There was no problem with the tires. Or the rims. Everything went smooth until one of the minions came over hurriedly and wanted me to look at the trailer because the starboard wheel was wobbly. Diagnosis: bearing failure, trailer not driveable.
There I was at the tire store with the trailer on their jacks and faced with fixing the bearings in their parking lot, flanked by containers and stacks of new tires.
They lent me some basic tools and I had the wheel off and the remnants of the old bearings out in short order.
Getting the right bearing was a bit more tricky. It required multiple stops across town during rush hour. It didn't help that this was a day I forgot to take my phone. Between shops, I later swung by my place to pick up some more tools and the phone (for pictures).
I finally made it back to the tire place after their official close. Luckily that only means what "last call" would be in a restaurant. They took another hour to work off their queue, while I got everything ready to put in the new bearings. I was finished and ready to pull out the minute they were closing the doors on their last bay.
What a day. Most memorable tire stop ever. Luckily the weather provided a perfect fall day for this adventure.
Here's a picture.
- Trailer fun at the tire store
- 20241012_171847_1200.jpg (222.11 KiB) Viewed 3875 times
It was only July that the port side bearings had failed and the wheel came off just as I pulled into the driveway after 50 miles of freeway driving. Both lucky calls. And essentially no warnings. But as both wheels had been repacked at the same time (long before the pandemic, that is, in the mist of time) it only makes sense.