Trailer Breakdown service (SBS TRailers)

richardellis · 12 March 2015, 21:19

Hopping onto the Dublin to Holyhead ferry tomorrow night to head down to Margate to hopefully pick up a 6.3 mtr Humber. The trip will include about 600Km towing a 2010 trailer which I'm unfamiliar with. Its an SBS with ALKO hubs and sealed bearings which were replaced late 2014, but dunked in the salt a few times since. I have a spare set of bearings (incl one-shot nut) but would not have the wherewithall (hydraulic press) to replace bearings on side of road. In light of this I made sure to sign up on-line for AA recovery policy including the trailer option. However, when I got the full policy in the post today, lo and behold "boat trailers" are excluded, €108 wasted......
I'm told the bearings which were removed end of 2014 (3 yrs old) were perfect so I'm reasonably confident that the recently fitted ones should get me back to Dublin safely. However in the event of the "worst" happening is anyone aware of any specialist companies who might do "roadside repairs" such as bearing replacement and doesnt discriminate against boat trailers !!!

Rgds and tks
Richard

Boats&Outboards · 12 March 2015, 23:50

Been debated many times over.

The RAC do cover trailers, just sign up for the caravan and camping club as part of your membership - £30

Britannia also cover trailers.

The AA will recover the trailer if The car breaks down but not if trailer fails. To my knowledge

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale
07930 421007
www.BoatsandOutboards4Sale.co.uk

BogMonster · 15 March 2015, 10:08

Are you absolutely 100% sure that the spare bearings you have are the same as the ones in the trailer? They use two different types, which are a few mm different in width and OD so not interchangeable, and the set I got when I bought the boat + trailer were not right for the hubs fitted to the trailer, only found that out recently, several years later! See my recent thread on wheel bearings etc.

http://www.rib.net/forum/f49/how-muc...uch-66003.html

The ones I took out (the proper Alko waterproof SKF ones with metal seals) were still pretty good after just over four years of use but I assume the replacements won't last as long, but as long as they last till my new DeGraaff arrives in a few weeks, I don't mind

jeffstevens763@g · 15 March 2015, 15:21

Richard

Just changed my bearings got a bit unsure after last thread about bearings some people not getting more than a couple of years out of waterproof bearing so got in touch with previous owner he hadn't changed bearings so though at 7years old they must be ready although no rumbling or slack to the feel got new bearings from merseaa trailers but we're wrong got old out measured and they sent me them return post got a mate to press out tight as not a road side job but having seen these last 7 years they are ok if no play or noise the old bearings are still ok after all this time

Jeff

richardellis · 17 March 2015, 19:52

Hi Guys,
Just to update you. @ BogMonster Yep bearings are the correct size,previous owner had difficulty sourcing so measured them and passed dimensions on to me. Spoke with SBS trailers who indicated that they had 3 sizes none of which matched the dimensions I had !!! after some further searching however they discovered they had a 4ths size, they were the "waterproof bearings" which apparently I should have stated.... Very good service thought, shipped to me on Monday arrived Weds.
Notwithstanding all of the above I picked the trailer up in Margate on Sat am and towed back to Galway (West of Ireland) approx 800Km and the bearings didn't even get warm thankfully.
A happy ending.....
R

jeffstevens763@g · 18 March 2015, 08:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by richardellis

Hi Guys,
Just to update you. @ BogMonster Yep bearings are the correct size,previous owner had difficulty sourcing so measured them and passed dimensions on to me. Spoke with SBS trailers who indicated that they had 3 sizes none of which matched the dimensions I had !!! after some further searching however they discovered they had a 4ths size, they were the "waterproof bearings" which apparently I should have stated.... Very good service thought, shipped to me on Monday arrived Weds.
Notwithstanding all of the above I picked the trailer up in Margate on Sat am and towed back to Galway (West of Ireland) approx 800Km and the bearings didn't even get warm thankfully.
A happy ending.....
R

sorted mate piece of mind happy days

two stroke mick · 18 March 2015, 13:34

Richard where in Galway are you based. I am up the road in Castlebar

richardellis · 05 April 2015, 08:18

Sorry Mick, only seeing yr posting now.....
We are based inland, on lough Derg near Portumna. Having just upgraded from a 17ft Maxum to the Humber 6.3 we'll be hoping to get a lot motor coastal trips in this year though !!! ( work,weather and domestics permitting of course......!!! )

Dan Gurney · 05 April 2015, 21:49

Do you boat on the Lough much? We spend a couple of weeks a year on Yellow Island.