’86 Wheel Bearing Rework

I just trailered a 1987 Ski Nautique 2001 from North Carolina to Mobile, AL yesterday. My father bought it new and has handed it down. It has less than 500 hours. He always lived at the lake and never used the trailer.
Before I left I jacked it up and spun the wheels with the cap off. I heard no metal on metal contact. However, I did put a set of Buddy Bearings on and loaded it with high temp marine grease. I towed it 735 miles at 65 mph and they never got hot.
You will need to pull the bearings out, clean them and take them to the nearest auto parts store. They can look up the number and cross reference if they have to.
I have those same chrome wheels and they are looking rough too. Let me know what you find that works to clean them up.

I just finished restoring my trailer...bearings, bunks, paint, brakes, etc. My tandem axle trailer has 14" wheels, so I cannot help you here. As for the bearings, there are several cautionary items:

1. Do NOT use automotive seals. Use only trailer or marine seals. Marine seals have a double sealing lip and a spring. Automotive seals do not. Automotive seals can let water in more easily.
2. Automotive bearings are the same and work fine. However, if you have a trailer shop in your area, they will have the right bearings at nearly the same cost and this will save you time. Inspect your current bearings...if you see discoloration or pits, replace them and the races.
3. If the sealing surface of the spindle is pitted from rust, you can buy a sleeve that fits over the spindle. If you go this route, make sure also get the special sized seals to go along with the sleeve.
4. Many people over grease the bearings when using "bearing buddies" You should pump in grease until you can just rock the "bearing buddy" cap side to side. In other words, the cap should only be unseated no more than 1/8".

I purchased and installed Tow Master II tires. I installed Goodyear Marathon tires on my other boat trailer with excellent results. However, since I have a tandem axle trailer I was looking for a more cost effective solution. The Tow Master II (aka Greenball) tires cost me $62.00 and I think are rated at 1750lbs each (14").

My chrome wheels were a bit rusty on the outside, but not too bad. I used fine steel wool to get ride of the rust and then coated with silicon spray. However, the backside of the wheels were very rusty, especially at the hub area. Worries a bit so I am sure I will need to replace the wheels sooner than later. I think I will go with aluminum wheels...I have never been a fan of chromed anything anyway.

Good luck.

Gentlemen - Thanks for all of the great feedback...unbelievably quick responses! I haven't really checked the condition of anything yet, but if the weather in MN turns out like they're forcasting, I'll be jacking it up in the garage this weekend. A good friend of mine in Portland, OR highly recommended Timken bearings as well, so I'll probably try to go that route if it looks like they're needed. I pulled the boat back from near Cincinnati, OH to Minneapolis after purchasing it from Dad about two months ago. Fortunately no incidents, but I'm combing over the entire boat & trailer now that I own it. I considered the aluminum wheel route as well, but I'd like to keep this thing looking original if possible. I'll use some steel wool & elbow grease and see how they clean up. I'll also keep an eye out for the local dogs sniffing around the trailer! Thanks again for all of the feedback -

AlabamMan - I can only imagine how nice of condition that '87 must be in. My father bought us kids the '86 in 1993 with about 400 hours on it. After several years of riding it hard wakeboarding, she now has about 1400 hours. An unfortunate wakeboarding accident has left my younger brother with a spinal injury that will keep him from ever riding again. After a couple years of the boat sitting almost idle at my parents place, I finally approached Dad about buying it (not an easy conversation, as you might imagine). I've not given up on riding, but my focus has changed slightly. Now it is more of a passion of getting the boat in the best shape that it has been since we've had it in the family. Thanks again for your input. Let me know if you get a chance to check those tire sizes. Thanks -

Thanks for the info on the tires...much appreciated. Sounds like you've put some time into yours during the past few days. I had the impeller go out on mine earlier this past week as well, so I swapped that out on Friday. It was the first time for me, so as with most things on this boat it was a learning curve. Whoever replaced the impeller last had stripped the threads in the housing for one of the three bolts. I came across a thread repair kit made by Heliocoil that really worked well for the repair. After putting getting it back together and putting it on the lake last night it still wasn't drawing water. I unhooked a couple of the hoses and filled everything with lake water because I assumed it needed primed and everything seemed to start flowing well after that. Is this typical procedure on the impeller swap? Anyway...thanks again for all of the help. Hope the holiday weekend treated you well. Let me know if you have any tips/tricks on the teak platform refinish. This one is screaming for help, and this too will be the first time around for me -