Wheel bearings protecting in the water

[simonfraser]

Just had some new ALKO ones fitted to my yard trailer.
They ‘push’ in and are sealed. Too cold to do the job myself at this time of the year.

Went on well greased, but how does the grease disappear ?
One end of the bearing is inside the hub and there is a cap at the other end. The brake shoes have been removed.
Does it rinse off at every dunking, or does the wheel bearing run warm on a run / summer sun and it melts off ?

Did the yard did use waterproof grease, hm i will find out.
i can take them off and put waterproof grease on round the outside of the bearing instead, one a six monthly basis ?

 

[KAL]

I would try not to dunk the wheels at all if you can avoid it. It may help to fit swivelling roller-coasters at the rear of the trailer which receive the bow of your boat and guide it up to the trailer.

 

[pvb]

I know nothing about boat trailers, but I always thought you could protect the bearings with add-on devices which have a spring-loaded piston to keep grease in. Try Googling for "bearing buddy" or "bearing saver".

 

[VicS]

I know nothing about boat trailers, but I always thought you could protect the bearings with add-on devices which have a spring-loaded piston to keep grease in. Try Googling for "bearing buddy" or "bearing saver".

They are applicable to the conventional type of hub, with a pair of ball races or roller bearings, and which you part fill with grease when assembling.

The Al-Ko hub which the OP describes has one piece sealed bearing assembly which has no provision to manually grease.
Some waterproof grease to aid assembly and provide some protection to the hub and outsides of the bearing assembly would not go amiss but there is no seal at the inboard end of the hub , as there is with the conventional type so any grease will wash away from there ( onto the brakes if fitted) if it it is not fully waterproof . The hub caps are probably not 100% water and grease tight either so any grease in there will eventually wash away as well

 

[Triassic]

I've a pair of ALKO axles on my trailer, and that goes in and out of the sea every time I go sailing. Done three seasons so far without having to replace/re-grease any of the bearings (they're sealed anyhow) but I have just bought a completely new set, plus one new drum with the bearings already fitted, in case I get a failure this year...... especially if it's on a long trip abroad! I have had to replace the brake shoes twice in that time though, not because they have worn out but because the corrosion gets behind the friction material and it breaks up, and that's with a flushing kit fitted. Incidentally ALKO don't make the bearings, the water resistant ones they supply come from SKF I believe.

 

[simonfraser]

Triassic, guess you take your tri on the road and the bearings obviously get more wear than mine just in the yard ?
Tnx for the SKF link, will have a google.
Having a spare drum is an interesting thought, be easier to fit a new bearing at my leasure at home for sure.

Not totally convinced the grease washes away, just put some heat shrink on my battery terminals and the Vaseline melted and ran away no problem. Guess the same happens slower with the sun bearing down (!) ... ?

 

[William_H]

I would not imagine the sun would heat up the bearings very much. Bearings get hot in high speed long driving on the road. So really bad when you dunk them in the water when hot. For the OP if it is only a yard trailer bearings will not get hot so dunking should be benign. However complete failure of the bearings will not be such a disaster in the yard. If you are concerned just jack the wheel and check for easy quiet rotation as often as you feel necessary.
For people like Triassic driving long distances. Locals here fit a stub axle to the winch post on the trailer onto which they fit a spare tire complete with hub and bearings. This for the dual taper bearing style typical of car bearings )(of non driven axle). olewill