My wheel fell off!

[Stick-in-it]

I am learning the joys of boat onwnership right out of the gate!

So I am headed back from the lake on Saturday and I notice that my boat (98' Champion 187) is sitting funny on the trailer. I get it home and see that my drivers side leaf spring snapped in half! I was able to find a replacement Sunday morning and repalce it, I then headed out fishing. I drive aprox. 100mile to the lake and back and 50yards from my house my wheel falls off hub and all! I was able to prop the wheel back on the axle to limp it into my garage. The axle is done.

Here's my question; aprox. how much should a axle & hubs for 98' 187 cost? and any suggestions on where to get the best deal on one.

Really any advice would be welcomed.

Thanks

[rangerguy]

Check here and you will know for sure.
http://www.championtrailers.com./

[Steve 187]

[remaly181]

If you are just talking about the hub/rotors (no brake assembly) and a 3500lb axle (no hardware) I would say around $300 plus shipping. At least that is what it cost a friend when he had the same thing happen. Install was relatively easy. Probably spent more time with safety measures than actually putting the axle back together. I think he got his stuff from pacific trailer in CA. You might also check with Waymires..

[Stick-in-it]

Well I got it fixed. It cost $500bucks! I couldn't find anyone who had the an exact replacement. Because of the the shock mounts everywhere I went they told me they would have to have it made and it was going to take two-three weeks and cost 4-5 hundred plus tax and freight. I finally found a shop to weld on a new spindle. The 500 was for cutting off the old spindle and welding on the new one plus new hubs, bearings, bearing buddy's for both sides. So I have for the most part new axle but I get to go fishing this weekend!

All in all this was a $#ity experience, I was told not to use the bearing buddy's because you can blow out the back seal and that is what most likely what caused it to happen in the first place.

[taeheel2az]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Stick-in-it &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I was told not to use the bearing buddy's because you can blow out the back seal and that is what most likely what caused it to happen in the first place.</td></tr></table>

Be sure the seal is a double lipped seal. If you over fill the bearing buddies, there's a chance of damaging the seal - just have a light touch. If the seals are in good shape and the bearings and hub properly packed, you rarely need to add grease. I feel the hubs at the ramp before launching or back at the carport - if they're not hot, I do nothing, just annually pull the bearing buddies and check things out

[tcesni]

$500 bucks is cheap considering what might have happened if the wheel had come off while motoring down the interstate! There is nothing wrong with bearing buddies when used properly. Too many people think you need to pump grease into them every time you go fishing.