So we have been bugging everyone to check tires and bearings on their trailers, now it is time to remind folks to grab the lug wrench and check those lug nuts. We almost lost a wheel off of the Drascombe Lugger trailer in Yuma, I had snugged the lug nuts after some maintenance, then forgot to do the final tightening after the tire was back on the ground. On the way back from a grand sailing adventure on Senator's Wash Reservoir I felt a wobble, pulled over and saw the wheel looking strange. The lug nuts had worked loose and the wheel had gouged the threads on the lug studs almost halfway through, one lug nut was gone. I was able to tighten the other three and limp home, then had to replace the lug studs. Can you imagine the trouble I'd have been in if I chipped the Skipper's ONKAHYE? We might have had to call SAR after Skipper beat me. Speaking of SAR (Search and Rescue) that's why we were out in Yuma, I was flying with the SAR unit at MCAS Yuma, one of the finest units in the World. We flew the mighty HH-1N Huey and were geared up for Day/Night technical rescue, we could deploy our Corpsman in almost any terrain and retrieve the Corpsman and patient with the hoist or long line.
We got a good tip from windsurfing pro Tom Pace, he has driven all around the world with gear tied to trailers and to the tops of vehicles. He has a 1-10-100 Rule, pull over after a mile and check tie downs, tires, bearings, latch, chains, lights, etc... and then recheck after 10 miles and 100 miles. After 100 miles he says he had never had an issue, most opportunities to excel appeared in the first 100 miles.
Capn Jack's modus operandi was to leave the window of the car rolled down for the first few blocks and listen to the bearings. Squeaky squealy noises mean turn around and head back to the hangar for some maintenance.
Our trick was to take our grease gun, wrap it in an old towel and bungee it to the bow stop on the trailer. ONKAHYE's trailer had a nice U shaped beam for the bow stop that the towel and gun nestled into. Each pit stop for fuel and snacks we do a walkaround, kind of a post flight and preflight, check straps and lights, and put our hand down near the hubs and sidewalls to check for a bearing failing and heating up. We'd also check to see if the bearing buddies had sucked in any grease, pump in a few squirts as needed. Not a surprise, but when we had all the gear for Preventative Maintenance (PM) and some spare parts, it seems like we never needed it.
Double stack using two sets of steel trailer guide posts and cross beams. I used a field expedient method of 2x4 bunks and lines to make cross beams that day, we have also used square aluminum tubing cut to length.
POSI-LUBE spindle and hub.
Trailer Park. ONKAHYE has a custom trailer built by Eddied English Boat Trailer in Milton, FL, drop beam and drop axle so she can launch in skinny water. Galvanized to take on the salt water. POSI-Lube spindles for best bearing lubrication and cooling performance. She'll take to the highway just fine with 13 inch radials. WILLOW's trailer is to the left, it has bunks set up to provide the best support for our lapstrake runabout WILLOW's keel and stringers.
WILLOW's trailer repurposed into a lumber hauler.
Hiding off to the right is ONKAHYE's previous trailer, it is used for our Day Sailer II CYANE now, been in the family for many years, with a few new parts added by Eddie along the way...let's see, the coupler, tongue, bow stop, winch, axle, hubs, tires, springs, bunks...aka "My Grandfather's Axe."
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