When was the last time you checked your....

gary_in_neenah

gary_in_neenah

Super Moderator
Staff member
When was the last time you checked the Lug Nuts on your trailer? I'm embarrassed to say that I never check them. Until today. Long story made short here, I'm helping my daughter move across town to a new home. The big stuff goes in a moving van, the small stuff, I've been hauling with my trailer. Just on a whim, I pulled out the wrench today to check the Lug Nuts and THEY WERE ALL LOSE. Every one on both sides. Not ready to fall off but eventually one of my tires would've been passing me on the Interstate. On one I got a full 360 degree spin before it snugged up. Before heading out with the boat, camper, or whatever you're hauling, take two minutes to check the lugs and the tire condition. That two minutes can save you time and money down the road! It did for me!
 
pclark

pclark

Well-known member
gary_in_neenah said:
When was the last time you checked the Lug Nuts on your trailer? I'm embarrassed to say that I never check them. Until today. Long story made short here, I'm helping my daughter move across town to a new home. The big stuff goes in a moving van, the small stuff, I've been hauling with my trailer. Just on a whim, I pulled out the wrench today to check the Lug Nuts and THEY WERE ALL LOSE. Every one on both sides. Not ready to fall off but eventually one of my tires would've been passing me on the Interstate. On one I got a full 360 degree spin before it snugged up. Before heading out with the boat, camper, or whatever you're hauling, take two minutes to check the lugs and the tire condition. That two minutes can save you time and money down the road! It did for me!
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Great Advice, I typically check my trailers and my trucks.
 
ddhanna

ddhanna

Active member
gary_in_neenah said:
When was the last time you checked the Lug Nuts on your trailer? I'm embarrassed to say that I never check them. Until today. Long story made short here, I'm helping my daughter move across town to a new home. The big stuff goes in a moving van, the small stuff, I've been hauling with my trailer. Just on a whim, I pulled out the wrench today to check the Lug Nuts and THEY WERE ALL LOSE. Every one on both sides. Not ready to fall off but eventually one of my tires would've been passing me on the Interstate. On one I got a full 360 degree spin before it snugged up. Before heading out with the boat, camper, or whatever you're hauling, take two minutes to check the lugs and the tire condition. That two minutes can save you time and money down the road! It did for me!
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IMO, if they were all loose, they were not properly installed in the first place. Once properly torqued, it should not be necessary to check them...
 
favoritos

favoritos

Well-known member
ddhanna said:
IMO, if they were all loose, they were not properly installed in the first place. Once properly torqued, it should not be necessary to check them...
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I agree in theory with the statement. I used to do the recommended early intervals and then left them alone. I went for years and years without any issues.
But,
I've had a couple combinations that just didn't like to stay tight. First one I caught when I saw the wobble. It worked loose well after the early torque intervals. After that incident, I made it a regular thing and have found loose lugs. It honestly doesn't make much sense why I'm finding loose lug nuts after all these years with no problems.
 
dfattack

dfattack

Well-known member
yesterday. Picked up a new boat trailer from a guy who didn't torque them. Only hand tightened them with a wrench. This was a new trailer. Tires weren't mounted when it was delivered to dealer. He had to install, but had no intentions to torque them to specs (110-120 lbs.). Older guy and selling trailers was a side gig to restoring old wood boats. Closest dealer to me for the brand I wanted.
 
hybrid

hybrid

Active member
favoritos said:
I agree in theory with the statement. I used to do the recommended early intervals and then left them alone. I went for years and years without any issues.
But,
I've had a couple combinations that just didn't like to stay tight. First one I caught when I saw the wobble. It worked loose well after the early torque intervals. After that incident, I made it a regular thing and have found loose lugs. It honestly doesn't make much sense why I'm finding loose lug nuts after all these years with no problems.
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my guess for them coming loose would be the heat cycles of warm to cold expanding and contracting metal ?
i check mine along with the tire pressure before every long distance trip
 
K

katden4

Active member
If your not to fussy on looks, take a marker or paint pen once they have been tightened, and make a line on the nut, and also the wheel. That way its easy to check without a wrench. If the line doesn't line up that means the nut has rotated, or loosened. I am not going to do that on a nice trailer, but my two place for quick trips is perfect.
 
indy_500

indy_500

Well-known member
goofy600 said:
One thing I will add is if you are checking lug nuts, check wheel bearings or shoot some grease in the bearing buddies if you have them on trailer. I know better but got lazy and learned the expensive way.
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I grease mine after every trip up north on my triton clamshell. Probably have upwards of 30k miles on my trailer with the original bearings.
 
gary_in_neenah

gary_in_neenah

Super Moderator
Staff member
These trailers during the wintertime are in a hostile environment. Salt, Sand, Wet & Icy Roads and the wheels and bearings spinning a lot faster than the tow vehicle. A little TLC before and after would be a good thing. Plus having a spare tire along means you'll never have to use it.
 
6

600_RMK_144

Active member
every summer as part of the annual maintenance of re-greasing the bearings. that said, I do not check them in-season, so it's a good item to add to the checklist. I do typically hit the bearings with grease prior to each road trip, but don't ever think to check the lug nuts.
 
W

whitedust

Well-known member
gary_in_neenah said:
These trailers during the wintertime are in a hostile environment. Salt, Sand, Wet & Icy Roads and the wheels and bearings spinning a lot faster than the tow vehicle. A little TLC before and after would be a good thing. Plus having a spare tire along means you'll never have to use it.
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Yes think of the environment your snowmobile lives in. Think about engineering for that and what they must consider. Ice, snow melting , freezing , debris , salt , water ,below zero temps they are indeed amazing machines!
 
X

xcr440

Well-known member
45A32F55-9D10-439A-86AD-5D818EF9EFFA.jpeg Great reminder! I saw this walking from the shop to the house this past winter. It must have come apart the last few miles of the previous trip because it came out of the garage like this. Never felt a thing…
 
E

euphoric1

Well-known member
goofy600 said:
One thing I will add is if you are checking lug nuts, check wheel bearings or shoot some grease in the bearing buddies if you have them on trailer. I know better but got lazy and learned the expensive way.
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Agree, my trailers have either the "bearing buddies" or a zerk at the end of the axle, every year I grease it until the grease coming out of either the bearing buddy or end of hub is clean grease and spin the tire while doing so.
 
6

600_RMK_144

Active member
xcr440 said:
View attachment 68660 Great reminder! I saw this walking from the shop to the house this past winter. It must have come apart the last few miles of the previous trip because it came out of the garage like this. Never felt a thing…
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Nothing that bad, but on our last trip this past season as the sleds were warming up in the morning, I was walking around the trailer and checked the tires. Had a good 6" slit right along the edge where the tread meets up with the sidewall. Decided better safe than sorry and swapped it out in the parking lot before we got back on the road for our 600+ mile return trip.
 
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