New 'old' RIB

Suzuki416 · 11 December 2003, 21:16

Hi,
First post so treat me gently....

I've just last week brought a secondhand RIB that came with a trailer...

thats the good part!

Now the bad.

What I know about RIB's (& trailers) would fit on a postage stamp but I do know engines / mechanics..

The engine side is very good but the RIB has a puncture (haven't found it yet) & 1 of the trailers wheels decided to leave me 80 yards from my home.

I don't know the make / type of trailer so getting a new hub & bearings is going to be fun...

Any ideas about finding a puncture? Do I treat this as a large bicycle tyre?

@ least the engine goes!

Pete

Petrov · 11 December 2003, 21:23

Liquid soap or similiar together with some water, put it on the tubes and were it starts to bubble there you will find the leak.
Good luck.

simmons0 · 11 December 2003, 21:53

Mix water and fairy liquid in a bowl.
Put it on the tubes and place a piece of clingfilm over the wet area.

Pete7 · 11 December 2003, 22:13

Quote:

The engine side is very good but the RIB has a puncture (haven't found it yet) & 1 of the trailers wheels decided to leave me 80 yards from my home.

Hmm sounds like a normal day out for a rib owner then,

pete

ribraff · 11 December 2003, 23:04

Are you seriously running a johnson 70 on a 4metre!!!

jwalker · 12 December 2003, 00:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Suzuki416
Do I treat this as a large bicycle tyre?

Pete

Yes, you do really.

MeMe · 12 December 2003, 07:44

what sort of leak are we talking about here ?

Welcome aboard by the way

As you're new to Ribs you should first be aware that all RIBs "give a little" and by that I mean they don't stay hard like a bicycle or car tyre for months on end. RIB tubes do leak.

Of course you shouldn't expect them to go down over night, however, if a week passes and you need to top them up - not pump them right up, this is perfectly normal.

I'm sure you'll figure it out. Anyway, good luck and feel free to seek further help, it's our pleasure

p.s

At some time in the future you'll want to sell her, so do yourself a favor, when yoou find the leak (if one exists) spend that extra few quid and get it professionally repaired. Both you, the boat and it's future owner will benefit from the same.

p.ss

Check the valves first, they may just need the internal gubbins tightening a little. And....get us a picture up on the forum.

Aging Youth · 12 December 2003, 09:11

Hi and welcome to Ribnet,

You are not the first or will be last person to get caught out by a bearing failure. All part of the learning curve I'm afraid.

I would suggest taking the wheel to a garage or local trailer/caravan centre and get it measured for the bearing size. They should be able to tell you what size bearing is required.

Alternatively take the other bearing from the good one and change both at the same time.

Look carefully at the trailer for a serial number of manufactures' plate, unless a home made trailer.

As for the leak already been suggested repairs.

Good luck and have fun with your new craft.

Regards

jwalker · 12 December 2003, 09:48

Quote:

Originally posted by MeMe

As you're new to Ribs you should first be aware that all RIBs "give a little" and by that I mean they don't stay hard like a bicycle or car tyre for months on end. RIB tubes do leak.
.....however, if a week passes and you need to top them up - not pump them right up, this is perfectly normal.

Well, maybe on your boat. My Humber is needing air for the first time and it's been here almost a year.

........professionally repaired. Both you, the boat and it's future owner will benefit from the same.

Nonsense. Provided your brain and hands work, it's easy peasy.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Drift the bearings out. They will have numbers on them. Go to a bearing specialist ( Yellow pages or Yell.com) and give them the numbers. I'll be no problem to them. While you're at it, take the oil seal with you. It is probable that they can supply a double lip seal as a replacement. These have one lip facing in, as normal, to keep the grease in, and the other lip faces outward to keep the water out. Indispension sell bearing savers which tap into the outside of the hub. They are spring loaded pistons with a grease nipple in the centre. They keep a positive pressure within the bearing/hub assembly. Do NOT pump them up until full. They need to be able to accept the expansion of the grease when it warms up while travelling. You can then immerse the trailer wheels in the water and the piston will move back in, under spring pressure, as the hub is cooled. Finally, ensure you use water resistant grease in the hubs. You can use the stuff from the trailer suppliers or use Castrol CL, from Halfords. Don't mix them though.

mstacey · 12 December 2003, 10:38

Quote:

Originally posted by MeMe
As you're new to Ribs you should first be aware that all RIBs "give a little" and by that I mean they don't stay hard like a bicycle or car tyre for months on end. RIB tubes do leak.

Of course you shouldn't expect them to go down over night, however, if a week passes and you need to top them up - not pump them right up, this is perfectly normal.

Interesting comment as none of my Ribs has ever needed the air topping up weekly or even monthly .

Yes I have changed the amount of air in them, both up and down in pressure, but not due to leakage.

MeMe · 12 December 2003, 10:47

me or perhaps I didn't explain myself. What I was trying to say was. If over a period of time, be it a week or a month the tubes go a little soft, it's only to be expected - especially given that this sounds like an old'ish RIB.

Being new to Ribs Suzuki may think that this movement in pressure (due to atmospherics, temperature, the sun - whatever) may equate to a leak and not appreciate this is a natural occurance.

There's no need to bite my efin head off

MeMe · 12 December 2003, 10:59

QUOTE Nonsense. Provided your brain and hands work, it's easy peasy.QUOTE

Thanks for those remarks JW, very constructive.

MeMe · 12 December 2003, 11:02

Quote:

Originally posted by mstacey
Interesting comment as none of my Ribs has ever needed the air topping up weekly or even monthly .

Yes I have changed the amount of air in them, both up and down in pressure, but not due to leakage.

Another interesting comment. "none of my ribs have ever needed air topping up........"

Followed by, "Yes, I have changed the amount of air in them....."

Mstacey, are you a politicial ?

Rogue Wave · 12 December 2003, 11:41

JW comments re the bearings are spot on, if you can get them for your trailer then the Bearing Buddies he is referring to are excellent devices. They save a lot of effort over the years.

Towsure or Indespension may be able to help, but a bearing specialist usually does exactly what they say on the shop sign and specialise in bearings,

A trailer supplement was included with either the current or Previous Practical Boat owner and was definitely worth looking at.

You can patch you holes up yourself and providing you have good craft skills and listen to the instuctions then it will be fine. Indoors is the best place to do it at this time of the year and the warmer the better for the Glue.

If you are going to pump the tubes up, do it when the air temperature is at his highest, if at all possible, then the air wont expand with heat

Nick wrote a comprehensive guide to fixing an ole in a tube which I will try and dig out also if you cant find an ole then it might be a leaky valve

chrisallse · 12 December 2003, 12:00

Its cos its a Med Rib its all to do with the surface tension

....joking apart they will go softer as the temp drops. a bit like moat inflateable members really.

MeMe · 12 December 2003, 12:44

the same problem. During our last cruise we got a peek at his long fat tube, however, because of the temperature it was greatly deflated and rather wrinkled

Suzuki416 · 12 December 2003, 13:06

Thanks for the comments, I've got 1 of the hubs off & there is no bearing left. fyi. the cast hub had spilt due to high temp's hence wheel coming off.

I'll get the other side off tonite.

It is an 'old' RIB (or knackered!!!) I don't know enough about this range to be able to tell.

It is definately a leak but not yet been able to find it, however a quick check whilst in the water (I'm a diver) revealed no obvious bubbles. The chance of me getting this RIB inside is ZERO, mainly due to the trailer needing repair but I'll try with the Fairy liquid this weekend.

The remote power trim & tilt is also not functioning. The switch is now OK (took it apart) but still not working. It works on the engine!

Any ideas on that!

Pete

simmons0 · 12 December 2003, 14:07

Ah the tilt switch, that cause so much trouble on my old boat.

Where the throttle lever spins on the base there is a small groove for the wires going up to the tilt switch to sit in. They are supossed to move with the throttle handle.

On my boat the wires had sliped out of this groove and so were inbetween the base and the throttle lever. As i moved the throttle in a whole days ribing it cut through the wires up to the tilt switch. Shorting the trim/tilt. The bad news was that it all caught fire in there. The tilt switch itself was fine but a small sealed area was frazzled.

Basically i needed to cough up for about 6 hours labour from the idiots at Tameside marine. A new tilt switch and a whole load of new wiring.

Something to check. Oh also check that the wire going from the tilt switch to the engine hasn't been trapped under the engine.
Happemed to me before. Wires were simply crushed as the engine was lowered on the tilt and stopped working.

Oh yer, and nobody use Tameside marine. The Director is a very nice chap who knows his stuff but none of his workers have a clue!

Bilge Rat · 12 December 2003, 14:22

Hi Suzuki416

Firstly welcome and hope the usual banter here hasn't hindered you to much, seems one asks a sensable question and all hell breaks lose especially as there is currently a feud running between the Northern and Southern Rib Net fraternaties, suppose it must be the obvious shortage of lard pies and sandwiches which must be effecting the Northern brains at the moment or maybe the fact they seem to favour the "med style ribs" :-)

I also suffer with leaky tubes on my Avon, infact only one of the sections actually stays inflated longterm these days, i've consulted an expert who took a good look for leaks in every way and came to the conclussion that as the tubes were so old they are leaking from the seams and joins, his technical recommendation was to pump more air in as its free and the cheapest option, in reality the problem is not that bad and the worst tube takes a few days to go soft and about 2 weeks to go a bit floppy,as i dont leave the boat on a permanent mooring its not a real problem.

I dont have the luxury of power tilt and trim but i did look into fitting a system and ran screaming as the costs are horrendous weighed off against the advantages, i also looked at a secondhand kit or recon but finding one to exactly match my engine was almost impossible, hence i've resigned myself to the constant back ache or pulling the engine up manually which again really isn't a problem. If you have to replace the tilt and trim your in for some big cash as they are expensive but as your pretty mechanically minded i'd tend to have a go at it before you right it off.

First thing i did with my trailer after buying the boat was to completely change out both hubs and bearing sets, its an easy job (even for me) and if you buy the lot as a kit wont cost you that much, i prefer to change my bearings yearly that way i know they are in good order, so i've never tried bearing savers or any other things people have suggested, with regular inspection and maintenance and plenty of waterproof grease they seem to have done alright so far.

Everyone here is going to tell you different varrying ways to do something, and in general most of it is really good advise, but its up to you to listen and make your own educated opinions depending on your experience and budget of course, since buying my boat i've aksed and listened to the advise and come up with something that works for me and the sort of boating i want to do, so far i recon i've got it right.

Good luck and dont take any crap from the north of Watford gap gang.

Rat

Scary Des · 12 December 2003, 15:21

Has anyone tried these
http://www.geminiindustries.co.uk/specifications.htm ? If things are real bad might give the tubes a bit more life.