Trailering a 22ft cruiser

[lloyds]

I keep checking the wheel temperatures and thought this winter I would go ahead and drain the oil and put in new. But I have a hunch that the first or second time I use it it will turn milky again. It didn't take long to turn milky after I bought it new. It isn't like there is standing water in there, the oil still appears as oil, just not the deep green color. I suspect a drop or two of water over 500 miles at 70 mph would do that.

[smittypaddler]

I pulled my C22 from Wisconsin to Florida and back last winter behind a Ford Explorer V6, which is rated for 5100 lbs, and it worked fine, getting 12 mpg average. I did notice a difference returning from Florida with empty gas tanks on the boat, compared to the going with full tanks. Also trailer wheel alignment, and a change to radials made a big difference.

[Bad Boy]

If the moisture intrusion is from condensation and is inherent with the design, I would change my oil at the end of a season so that the oil is fresh, with the least dilution from moisture and your bearings don't sit in water contaminated oil over the winter. If one were to go from one season to the next without changing the oil, there will be a point in time when the balance of moisture overcomes the oil's ability to prevent rust in your bearings, especially if there is oil vs. water separation from sitting for long periods.

This problem may only be prevalent in regions where dewpoint and air temperature occur to cause the condensation. If these axles could somehow be vented to allow the moisture to escape once the temperature inside where to heat upon traveling, the build up of moisture would not occur. This is the reason our vehicles' rear differentials do not have a build up of condesation, because there is a vent on top of the axle. But, of course, it is not possible, for a boat trailer axle which is totally submerged at the launch ramp.