In need of advice please!

I have a 2011 Shoreland’r 2200 roller trailer for my boat. It is time to grease my bearing but I don’t know where and how to start? I know I need a hand grease gun. What do fellow I’Doers recommended? I know I need water resistant grease. What kind does everyone use?
Another important question is do I prop the whole trailer so both tires are off the ground or is it ok to prop the trailer like a vehicle? Lastly, how in the world do I get the rubber cover off to get to the bearing? It seems stuck on pretty tight.

Some pretty basic questions, but any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

what kind of rubber cover to remove? Do you have bearing buddies on it?

Where you at?? If you’re close to Hudson I could drop in and give a few pointers jerr

Are you looking to repack the or simply hit the grease zerk?

Maybe a picture of what your working with would help.

I,m guessing you have bearing buddies with the rubber covers on them. They kinda have suction holding them on just from the tight fit. Just pull them off and grease the zert. They will push out as they take grease. Shouldnt need to prop up the trailer at all.

Jerry, thank you for the kind offer. I’m all the way in Brooklyn Park.

I believe I just need to grease the zerk although I’m not 100% sure what a zerk is. The trialer was brasnd new to me in 2011. It runs great but I figure I need to grease it because the tires are submerged in water when loading and unloading the boat.

It does look like a rubber cover for the bearing buddies.

What kind of grease gun does everyone use and what kind of grease?

Thanks

If you twist the cap back and forth while pulling they will come off easier. while you are putting grease in, you will see the seal pop out. You can’t put too much in because the excess will come out a hole in the side.
DT

Assuming this is what you have?
DT

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Jerry, thank you for the kind offer. I’m all the way in Brooklyn Park.

I believe I just need to grease the zerk although I’m not 100% sure what a zerk is. The trialer was brasnd new to me in 2011. It runs great but I figure I need to grease it because the tires are submerged in water when loading and unloading the boat.

It does look like a rubber cover for the bearing buddies.

What kind of grease gun does everyone use and what kind of grease?

Thanks

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Would be kind of hard to do it any other way wouldnt it?

They are made to get wet, however you should check them at least once a year and repack if necessary. If you only pull the boat sparingly then you could probably stretch it longer.

This is the most popular grease and can be found at nearly any gander/cabelas/bps/fleet farm style store. http://www.etrailer.com/Tools/LubriMatic/L11399.html?feed=npn&gclid=CNLAvNCSi74CFYtDMgodo1QAbQ

Would be kind of hard to do it any other way wouldnt it?

Kevin, thanks for some needed laughter in time of frustration.

DT, those are exactly what I have. I assume the zerk in the center piece where I insert the grease gun?
Also do people add grease around the zerk? That area is completly clean when I took off the rubber cover.

Thanks

Always here to lighten the mood (or at least to try!)

Have you looked at youtube? that is where I go when I need instructions on something, I’m sure there are dozens of videos on how to do it.. and if you are a visual learner, like me, then it will be easier for you than to try and read up on how to do it.

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Also do people add grease around the zerk? That area is completly clean when I took off the rubber cover.

Thanks

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Negative. The portion around the zerk does nothing in terms of lubricating your bearings and will only create a mess.

To fill, SLOWLY pump the grease in until you just see a tiny bit coming out the overflow hole. If you fill too fast, it will come exploding out of that hole for a while and create a mess. I suggest waiting a bit for any grease to squeeze out, wipe excess up, install rubber covers and hit the lake!

Thank you Gentlemen!

Much appreciated. I will give it a go.

I don’t think you have to jack the trailer up but I always do. Then as I’m putting grease in I spin the wheel slowly to turn the bearing. You can jack up one side at a time.

FYI, bearing buddies do nothing to get grease to the inner bearing.

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FYI, bearing buddies do nothing to get grease to the inner bearing.

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That is why when I had a trailer with packable bearings I would take them apart and repack every fall when the boat got put away for the winter. Engine winterized, new lower unit lube, & new grease in trailer bearings. Come spring no worries & good to go.

Someone who knows a lot more than I about bearings once told me if you don’t know the last time the bearings were inspected/replaced/repacked that its time to inspect them. Its actually quite simple once you know how, if you can find anyone to show you the ropes the first time around its really not very intimidating and takes very few tools most people don’t already have.

Also a nice trick I was shown, I was replacing bearings in a boat I had just bought (well the trailer to said boat technically), afterwards we took one of the old races, cut it with a grinder so that it could ‘pinch’ a little, and I now use it to tap i the new races with no fear of nicking the race and it pulls back out quite easily since it has that grinder blade width of opening to pinch ‘down’ on. Best part is my boat and utility trailer use the same size race so its a one fits all tool for me (right now anyway).

if i were you i would jack up your trailer and pull the hubs off and lose the bearing buddies they only work on the outer bearing! go on a you tube page like someone said but lose them bearing buddies they are junk

Come to think of it, my dad has a circa 2000 shorelander and a 2012 shorelander, both of which did not come with bearing buddies. Are you sure you have them and not just the EZ lube system with a dust cap, thats what both his shorelanders came with

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if i were you i would jack up your trailer and pull the hubs off and lose the bearing buddies they only work on the outer bearing! go on a you tube page like someone said but lose them bearing buddies they are junk

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Agree with that.

-J.

I don’t know how they can be called junk unless I have just been lucky for 25 years on multiple trailers.

You’re lucky.

If you pack your bearings and hub correctly and tap on a dust cap, there should never be a need to add grease. Bearing buddies allow water into the hub assembly too easily. It’s a horrible design.

-J.

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FYI, bearing buddies do nothing to get grease to the inner bearing.

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than can you explain why at the end of the season, the rear seals have grease pushed out from adding grease throughout the season???

If grease is coming out of the back seals, then your seals are not sealing.

If everything is sealed correctly you do not have to add grease as no grease will be lost thus no water can get to the bearings.

My old trailer had the bearing buddies with the caps on them. I just regreased them a couple times a season. Had it for 20yrs and never had a bearing failure. Just made sure plenty of old grease came out.