How not to lose trailer hub caps

[Simon Guest]

There's been lots of previous discussion on trailer bearings, for example
http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=395
(useful advice from Garygee on packing the trailer hubs with grease).

Having just lost a hub cap, I'm thinking I need to do something slightly different. How often do people remove their hub caps to drain water out, etc? Just occasional inspection, or each time you launch, or what? If you pack full of grease, doesn't the internal pressure cause the hub cap to pop off? Any other tips?

cheers,
Simon

[gaelforce]

yeah, mine popped off when i tried pumping too much grease in the nipple and malleting the cap on broke it and i had to get another which didn't exactly fit blah blah blah. Now i press my foot against the cap and give it a couple of pumps withe grease gun every couple of months. Yellowy grease worm comes out of the centre of the cap and i reckon the bearings stay ok (well they're not hot after a long run) and grease (the waterproof kind) is being run through them. Just before the yellowy worm comes out i get a drizzle of salty water so i reckon the grease:water ratio is pretty high

[Phil]

never touch trailers myself; so last week brake cable seized 200 miles from home -call out the RAC -as stated before on here theres a deal through the Caravan Club which covers your trailer.

Any way will now service on a regular basis

[Mike B]

Mine has sealed ALKO bearings.

Good points and bad.

Good - Don't need to service and grease after every use.

Bad - Impossible to change at the side of the road if fail.

Interestingly they have a lifetime guarantee when on caravans but not boat trailers.

Cheers

Mike

[Alex Brown]

I think my trailer bearings are identical to yours, Mike - alko sealed on my Bramber trailer.
Before I picked the boat up from Humber, one of the locals down here suggested I get a spare set of bearings for the long 9hr journey back home..... I was then told that apparently, they are guaranteed to last for 25,000km which will easily last my lifetime of having the rib on trailer.
I do have to wonder though exactly how long the sealed units will last for, cos as you say, they will be an absolute s*d to change at the side of the road

-Alex