Off Road Hand Signals

Most OHVs don't have brake lights or turn signals.  However, it is still a good idea to let other riders around you know what you are going to do.  The hand signals you might have learned way back in traffic school to use in cars and trucks can be used to indicate when you are slowing, stopping, or turning.  That can be really helpful to riders following you in a group or approaching you from ahead of you on a trail or at an intersection.  It can be especially helpful when ride leaders use signals to help those following them to know what is happening.

Standard motor vehicle hand signals include signals for slowing, stopping, and making turns.  Slowing is usually indicated by extending your left arm out at shoulder level and slowly moving it up and down.  Stopping is shown by extending the left arm down a few inches from your body.  A left turn is indicated by extending the left arm straight out and holding it steady at shoulder level.  A right turn is signaled by lifting the left arm to the square.  You might signal you are going to speed up and want riders following you to do the same by raising your left arm up by your helmet with a closed fist and moving it quickly up and down.  This is based on the signal used by leaders of military units to instruct their folks to double time (run).

These hand signals are helpful for both approaching riders and riders behind you in your group.  You might be surprised how much nicer it is on a ride when approaching rides or riders ahead of you let you know what they are doing before they do it.  Be sure to return the favor and make proper use of hand signals to communicate appropriately with other riders around you.  Knowing how many more riders are still coming in a group makes is easier and safer to plan your own progress.

There are some other handy signals often used by trail riders that can add safety and convenience out on the trails.  They are used by two groups of riders approaching each other to alert the oncoming riders to the number of riders following the rider doing the signalling.   It can be VERY helpful to know how many riders are coming at you.  If you see a raised fist they probably are not shaking their fist at you (especially if the fingers are facing you), they are letting you know there are not more riders in their group behind them.   Other hand signals are pretty self explanatory.  Raised fingers tell you how many riders remain in the group behind the group behind the rider doing the signaling.  Holding up one finger (not the middle finger!) indicates there is one rider behind you, two fingers means two riders, etc.  Holding up a closed fist means you are the last rider in your group.  Always hold it with your fingers forward so it doesn't look threatening.  If there are more than five riders in the group behind you extend all five fingers and close them and extend them about 3 times.  The idea is to let oncoming riders know there are lots (at least more than 5 riders) coming behind you not to try to count how many are actually there.  So, for example, if you are number 1 - 15 in a group of 20 riders,  you might show all five fingers three times but just holding up all five fingers lets oncoming traffic know there are AT LEAST 5 or more riders behind you.

The use of hand signals to alert oncoming traffic to how many riders are behind you contributes to better safety as two groups pass each other from different directions on the trail.  Once you have experienced it you may feel it inconsiderate or thoughtless of oncoming riders who don't give signals.   It can be frustrating not knowing if there is yet another rider coming around the corner in front of you and can help keep your safe is there is! Even if the approaching group doesn't use signals, try always to use them yourself as it can be helpful to approaching riders, make it safer for the riders behind you in your group, and might even inspire other riders to learn more about it and how to use them themselves.

Talking about hand signals reminded me of something that happened during my Army Basic Training many years ago.  The instructor was testing us on hand signals and one of the guys in my platoon was really, really good at them.  Two instructors fired off different hand signals in rapid succession and he never missed one.  After several valiant tries to trip him up they gave up and told him "Get lost!" To which, without hesitation he flipped them the bird!   Quick thinking!  And, BTW, the instructors were not offended but were rather impressed with his skill and creativity under pressure.

Hand Signals are Handy!

RV and Tow Vehicle Wheels and Hubs

 RV and tow vehicle wheels and hubs need regular inspection and servicing to ensure proper operation and long life.  The schedule in your vehicle owner's manual is the best guideline for when to perform maintenance.  Lug bolts or nuts ideally should be checked before each trip and torqued to factory specifications.  Wheel bearings should be repacked with grease once a year or every 10,000 to 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.  Failure to keep your wheel bearings properly greased is a pretty sure formula for having them fail out on the highway or off road.  You can be sure that when they do fail it will be at just about the worst possible time and place!  Wheel bearings on fixed drive axles, like on rear wheel drive vehicles, are usually lubricated by oil from the differential, so keep the differential topped off.  Front wheel bearings and wheel bearings on any steerable wheels are lubricated by grease pressed into the bearings and should be regularly checked and re-packed.

Ideally lug bolts should be checked using a torque wrench to be sure they are adequately tightened to factory specifications given in the owner's manual.  Since many driver's don't even have a torque wrench in the tool box at home, let alone on the road, the next best thing is to tighten the lugs with a proper lug wrench as tight as you can get them using your hands and arms.  Do not use any kind of extender to multiply the force!  Doing so can over-stress, stretch, strip, and even break lug bolts.

Wheel bearings on rear wheel drive axles are usually lubricated by oil from the differential.  Keeping the differential filled to the specified level is essential for lubricating the bearings as well as protecting the gears in the differential.  The bearings on the front wheels of rear wheel drive cars and the rear bearings on front wheel drive car use grease for lubrication.  As indicated above, these wheel bearings should be repacked with grease once a year or every 10,000 to 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.  You can have a mechanic do it for $100-200 but if you have the right tools and same basic do-it-yourself mechanic skills you can probably do it yourself.

How to repack wheel bearings.  If you choose to repack the wheel bearings yourself I am sure you can find some good Youtube videos to guide you.  But here are some basic instructions to get you started.  First, here are the tools and supplies you will need:  a jack, chocks for the wheels, a pair of Channel-lock style pliers, a pair of diagonal pliers, a long punch, a ball-peen hammer, a new cotter pin of the right size, and a can of waterproof grease.  Once you have assembled your tools and supplies, put the vehicle in park, chock the wheel(s) on one side of the vehicle, release the parking brake, then jack up the wheel on the other side.  Remove any decorative hub caps.  Then remove the lug nuts or lug bolts and remove the wheel and tire.  I use the back side of my pliers to tap the dust cap off the center of the hub.  Then remove the cotter pin from the large castle nut on the end of the axle.  To do this straighten the flat ends and pull it out using the loop on the other end.  Diagonal plies are a good way to get a grip on the cotter pin to pull it out.  It is recommend that you always replace the cotter pin with a new one when you put things back together.  Remove the castle nut using Channel-lock style pliers and the washer/spacer behind it.  The washer has a tab on it that slides in a slot on the axle.  I put the nut and the washer inside the dust cap to help keep them clean and keep track of them.  Grab the hub and alternately pull on each side so as to wobble it back and forth.  This will cause the outer wheel bearing to pop out so you can remove it.  Then pull the hub off the axle.  To repack the inner wheel bearing you will have to remove it from the hub.  Lay the hub down with the outside up, the use a punch and hammer to tap out the inner wheel bearing.    Once you have both bearings out, clean them thoroughly with solvent and then let them dry thoroughly.  You can buy a tool to press grease into the wheel bearings but, as I was taught by my father, who was a professional mechanic, you can do it by hand.  Put a big glob of grease in your off-hand (left hand if you are right handed).  Then pick up a clean bearing with your dominant hand and hold it with the biggest side down.  Holding one side of the bearing press the other side down into the glob of grease repeatedly until grease pushes up between the rollers of the bearing.  Then rotate the bearing to a new spot and repeat until you have grease pushing up between ALL of the rollers.  Once you have pack both bearings you are ready to reassemble the hub.  Lay the hub down with the outside down.  Place the inner bearing into the back side of the hub (which is now on top).  The bearing goes with the tapered end toward the inside of the hub and the wider side out.  Then put the retainer on the hub over the bearing and gently tap it into place, making sure it is all the way in all the way around.  Clean the axle and slide the hub into place.  Then insert the outer wheel bearing into the hub.  Once again the tapered end goes in first.  Next comes the washer.  Be sure the tab on the inside fits into the slot on the axle.  Then install the castle nut.  Tighten it using the Channel-lock style pliers until it is firmly in place, then back it out about a half a turn to release excess pressure on the bearing.  You don't want that nut to be too tight or too loose!  Align on of the slots in the castle nut with the hole in the axle and install the cotter pin.  Bend the flat ends back toward the axle to keep the cotter pin from coming out.  Then tape the dust cap back on and reinstall the wheel.  Then you are ready to do the next wheel.

When you have the hub apart, inspect the hub and the bearings and replace any worn or damaged parts.  Most of the wear will usually show up on the bearings, but loose lug bolts/nuts can allow a wheel to damage the hub and the lug bolts.  Damaged lug bolts can be pressed or hammered out and replaced.  A damaged hub should be replaced.  I once encountered a badly damaged hub on a 50 year or trailer for which there were no modern replacements.  I was able to have a competent welder repair the hub and I replace all the lug bolts for near factory perfect repair.

It is a good time to inspect the brakes and make any needed repairs while you have the hub off.   The main things to look for are thin brake shoes or pads or damaged brake drums or rotors.   Think brake shoes or pads should be pretty obvious.  New ones have 1/4-3/8" of lining on the shoes or pads.  If there is less than 1/8" of lining you should definitely replace then while you have things apart.  Check the brake drums for ridges or a deep lip.  Check rotors for ridges, warping, or discoloration that is a sign of over heating.   Badly worn drums or rotor might be able to be turned at a machine shop to restore the braking surface.  If there isn't enough material left in the drum or rotor for it to be turned it will have to be replaced.  Inspect all the brake hardware and replace anything that is damaged, including weakened springs.

Regular maintenance of wheels and hubs will avoid premature wear that can result in extensive and expensive repairs.

Keep rolling, rolling, rolling!

 

Trailer Wheels and Hubs

Trailer wheels and hubs are all too often taken for granted and fail to get the attention and preventive maintenance they need.  They are fairly simple and don't require a LOT of maintenance, but what they do require is essential to good performance and longevity.

One of the most frequent wheel failures is completely preventable:  loose lug bolts or nuts.  Lugs should be checked before every trip to make sure they are tight.  Vibration from normal operation can loosen them, and if they are not completely tight, the wheel will begin to slip, elongating the holes in the wheel and damaging the lug bolts and the hub.  The best way to make sure your lugs are tight is to test them with a torque wrench.  Not everyone has a torque wrench, especially when out on a trail or road somewhere far from home.  Making sure the lugs are as tight as you can get them with your hands using a lug wrench should usually be sufficient.  Do not use an extension on the lug wrench to multiply your strength as it an easily over-stress or even break the lug bolts.

The most common hub failures are wheel bearings.  Wheel bearing failure is often caused by dry (insufficiently lubricated) bearings.  Next in line is contaminated grease, usually dirt or water.  Contamination gets in when the seals are worn or damaged.  Water incursion sometimes occurs in boat trailer hubs from frequent immersion.   Over aggressive use of a pressure washer can force water into wheel bearings too.  Sometimes the only seal protecting the outside wheel bearings is the dust cap.  If that gets knocked crooked or off, dirt and water and easily get into the bearings.

Trailer hubs contain ball bearings that allow the wheels to turn with minimal resistance.  These bearings need to grease for them to operate smoothly and properly.  If the grease runs out or gets contaminated (usually by dirt or water) the bearings will wear out faster and the friction could generate enough heat to cause a fire.  If you have an owner's manual for your trailer you should follow the specifications given there for how often to re-pack the wheel bearings.  Lacking an owner's manual, you  should re-pack the wheel bearings on a regular schedule based on either mileage or passage of time.  A general mileage guideline for trailers in normal use is to repack the wheel bearings every 10,000 - 12,000 miles.  Since trailers don't have an odometer like motor vehicles do you may have to estimate mileage based on how long and how many trips you take.  Even if you don't reach the 10,000 - 12,000s it is a good practice to repack the wheel bearings at least once every year.  I usually do mine as part of my spring pre-season preparations.  You can usually have a mechanic repack trailer wheel bearings for $100-200 but it is a pretty simple task to do yourself if you have the right tools and some basic mechanic skills.

You may need to repack bearings more frequently if your trailer is exposed to heavy use or is used a lot in dusty or wet (like a boat trailer) conditions.

 If your trailer hubs get excessively hot when towing or you hear any noise or feel any roughness when you spin the wheels your bearings will most likely need to be replaced.  If they spin freely and quietly repacking them should be enough to keep them working fine for another season.

How to repack trailer wheel bearings.  If you choose to repack the wheel bearings yourself I am sure you can find some good Youtube videos to guide you.  But here are some basic instructions to get you started.  First, here are the tools and supplies you will need:  a jack, chocks for the wheels, a pair of Channel-lock style pliers, a pair of diagonal pliers, a long punch, a ball-peen hammer, a new cotter pin of the right size, and a can of waterproof grease.  Once you have assembled your tools and supplies, chock the wheel(s) on one side of the trailer, then jack up the wheel(s) on the other side.  Remove any decorative hub caps.  Then remove the lug nuts or lug bolts and remove the wheel and tire.  I use the back side of my pliers to tap the dust cap off the center of the hub.  Then remove the cotter pin from the large castle nut on the end of the axle.  To do this straighten the flat ends and pull it out using the loop on the other end.  Diagonal plies are a good way to get a grip on the cotter pin to pull it out.  It is recommend that you always replace the cotter pin with a new one when you put things back together.  Remove the castle nut using Channel-lock style pliers and the washer/spacer behind it.  The washer has a tab on it that slides in a slot on the axle.  I put the nut and the washer inside the dust cap to help keep them clean and keep track of them.  Grab the hub and alternately pull on each side so as to wobble it back and forth.  This will cause the outer wheel bearing to pop out so you can remove it.  Then pull the hub off the axle.  To repack the inner wheel bearing you will have to remove it from the hub.  Lay the hub down with the outside up, the use a punch and hammer to tap out the inner wheel bearing.    Once you have both bearings out, clean them thoroughly with solvent and then let them dry thoroughly.  You can buy a tool to press grease into the wheel bearings but, as I was taught by my father, who was a professional mechanic, you can do it by hand.  Put a big glob of grease in your off-hand (left hand if you are right handed).  Then pick up a clean bearing with your dominant hand and hold it with the biggest side down.  Holding one side of the bearing press the other side down into the glob of grease repeatedly until grease pushes up between the rollers of the bearing.  Then rotate the bearing to a new spot and repeat until you have grease pushing up between ALL of the rollers.  Once you have pack both bearings you are ready to reassemble the hub.  Lay the hub down with the outside down.  Place the inner bearing into the back side of the hub (which is now on top).  The bearing goes with the tapered end toward the inside of the hub and the wider side out.  Then put the retainer on the hub over the bearing and gently tap it into place, making sure it is all the way in all the way around.  Clean the axle and slide the hub into place.  Then insert the outer wheel bearing into the hub.  Once again the tapered end goes in first.  Next comes the washer.  Be sure the tab on the inside fits into the slot on the axle.  Then install the castle nut.  Tighten it using the Channel-lock style pliers until it is firmly in place, then back it out about a half a turn to release excess pressure on the bearing.  You don't want that nut to be too tight or too loose!  Align on of the slots in the castle nut with the hole in the axle and install the cotter pin.  Bend the flat ends back toward the axle to keep the cotter pin from coming out.  Then tape the dust cap back on and reinstall the wheel.  Then you are ready to do the next wheel.

When you have the hub apart, inspect the hub and the bearings and replace any worn or damaged parts.  Most of the wear will usually show up on the bearings, but loose lug bolts/nuts can allow a wheel to damage the hub and the lug bolts.  Damaged lug bolts can be pressed or hammered out and replaced.  A damaged hub should be replaced.  I once encountered a badly damaged hub on a 50 year or trailer for which there were no modern replacements.  I was able to have a competent welder repair the hub and I replace all the lug bolts for near factory perfect repair.

If your trailer has brakes it is a good time to inspect the brakes and make any needed repairs while you have the hub off.   The main things to look for are thin brake shoes or damaged brake drums.   Think brake shoes should be pretty obvious.  New ones have 1/4-3/8" of lining on the shoes.  If there is less than 1/8" of lining you should definitely replace the shoes while you have things apart.  Check the brake drums for ridges or a deep lip.  Badly worn drums might be able to be turned at a machine shop to restore the braking surface.  If there isn't enough material left in the drum for it to be turned it will have to be replaced.  Inspect all the brake hardware, including the electromagnets that operate the brakes and all the wiring and connections.  

If you have an older trailer you might not be able to find matching replacement hubs for it if they get worn out.  Sometimes, if you are really lucky, you can find used hubs in a junk yard, but that is a kind of hit and miss situation.  When I ran into that problem I was able to find a welder who repaired the damaged hub and restored it to a nearly like-new condition.  The alternative was replacing not only the damaged hub but both hubs and the axle, at huge expense!  If you have to have hubs repaired make sure the studs fit tightly afterwards or have the welding tack-weld them in place so they don't fall out when you take the wheel off.

Some trailers are equipped with Bearing Buddies.  These have grease fittings that allow you to grease at least the outer bearing without taking them apart using a grease gun.  This a good way to add a little grease between repacking the wheel bearings to maintain performance and longevity.  Axles that were designed with Bearing Buddy type grease fittings might even grease the inner wheel bearings, but many Bearing Buddies are after-market installations and the only way for grease to get to the inside bearings along the axle, which is not very efficient.  For best results, follow normal schedules for repacking wheel bearings even if you have Bearing Buddies.

With regular maintenance your trailer wheels and hubs should last a long time.  The time and effort or cost to keep them up to speed (pun intended!) is well worth the investment.  Failing to do so an result in much more extensive and expensive repairs!

Bear with it!