Don't be led astray by bearing buddies
I just came upon this thread, although if I had come upon it earlier I am not sure it would have mattered very much, but perhaps I can save someone else from a similar fate. I have "bearing buddy" type protectors on my trailer and tow my 190 Bay about 20 miles one way several times per week to go fishing during the summer months. Religiously, several times per season, I followed the instructions and pumped marine grade "red tacky" wheel bearing grease through the zerk fitting of each "buddy" until the spring loaded plate started to move out, feeling secure that I was keeping the bearing lubricated as necessary. I also regularly inspected the inner wheels for grease splatter and evidence of failed grease seals.
Tuesday last week, on our way for a day of flounder fishing with my inlaws, at 45 mph on a two lane blacktop country road (fortunately) the bearings on the right wheel of my trailer came apart, the wheel came off, and the trailer and boat came crashing down and slid on the axle as I did my best to stop and pull off the pavement onto the grass beside the road. As I slowed down, the wheel and tire flew past the right side of my vehicle, careened down and across the road and came to a stop in a field about 200 yards away.
I won't bore you with the details of the ordeal of finding someone to get the boat and trailer from beside the road to where the boat could be stored and trailer fixed. All you need to know is that it is not as simple as dragging a car (or boat and trailer) up onto a flatbed and hauling it off. Two men, a flatbed, a tow truck and another boat trailer were necessary, and by 4:00 pm that afternoon everything arrived at the boatyard of our original destination and I was presented with a $1000 bill for towing and labor charges.
Damage to the trailer is minimal, bearing kit and seals, hub kit, u-bolts and a fender and will take about a week to fix. About half of the cost will be covered by insurance ($400 limit on towing).
So, a word to be wise. Don't have a false sense of security by relying completely on "bearing buddy" type bearing protectors that are refilled regularly or by inspecting the grease seals for leakage. From now on I plan to pull my wheels to inspect, repack, replace bearing and seals as necessary every spring. I never want to go through this mess again. I thank my lucky stars that we were not on a busy road when that wheel came flying off.
As a further note, that evening my father-in-law called my stepson who lives in Port St. Lucie, FL, and who was getting ready to haul his McKee Craft down to the Keys to go lobstering, suggesting he inspect his trailer's bearings just to be on the safe side. He has "bearing buddies" too. The inner bearing on one wheel was "shot", requiring new bearings and a new hub kit. He planned to travel down by interstate as he does every year.
