August 03, 2026, 04:47 PM
WatergoatEducate me about boat trailers.
For tires, try Amazon. When I needed a spare for my latest boat trailer, the wife got one mounted on a new steel wheel, delivered for about $70.
August 03, 2026, 07:13 PM
PHPaulWell, the discovery
du' jour is that the wheel bearings are in rough shape.
Simple, just put new ones in, right?
Not so fast, Scooter. These are very, VERY old bearings, and while not quite NLA, a set of four bearings and races comes to a bit over $200.
Not. Happening.
Replacing the hubs is a no-go because the axle is a bit of an oddball by today's standards.
Replacing the axle, while not
quite a no-go, is complicated by the transverse spring setup.
So, the interim decision is to clean the old bearings up, cram grease in them til hell won't have it, reassemble everything and not take it on long trips or at high speed.
This actually fits fairly well with planned use and grandson's driving habits.
August 06, 2026, 12:32 AM
jimmy123xquote:
Originally posted by PHPaul:
Well, the discovery du' jour is that the wheel bearings are in rough shape.
Simple, just put new ones in, right?
Not so fast, Scooter. These are very, VERY old bearings, and while not quite NLA, a set of four bearings and races comes to a bit over $200.
Not. Happening.
Replacing the hubs is a no-go because the axle is a bit of an oddball by today's standards.
Replacing the axle, while not quite a no-go, is complicated by the transverse spring setup.
So, the interim decision is to clean the old bearings up, cram grease in them til hell won't have it, reassemble everything and not take it on long trips or at high speed.
This actually fits fairly well with planned use and grandson's driving habits.
Please don't do this. Buy a modern trailer with good bearings where the wheel isn't going to fly off and hit someone else's car possibly causing great damage and danger to them. IF the seals are not good, when you dunk the trailer, the wheel bearings will suck water into them because the hub is hotter than the water and submerged right away. They will then start rusting, and you're already bad bearings will have a total failure. Those small diameter tires really heat up the bearings as the wheels are turning twice as fast as the ones on your vehicle.