Ballast valve open or closed during storage on land?

[seahouse]

Hi Ray! Thanks for clearing that up, maybe I was less than concise.

Bonjour, Doupirate!

If you found damage to the ball bearing, and/or damage to the inner or outer races, how would you differentiate the damage that happened during trailering on the road from damage that happened while the trailer was static in storage?

Actually, grease does not melt like oil over time, rather the oil separates out from the fatty acid, soapy carrier component that is its thickener. The grease for trailer bearings is necessarily thin (as greases go) to minimize internal flow friction and prevent heat buildup in use, which is a big enemy to bearing life, plus heat accelerates the thinning and thus shedding of the lubricant.

Even when sitting stationary, over time the oil separates out from the fat carrier and leaves the carrier behind on the bearing surface in its place. (Witness the oil that leaks from a grease gun that has been left sitting too long).

Now the thick carrier is not at all a good lubricant, its job is to hold the oil (which is a good lubricant) contained in it in its place at the bearing contact surface, and to help keep water out and trap dirt, among other things.

Even with bearing buddies (which are good), giving the wheel a spin by hand serves to redistribute the separating components during storage, and gets the oil component back onto the bearing contact surfaces where it is needed the most.

I always prefer to start with a short answer, as I did earlier. But if that’s not sufficiently clear enough I’m glad you asked so I can provide you with a more detailed explanation, so I hope this is helpful.

Regards - Brian.

[Catigale]

Almost all bearing failures on trailers are from dirt and contamination as opposed to wearing out in my experience. If you do block and jack, I dont see any benefit to spinning them since they aren't loaded anyway. I confess if I did block and jack, I would spin them since it's fun.

[raycarlson]

i block and jack every winter but not to protect the wheel bearings as i don't beleive your really accomplishing anything there.i do it to get the tires off the ground for a good coating of armour all and covering with sunshades, and to get the weight off the rubber torsion bar springs.(08 aluminum trailer).after 4 years and about 25000 miles my goodyear marathons still look like new and i anticipate them going farther than 50K miles before considering replacement.

[Catigale]

Ray - I think your experience is supporting the theory that the enemy of trailer tire life is non-use. My TITANs self-destructed in 2008 - 5/6 years in to service. Ive been rolling only about 2-k miles on them tops, some years only 1k miles.

One of them dry rotted, the other one tread separated. My plan is to replace my current tires in 2013 regardless of condition. Im thinking 150 bucks every five years is 30 bucks a year to not have to worry about tire failures.

Maybe I have to look at those Marathons, though...

[bscott]

Go to http://www.carlisletire/product.care/pr ... safety.pdf Carlisle also reports that trailer tires will deteriate from the inside out, that the life of the tire is 5-10,000 miles regardless of the condition of the tread or side wall.

Bob

[raycarlson]

i would expect to see information like that to scare people into spending more.it sustains their bussiness.i have already proved their theory wrong.beings i have the extra axle now i don't fear a random tire failure anymore.if i do ever experience routine low milage failures i will adjust my thinking,but for forty some years i have just not had the same problems you guys seem to have.

[Crikey]

We need to do nitrogen purging of our tires, to avoid the mid life 'out of warranty' card

And I don't do either!

[Catigale]

You can fill your tires with 80 percent nitrogen at my service station, for half the price of pure. Any simpleton can do the math and see the value there....

[Crikey]

You can fill your tires with 80 percent nitrogen at my service station, for half the price of pure. Any simpleton can do the math and see the value there....

Actually the insanity begins when they charge us for any refilling - in the first place!
I thought there was good science involved in the reasons involved for this approach. Lower porosity of the rubber to the nitrogen compared to the twenty percent higher probability of running hot with underinflation, and, oxidation of the rubber (on the inside!) that accelerates the breakdown of tires lifetime.
As much as I like cute theories, I won't pay for air if I can help it!

PS: To Cat. Strangely, this is one of the few posts that has avoided the XD nomenclature. Something wrong here?

[mastreb]

I've got some customers who use xenon gas in their science. I'll fill my tires with that and report the longevity.

[Catigale]

I tried fluorine but it didn't last long.....

[Québec 1]

I keep it crack open.

I use a rag as a curtain, in front of it, using Duck Tape to have it hold on. Keeps insects away in spring.

I then use a desk ventilator I install above the vent at the bow, I put a metal funnel on top of it ( the kind used for pouring car oil, with a long flexible neck) a towel to keep it air tight, a flexible hose that carries the circulating ballast air out, and leave it there for the winter. Once in a while I put snowshoes on, and go press my ear on the hull to listen to the noise indicating it is still working.

When I take the boat out for the winter, I raise the nose way, way, up to have the remaining ballast water at the lowest point. I then pump out the water. I dry out the remaining water with a Cham-Wow I put in and dry out about five times, until it is dry, dry, dry...

I then level the trailer, and put it on wood blocks to avoid puncturing the wheels bearings over the winter.

Then the ballast ventilator.

Finally, I have timers and heaters inside, to raise the inside temperature a little and hence have the moisture evacuated.

Ending it all with the snow protection. No shoveling, no damage, and access all winter long.