3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

[Bolixt]

I've 3 boat trailers with 5 Bearing Buddies and the One in the pic. Never had a failure of any sort till this. I seldom grease em after the initial fill.

Looks like a failure to me. Is it? If so what might have happened?

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

Lose'em. Run regular caps.
I have oil bearings on my boat and just caps on the other trailers. Have not ever had any failure, ever.
Bearing Buddies are a waist of money and time, in my opinion.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

I've 3 boat trailers with 5 Bearing Buddies and the One in the pic. Never had a failure of any sort till this. I seldom grease em after the initial fill.

Looks like a failure to me. Is it? If so what might have happened?
View attachment 87361

I think you answered your own question. Still gotta' check the grease once in a while. Plus, parts do fail on occasion. Could be installation error, could have been a weak part. If you remove 'em all and run just caps like stated above, PM me, and I will give you my stateside address to send those other 5 POS bearing buddies to. I will make sure they never bother you again.

 

[Outsider]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

I've used BB for about 30 years and never had a failure, ever, though the covers can be a PIA. I also make sure there is spring pressure, which doesn't seem to be the case here, since that's what makes it work. Regular caps are fine if you want (or fell you need) to repack yearly, or more often.

I can count on one hand the number of times in those 30 years I've felt the need to repack (3 diff trailers, fresh and salt). I'll pull the BB at least once during the season to check on emulsification in the hub, and replace seals when they start to seep, but that's about it. Product reliability has been good up to now, don't know what the future holds with everything being chop-suey ...

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

When was the last time you repacked the bearings? That grease looks shot.

 

[mla2ofus]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

The hole in the side looks like a welding arc might have caused it. Can't tell for sure.
Mike

 

[Bolixt]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

Well I was referring to one BB specifically ie the one in the pic. See how the grease is coming out of just one segment of the circumference of the pressure plate? It must be a failure of the seal for that pressure plate. IMO, of course.

I tried to take it apart but couldn't get the clip out. I've 2 pair of clip pliers - one is too big the other is too small - and I'm afraid of those clips w/o the exact proper tool - too easy to lose an eye etc.

Trailer #1 has ran since 1988, #2 since 1995, #3 (above) the bearing failed on it's second season estimate about 2000 miles. The #1 is sold and gone (but still in use) and no pic but its BB's are plastic and not open so the spring was inclosed. Early on you could see inside but they clouded up over the years from the sun.

The failed BB set when new had zerks that I couldn't get hardly any grease thru with a hand gun - the hole was too small maybe 1/32 dia. Had to use extreeme pressure - it just would not go. First time I ever saw that! First I thot thay were frozen but no. Had to replace with zerks with bigger (standard) holes. So I think that BB set was bad from the get-go.

Mike- No welding arc, just a grease glob.

 

[j_martin]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

I also favor bearing buddies. They cause trouble, like forcing grease out a bad grease seal. Of course that trouble is a lot less of a problem than that same bad seal allowing water to seep into the bearing lube, first noticed when the wheel passes you up going down the road. BTW, the bearing buddy seal repair system is top shelf.

What happened on yours is the o-ring on the pressure disk failed. It isn't particularly hard to disassemble with the right snap ring pliers, and the o-ring would be a hardware store part.

Are you sure that it isn't a phony bearing buddy? There are several rip-offs on the market.

 

[bigdee]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

I wouldn't have a BOAT trailer WITHOUT BBs. BBs are the the only possible method of keeping a positive pressure differential inside the the hub. This positive pressure is what keeps water from entering.

 

[Bolixt]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

Got it apart........

The O ring was partially hardened up - too much. Plus it wasn't big enough. The lower pic shows the o-ring loose in the cylinder.

The o-ring is held against the pressure plate by spring pressure on the black disk. The pressure plate has a shoulder on it presumably to expand the o-ring radially against the cylinder.

Well if the o-ring is stiff and the rong size it won't work will it?

I bot this BB less than 2 years ago. Only thing I can think of why that o-ring hardened up is poor quality rubber and/or extreme old age. Probly the same one Columbus brought with him.


I got it at Kragens which is now O'Riellys (or something like that) and yes it might be a fake. I've no way of knowing. That goofy zerk that was too small might be a clue.

 

[j_martin]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

I use genuine BB and parts, and have no trouble.

 

[Bolixt]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

The BB site says genuine BB's have a label on em. Mine don't - must be copies.

Anyway which way should the spindle seal go in? I can see it both ways and so can everybody else I ask.

Some say (me too) its to keep water out not grease in so the numbers should go down. Internal pressure would tend to cause grease to flow out.

Others say put it in the regular way - numbers up - internal grease pressure against the inside of the lip would tend to tighten the seal against the water.

 

[Daleg70]

Re: 3 Trailers 5 Bearing Buddies and 1 &^$^%R*&^!!!

Used Bearing Buddies for over 20 plus years -- no real issues. The do rust out in salt and I have had to replace a few that way -- but I think they are a simple way to go.