, so there's no assurance that
even if the tires were round, the wheels would be.

On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:28:49 -0400, HK wrote:

My old car is a 1959-60 model, and British, so there's no assurance that
even if the tires were round, the wheels would be.

Or that it would start and the lights work.

Lucas: Prince of Darkness.