Boat trailer blew a hub

[Krautzy]

Well, boat is stuck at the lake until Saturday. I took it up there for memorial and after launching on the third day there, my buddy hit a huge pot hole pulling trailer out of the water. Luckily i noticed the damage after wanting to examine it due to the trailer jumping 3 ft in the air, but there was grease slung all over the rim and the tire just wiggling freely. I am afraid i over greased it, and if thats the case then i probably over greased the other side as well.

I am not sure exactly when the grease started coming out but it had to have been on the highway. Anyone else with experience with this?

[txhunter90]

Happened a couple times, get some new bearings and grease and install pretty simple.

[ramrod]

Does the wheel have "play" top to bottom when you move it? You may have just blew the seal by over greasing it.

[Krautzy]

Does the wheel have "play" top to bottom when you move it? You may have just blew the seal by over greasing it.

Well i was pretty frustrated when it happened so I am not positive i just know it had a ton of play side to side.

[Krautzy]

so should I just buy a 5 lug hub assembly?

[kenner27]

Yes

[Mayhem]

so should I just buy a 5 lug hub assembly?

I would and replace both sides while you are at it. Piece of mind.

[Krautzy]

I would and replace both sides while you are at it. Piece of mind.

That's probably what I'll do. If I over greased the one im sure i did the other as well.

[mix]

The bearings and seals aren't hard to replace if nothing else is damaged and they're pretty cheap. The complete hubs aren't real expensive either. I think they're like $40 or $50 for the ones for my trailer at Northern. I keep a spare in the truck for my boat trailer.

[Krautzy]

The bearings and seals aren't hard to replace if nothing else is damaged and they're pretty cheap. The complete hubs aren't real expensive either. I think they're like $40 or $50 for the ones for my trailer at Northern. I keep a spare in the truck for my boat trailer.

It only takes once. I will now keep a spare in my truck as well.

[mix]

It only takes once. I will now keep a spare in my truck as well.

Yep. I've broken 2 leaf springs on the trailer. I keep spares of those now too. I was able to limp home the first time it happened. The 2nd time I was on my way to Galveston on 45. It broke right outside of Huntsville about 10 at night. We changed it on the side of the road in about 30 or 45minutes. It sucked but we got it done.

[simek]

Been there man. It stinks.

[panhandlehunter]

Yep. Boat trailers suck. Lol. I keep a spare hub assembly and tools in my truck.

[KyleW]

If you replace the hubs go with some that have the grease fitting built in so you can repack the bearings often. Pump new grease in until it isn’t coming out dirty anymore and you are set

[double bogey]

I think trailers ought to come with a spare hub mounted with the spare tire on it. I did one this way after losing bearings on a trip. Bought an axle stub and a hub, welded the stub on for the spare mount.