Never trust "I just repacked the bearings" when buying a boat.

[ricohman]

I bought a small 16 foot aluminum fishing boat last week. The seller was a nice fellow. When I asked him about the trailer bearings he told me he just repacked them last year. And its only been to the lake 4 times since. After thinking about this for a while I decided to jack it up and see if there was any play. Wheels had lost of play....
When I banged off the bearing buddy, water poured out. Everything inside was trash. Luckily I had spare bearings and races. The spindle was not damaged.
The other side only need repacking.
Why all the water and grit? The seller never used the proper seals. The seal had about an 1/8 gap all around.
I learned two things.
1. Some people done bother to try the new seal on the spindle or even compare it to the old one.
2. Always inspect the bearings on any "new" to you trailer.

 

[GA_Boater]

"I just packed the bearings" goes with "It ran great last time out" :facepalm:

I missed your threads about the Lowe and Johnson. Glad you didn't wait long after selling the Islander. :thumb:

 

[smokeonthewater]

Eh... Never trust ANYTHING when buying ANYTHING.....

Honestly whatever anyone tells me they worked on is what I look at first.... In my experience the worst part of owning a used boat is fixing everything the previous owners touched.

 

[bruceb58]

I met one guy that though squirting grease in his ez lube hubs was repacking bearings. Never trust what anyone says.

 

[MTboatguy]

I won't drive off before I pop the bearings open, then we make the deal, I always have the tools in the truck with me to I can jack a trailer up, pull the wheels and check things out, there has been a couple of times over the last 20 years, that I have had to replace races and bearings before I brought something home. We all like to think the people we purchase from are honest and do the right thing, but often times, those we purchase from don't know what the right thing to do is when it comes to maintaining these vehicles.

 

[bruceb58]

I won't drive off before I pop the bearings open, then we make the deal, I always have the tools in the truck with me to I can jack a trailer up, pull the wheels and check things out, there has been a couple of times over the last 20 years, that I have had to replace races and bearings before I brought something home. We all like to think the people we purchase from are honest and do the right thing, but often times, those we purchase from don't know what the right thing to do is when it comes to maintaining these vehicles.

On my pontoon boat that I just bought, I brought all my tools but first jacked up each wheel and gave them a spin. They sounded fine.

When I got the boat home I repacked all the wheel bearings. Axle was an ez-lube hub and all the bearing needed to be replace because of water intrusion.

 

[ricohman]

"I just packed the bearings" goes with "It ran great last time out" :facepalm:

I missed your threads about the Lowe and Johnson. Glad you didn't wait long after selling the Islander. :thumb:

You are right. I went out and bought another right away. I still want to go fishing!
This is no big water boat though. Lowe 1605.
Hoping to get into the shallow water for some Saskatchewan sharks (pike). And over the rocks for some walleye.

 

[bonz_d]

Guess I've just been lucky then in finding honest sellers. The last 2 boats that I have purchased used were just as the seller described them. Also recently bought a 30hp Johnson which was also mostly correct. Seller told me it had been sitting for a few years and would need a pump and the carb gone thru which was absolutely the case. Did those 2 things and it runs perfect. The part he was wrong about was that this engine had been camo painted, poorly, and he believed it was a 1987 35hp. Turns out to be a 1993 30hp. I'm not going to squabble about the 5hp as it fit the bill for a 25-35hp outboard engine that I needed.

Things such as fuel systems, water pumps, tires, bearings and lights are things I'd go thru once home no matter what the seller said. It's just safer that way. I'm sure there are buyers that feel the same way about me. Do I trust him? It is a two way street.

 

[smokeonthewater]

I don't usually have any problem finding an honest seller.... It a competent seller I can't find.... Admittedly I have pretty high standards tho.

 

[JimS123]

The kid down the street repacked his bearings and had a wheel & hub come off on the way home from the launch ramp. He swore that someone stole his cotter pins while the trailer was parked.