Two Harbor Freight questions

[Billinthedesert]

I bought the heavy 4X8 and have a couple of questions about the wheels/tires. The supplied two-ply tires are rated for 55 mph maximum. Just how unsafe are they at 65 mph, when hauling only a pair of light kayaks (pre-teardrop configuration)? Does anyone run these tires with a teardrop atttched?
Also, I went to add some grease to the hubs and the grease fittings are not standard zerks. What do I need to do to pump in some added grease with these fittings?
Thanks for any advice for a total noob.

[StandUpGuy]

Lots of people here with those tires and they are going over 55 mph. I was just on a trip with my doing 62 the whole way. I understand they are cheaply made low quality chinese tires and are going to wear out fast and are more likely to have a blow out. As far as the greasing your fittings you need to put a glob of grease on the heal of your hand and push it into the bearings all the way around till you see the grease force out the other side. Its pretty easy.

[Toytaco2]

You probably already know this, but, the bearings that come with the HF trailer are not greased. They are coated with some kind of sticky/greasy material (for packing and preventing rust I guess). They need to be thoroughly cleaned in a good solvent and then properly packed with a good quality grease. You can do them by hand and its not difficult. There are good threads on the board concerning this topic. I wouldn't depend on the grease zerk to do a good job of greasing the bearings.

Good Luck,

Mike

[Billinthedesert]

Thanks guys. I looked at all the grease inside the hubs and around the bearings and that they were greased. Only went about 50 miles round trip and stopped to feel the hubs a couple of times. No heat, but I guess I will need to repack those babies either by hand or with one of the plastic Lisle saucer doohickeys ...

By the way the trailer makes a good yak hauler, sans tear ...

[Lgboro]

What brand kayak is in your picture. Looks like it would haul a 230 lbder like me. All my yak / canoe experience is with whitewater models a whole different ballgame. Looks to be a really stable design.

[Billinthedesert]

The kayaks are Raptors from the Santa Cruz Kayak Company. There's nothing else out there quite like them and they are indeed super stable. Mine is the sit-on-top fishing model; my wife's is the sit-inside original.

http://www.santacruzkayaks.com/

[absolutsnwbrdr]

I just finished a 760 mile round trip with my teardrop built on a 1720lb HF kit with 12" wheels. Cruise control was set between 65-75 for most of the time. No problems. I pack my bearings with Valvoline SynPower Full Synthetic Grease.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

I looked at all the grease inside the hubs and around the bearings and that they were greased.

If you bought the kit new, and assembled yourself, then no, that is not a wheel bearing grease in there. It is anti-corrosive agent, just as Toytaco2 said. The manual clearly states (multiple times) that the bearings need to be packed with bearing grease - refer to page 5, item 2, where it says WARNING in bold capital letters, and then also the hub assembly instructions on pages 11-12.

Consider yourself lucky that you didn't seize the bearings, and go clean and grease the bearings.

[Billinthedesert]

Thanks Zach. I read the manual twice and saw that, but figured with all that greasy goo in there and the fact that the hubs and wheels came already assembled meant they were packed. I'll git her done!

[NathanL]

Thanks guys. I looked at all the grease inside the hubs and around the bearings and that they were greased. Only went about 50 miles round trip and stopped to feel the hubs a couple of times. No heat, but I guess I will need to repack those babies either by hand or with one of the plastic Lisle saucer doohickeys ...

By the way the trailer makes a good yak hauler, sans tear ...

I have one of their 4x4 trailers for exactly that, just used a 10' piece of 2x2 tube for the tongue. On sale and coupon you can get it for around $170.

The stuff they pack the bearings in isn''t a real high temp grease. It's the new chinese version of cosmoline. It keeps it from rusting on the ride over across the ocean is pretty much it.

You can call customer service and order a new set of seals if you need to.

[Toytaco2]

I'd recommend following Nathan's advice and get your bearing seals on hand before you start the job. The HF seals are not always easy to find and you can save yourself a lot of frustration by locating them before the day you're ready to do the job. In fact, I'd get an extra set so you have them on hand when you repack again somewhere down the road. They're cheap and you might as well have them on hand.

Mike