You know what they say about ASSumptions!

[Ed]

Long story, even longer when I tell it.  First sail of 2024 was Saturday the 16th of March.  No wind, had ducks swimming circles around us as we tried to complete a truncated race course for the Bitter End of Winter Race.  We came in 4th out of 9 boats, and we got beat out in the last 100 yards while talking to another Sea Pearl Tri, that wasn't racing.  Anyway, we pulled out of the long (probably 200 feet) ramp without a courtesy dock accessible with the lake pulled down for winter.  No drama, parked, unrigged, talked to the ramp/parking director (I've got a military lifetime ramp pass), and made the drive home drama free.  When parking the boat under the cover, and covering it under that, I noticed grease splattered all around the rim of the tire and found the bearing buddy clone that came with the boat, missing, ergo the grease splatter.  Went inside and ordered new bearing buddies, marine grease, and cotter pin assortment figuring I would repack both sides and be good for another year.  Took three days before I got my order, but when I pulled the hub, (Gomer Pyle would say: "Surprise, surprise, surprise!") the grease was black on the outer portion and rust colored on the inside.  Bearing races were scored and bearings were filled with rusty grease on the one side.  I'm ASSuming these were the original hubs, that I had had repacked professionally less than a year before. I'm not sure whether they did a crappy job repacking the bearings (the new springs/hangars I had done at the same time are fine), or whether the rust started months before because they didn't repack the bearings or even look at them.  Anyway, it's my fault, I wanted the springs/hangars replaced, my back was acting up at the time, and I'm basically lazy.
   So, after finding the rusty conditions of the hub I ordered a pair of hubs from Amazing Chinese Crap that came with both 1" and 1 1/16" bearings, with appropriate grease seals and lug nuts.  They came within a couple of days.  I picked up a 6 pack of IPA to lubricate my back, positioned all the necessary tools/grease/towels/trash receptacle, and got to work on the job, again.  By the way, I've done this a dozen times, but nowhere near as many times as CB.
   Handpacked the new bearings with grease - check, put the rear bearing in after confirming with micrometer that the 1 1/16" bearings were the right ones to use on the spindle, seated the bigger ID grease seal in the hub and seated it with a rubber mallet since I was ASSuming the bigger diameter bearings would require the bigger diameter (1.5") grease seal. Here is where my ASSumption went wrong. Loaded the center of the hub between the bearing races with grease and pushed it on the straight spindle of the axle, way too easily.  Sat and pondered the situation since it wasn't a momentous amount of play on the axle, but it was too much, based on my experience.  Light bulb went off - use the micrometer to confirm what the old ID of the grease seal was, oopsy, 1.25" ID on old hub for grease seal.  Lesson learned, check everything, and don't ASSume anything!  Looking forward to the FL120 or if the weather sucks, the infamous BEER Cruise, this year!

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[Riley Smith]

Like Gilda was fond of saying, "It's always SOMETHING!". And she was right 90% of the time. I haven't checked bearings in a bit. I haven't done ANYTHING in a bit. Am having bp drama and med drama and I just don't feel like even considering it. Took off to sail this weekend and that didn't happen. My git up and go done got up and went and besides I forgot to look at the weather first. Naturally it rained and blew a hurricane. At any rate, one sure sign the heat is on the way is the robins ARE gone from here, so that means eventually there will be sun. Sooner or later. One good thing about the whole situation, at least you didn't loose a wheel or ruin a spindle! I haven't done anything to the "new" trailer but pump grease in it. Last time I checked, shaking the tire from top and bottom "wiggle" felt normal, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.