HF trailer report

[Sideoftheroad]

Thought I would post a quick report and a question.

 

I have read that the grease will turn to liquid. What happens to the liquid? Should it remain in the hub or should I see some of it on the rim?

 

Pulled it total about 900 miles to STAR Days in Chattanooga TN and back. When I got to the camp site, I noticed grease on the backside of one of the rims. We took off the wheel and the seal was still flush w/ the hub so we didn't put too much grease in it and the seal did not get pushed out due to overfilling the hub. We did take the seal out and it looks like it was not round all the way around. One part on the inside diameter was pushed out a bit so this might have been the cause. I couldn't find a replacement while I was there so we just regreased the bearings and put everything back. It was funny as it seemed like that side was ok when I got home but noticed grease on the inside of the other wheel (not much and not nearly as much as the 1st wheel). So it basically flipped situations on me.

 

As we stopped I did touch the hubs and on they way down one side was hotter than the other (don't remember which side at this point). On the way back home both sides seemed to stay cool to the touch.

 

Someone must have been looking out for me too as when I got home I was taking the trailer off the bike and the ball hitch nut was close to having come off all the way. Even though I crossed the chains, I am sure that had the nut come off and the trailer come off the bike, it would have headed straight for my rear tire.

 

Overall the trailer pulled pretty well. There was only once on the way home where it started to sway, but we were in some heavy winds too.

 

I got a tramp stamp for the bike (should show in my sig pic). The guy who did it was telling me a story about a friend of his that made a redneck sway bar. He took 4 rubber straps. Attach 2 to each side where the chains are attached to the bike. On the trailer side attach the rubber straps to the outer most holes (2 to each side) using those C hooks where one part shows threads and the other side shows a nut. This way when you turn, on one side the rubber straps will create slack. The hooks will prevent the rubber straps from coming undone from the trailer.

[Sideoftheroad]

Can anyone chime in on this? Thanks

 

I have read that the grease will turn to liquid. What happens to the liquid? Should it remain in the hub or should I see some of it on the rim?

[V7Goose]

Grease is nothing more than oil mixed with a soap to make it thick so it will stay in place. Like any petroleum product, heat will make it thin and runny. The grease seals on the axle should keep the majority of it in place, even when it is thin, but if too much heat builds up the expansion will force some out. From your description, it sounds to me like you may have a problem with bad seals.

 

Even with good grease seals working as they should, you always need to make sure the bearings are properly packed, that is why there are zerk fittings on each hub. Use them.

 

Any sway is a bad thing - even in a cross wind I would not expect it unless your load was particularly high or the trailer was already tracking marginally. I'd be a bit concerned.

 

I won't make much of a comment on your ball coming loose, other than to suggest you just learned why you should have had a lock washer on there. If by chance you DID have a lock washer, then you need to grow another muscle or two before you do any more wrenching.

 

I would not only NEVER use rubber straps the way you described, I also would not ride within 100 yards of anyone who did.

Goose

[Trader]

I would not only NEVER use rubber straps the way you described, I also would not ride within 100 yards of anyone who did.

Goose

 

 

Why not? It sounds like a reasonable way to reduce sway.

 

If you think about it....A car towing a large camper trailer uses an anti sway bar.... which is nothing more than a brake pad pressing on a sliding steel bar thereby stopping side to side movement without suffficient force(provided by actually turning the vehicle)

 

I would think The double rubber tie down straps would do the same thing on a light weight trailer. So whats so wrong with that set up?

[Sideoftheroad]

From your description, it sounds to me like you may have a problem with bad seals.

 

Hopefully not, they were brand new skf seals. I used a block of wood that covered the entire seal to make sure it would go in evenly. I was planning on buying a 2nd set anyway as backup as these things seem to be hard to find around here.

 

Even with good grease seals working as they should, you always need to make sure the bearings are properly packed, that is why there are zerk fittings on each hub. Use them.

 

I read a past post about the zerk fitting on these trailers don't distribute the grease all that evenly. Just my thought, something is better than nothing.

 

I won't make much of a comment on your ball coming loose, other than to suggest you just learned why you should have had a lock washer on there. If by chance you DID have a lock washer, then you need to grow another muscle or two before you do any more wrenching.

 

All I can say it was on the bike already when I got it. Wasn't me that put it on, but shame on me for not double checking. I looked at just about everything else I could think of before I left on the trip. I will have to double check to see if there was a lock washer on there. If so, might not be a bad idea to replace it. Either way will need a wrench or socket to tighten it down properly. I don't have one that size. At least for now I got it tighten down as much as I could using the tools I do have. Not planning on towing it anytime soon anyway. Is there a particular spec it should be torqued to?

 

Thanks

[Naked Rider]

tight as you can possible get it i wouldnt worry about a torqe setting.

[V7Goose]

Why not? It sounds like a reasonable way to reduce sway.

 

If you think about it....A car towing a large camper trailer uses an anti sway bar.... which is nothing more than a brake pad pressing on a sliding steel bar thereby stopping side to side movement without suffficient force(provided by actually turning the vehicle)

 

I would think The double rubber tie down straps would do the same thing on a light weight trailer. So whats so wrong with that set up?

Motorcycles are inherently risky, partially because they require active involvement from the rider to maintain control (not free-standing). I classify any action that has the realistic potential to suddenly affect that control in a negative way as a stupid action.

 

Rubber straps have a huge tendency to rot and break. Two straps rarely have an equal tension. S-hooks come loose VERY easily (that is why so many of those rubber straps litter the roads). Think about the affect on the trailer if just one strap breaks or comes loose - much more pull to one side, won't track straight, very dangerous on a bike.

 

Depending on the length of the straps and where they are attached to the trailer, there is the possibility of one getting caught under a tire with potentially catastrophic results to anyone around. Even worse, what happens if the end attached tot he trailer lets go and it springs forward and wraps itself in the rear wheel??

 

Actually, I do not think I would be comfortable even within 100 yards of this dangerous setup!

Goose

[Iowa Guy]

If you think about it....A car towing a large camper trailer uses an anti sway bar.... which is nothing more than a brake pad pressing on a sliding steel bar thereby stopping side to side movement without suffficient force(provided by actually turning the vehicle)

 

Is there a sway bar for a light motorcycle trailer or has someone made one? I wouldn't think that it would have to be much.

 

Iowa Guy

[V7Goose]

Why not? It sounds like a reasonable way to reduce sway.

 

If you think about it....A car towing a large camper trailer uses an anti sway bar.... which is nothing more than a brake pad pressing on a sliding steel bar thereby stopping side to side movement without suffficient force(provided by actually turning the vehicle)

 

I would think The double rubber tie down straps would do the same thing on a light weight trailer. So whats so wrong with that set up?

Just another thought on this idea. There is a huge difference between a friction device that is supposed to slow down motion compared to two active tension devices pulling against each other that have the real possibility of actually ACCENTUATING the sway. The sway is initiated by some external force, and the tension device may over-correct, causing the oposing tension device to over-correct even more, etc. This is essentially the same thing that causes a moderate fork wobble to become a tank-slapper when the rider tries to forcefully control it. Bad bad bad.

Goose

[jonesy]

Got a HF trailer myself, been all over with it, never any trouble. Never had chains on it, got lock washer and nut on ball, right size ball right, distance from ball to axle is 1 1/2 times the width [stops tail from wagging the dog], reason for no chains is if it falls off I want to be away from it fast.

[V7Goose]

Got a HF trailer myself, been all over with it, never any trouble. Never had chains on it, got lock washer and nut on ball, right size ball right, distance from ball to axle is 1 1/2 times the width [stops tail from wagging the dog], reason for no chains is if it falls off I want to be away from it fast.

Gee, I really appreciate your reason for violating the laws that REQUIRE safety chains! YOU want to get away fast, but you don't give a hoot about killing the person behind you, who, by the way, would be completely not at fault in your disaster.

Goose

[BigBoyinMS]

Hey Sideoftheroad...

If you are worried about sway there have been a lot of threads on here on pulling trailers with a lot of good info. The best way to prevent sway? Load correctly with 10% of the weight on the tongue. And a lot use a longer tongue also.

[flb_78]

Gee, I really appreciate your reason for violating the laws that REQUIRE safety chains! YOU want to get away fast, but you don't give a hoot about killing the person behind you, who, by the way, would be completely not at fault in your disaster.

Goose

 

+1

 

The chains aren't to protect you, it's to protect everyone else on the road.

[Marcarl]

As far a 'leaking' seals is concerned, mine leak all the time. The grease used is not what is normally used for wheel bearing grease, but that doesn't matter, it's just ordinary axle grease, and so tends to break down and go to oil. Oil is very hard to contain in a heated pressurized situation such as this, and so I'm quite alright with it that there is a bit of leakage, kind of that is why there are springs in the bearing buddy to keep the bearings full of grease. When you see the bearing buddy recessed, then it is time to add some more grease, and the only reason you need to add more, is because you lost some, and where could you loose it, if not through the seals.

[Sideoftheroad]

Hey Sideoftheroad...

If you are worried about sway there have been a lot of threads on here on pulling trailers with a lot of good info. The best way to prevent sway? Load correctly with 10% of the weight on the tongue. And a lot use a longer tongue also.

 

I agree 100% lots of good info. here and I try to learn as much as I can before diving into something.

 

I did read some of the threads about where to distribute weight, etc...I think I focused more on overall tongue weight vs 10%. I put my bag all the way in the back (which weighed about 25 lbs by itself). Only other thing I had in the trailer was a banner and 2 of those folding camping chairs. I also had a cooler w/ the equivalent of about a case of pop and depending on the gas station between 10-14 lbs of ice. After all completely loaded down I used a bathroom scale and put the tongue on it. It would weigh about 35 lbs. I seem to remember ideal tongue weight was like between 25-30 lbs but some towed w/out issues w/ 60 lbs of tongue weight.

 

Also I did move the tongue up 10" from original mounting position to increase the tongue length.

 

When I packed to head home, I packed it exactly the same way I did when I went to my destination. I had zero problems with swaying on the way down and once for a few minutes on the way home. I just attributed it to high winds because before and after that no problems.

[RSV Angel]

Got a HF trailer myself, been all over with it, never any trouble. Never had chains on it, got lock washer and nut on ball, right size ball right, distance from ball to axle is 1 1/2 times the width [stops tail from wagging the dog], reason for no chains is if it falls off I want to be away from it fast.

From the looks of your little map thingy-you haven't made it into any of the southern states. Thank you!I hope you keep your unsafe trailer rig off the road down here. Really it would be best if you kept it off all roads until you have enough common sense to use it in a safe and legal manner. Put on some safety chains and use them!