Bearing Buddy Opinions please

[Dick Sorensen]

Just got back from a trip to discover that I had 'lost' a bearing buddy and the bearing(s) had been completely burned up! Lucky to get home. Tore the other 3 wheels off to discover water in one of them and two looking ok. This season I probably put 400 miles on the them. They (Bearing Buddy's) where new at the end of last season. Maybe I didn't replenish the grease enough. Since this happened I discussed this with the local 'trailer guru' who states that he 'hates' these units.....goes with new spindles that have the grease fitting on the end and force grease up into both the bearings. What do you guys think and recommend. Thanks

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

I imagine you have been recommended to get EZ lube hubs. They are really very good. My travel trailer has them.
But no matter, it is still smart to clean and pack them occasionally. If you find junk in them, or if they get used in moving &/or dirty water they need more frequent attention. And ANY scoring requires replacement of bearing and race. Seals are so cheap they should also be changed at the first sign of damage or defect too.

Bearings and seals are cheap, wheels, brakes, and boats are not. It's smart and economical to keep your bearings correctly maintained and adjusted.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

Since this happened I discussed this with the local 'trailer guru' who states that he 'hates' these units.....goes with new spindles that have the grease fitting on the end and force grease up into both the bearings. What do you guys think and recommend. Thanks

Ive been saying this ever since i first saw "BB's". I think they are....Well, no good.
If you pack the hub full of grease then you just retain the heat. The grease needs to be IN the bearing not beside it. This is why I hand pack mine. I also just use caps so i can take them off every so often and inspect the bearing.

I have not yet seen a method of getting the grease INTO the bearing with out taking it out and packing, so i will stick to the old way till something better comes alone.

I am thinking of trying the oil bath ones but have not had a chance to do so as of yet.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

I got them, never had any trouble with them and really like them. Have always run cool for me with the occasional zap of grease.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

The fact that you lost a bearing buddy and the fact that you had water in the hub and the fact that you toasted a bearing says 1) the unit was not installed properly or was the wrong size. 2) The rear seals on the hubs are bad, and 3) the bearing did not go bad because of the bearing buddy or the seal. It went bad because of lack of maintenance before the bearing buddies were installed, because the seals were bad allowing water intrustion, or because the bearings were not adjusted properly. There is nothing inherently wrong with bearing buddies. They are however, not a replacement for periodic disassembly, cleaning, and repacking of the bearings. Just squirting grease into the hub is not a guarantee there will never be a bearing problem. I too have used them for years and do not have an issue with them. The idea of the device is to keep a positive pressure, however slight that may be, on the hub. Unfortunately, people pump the darned things up to the point where they blow out the rear seal. It really pays to read the directions.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

Ive been saying this ever since i first saw "BB's". I think they are....Well, no good.
If you pack the hub full of grease then you just retain the heat. The grease needs to be IN the bearing not beside it. This is why I hand pack mine.

You HAVE to hand pack the bearings no matter what system you choose to use. The BBs will never push grease into a bearing.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

how about these, turbo lube oil bath hubs?

 

[indy440]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

They are however, not a replacement for periodic disassembly, cleaning, and repacking of the bearings. Just squirting grease into the hub is not a guarantee there will never be a bearing problem. I too have used them for years and do not have an issue with them. The idea of the device is to keep a positive pressure, however slight that may be, on the hub. Unfortunately, people pump the darned things up to the point where they blow out the rear seal. It really pays to read the directions.

THIS

they work great when you understand how they work and use them properly.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

I ran bearing buddies on my last two trailers and never really had any problems with them. I have spindle lube axles on my current trailer and they are the cat's meow. Fresh grease is delivered between the rear seal and the inner bearing then is pushed thru the bearings to provide fresh grease where it's needed most.

 

[wellsc1]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

I have BBs on two trailers and EZ Lubes on another. Both types work reliably for me. Yes, nothing beats tearing down the hubs to replace old grease and repack bearings occasionally. BBs don't get fresh grease past the inside bearing unless the seal leaks a lot. Hence, occasionaly repack is necessary.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

You HAVE to hand pack the bearings no matter what system you choose to use. The BBs will never push grease into a bearing.

Thats right. Exactly the point.

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

You can use a bearing buddy to push grease through the bearing, you just need a pointed tool with a blunt point to relieve the seal where it meets the axle shaft, this is how I use mine and it ensures the bearings are always riding in fresh grease and there are no air pockets. Give it a try, just be careful not to poke a hole through the lip seal with the pointed tool.

I use a dental pick with the end polished smooth to get under the lip seal and then rotate the the tool around the seal or turn the hub slowly to squeeze the grease out.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

There is no guarantee this will put grease within the roller cage.Grease can easily flow between the cage and the race with no grease going through the bearing at all.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

Thats right. Exactly the point.

I thought you were implying that people who use BBs don't hand pack their bearings.

 

[mike343]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

If you are using BB's, it is necessary to regularly check the grease level by pressing on one side of the blue plastic ring. If it moves, it's OK. If not, put enough grease in to lift the blue rings so they are just a little "loose." It's also a good idea to check just before launching. That's when the water gets in if the grease is no under pressure. And best to let themn cool down after a long tow.

 

[jdsgrog]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

I put on bearing buddies only after I replaced my bearings and seals and repacked them. I've driven over 3000 miles on the trailer without issue. This next boating season I will plan to repack them again as it will be the fourth year. BB's are not replacement for regular maintenance.

 

[nymack66]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

I have my grease gun in my boat/trailer roadside kit in my truck when trailering.
After a day of Boating I will load my Boat on the trailer, then apply two stroke of grease to each wheel , no more no less this forces any trap water right out ..Old trick from my Dad clearing swamps in the old country with our dozer ...We'll grease the lower roller twice per day never broke a bearing, All I can say the competitors can't make the same claim for sure ..

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

I have my grease gun in my boat/trailer roadside kit in my truck when trailering.
After a day of Boating I will load my Boat on the trailer, then apply two stroke of grease to each wheel , no more no less this forces any trap water right out.

Not recommended.

If you do this you will eventually blow grease out the rear seal. If you are not loosing grease somewhere where is all the grease magically going between boating trips?

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

Not recommended.

If you do this you will eventually blow grease out the rear seal. If you are not loosing grease somewhere where is all the grease magically going between boating trips?

All over the rims, trailer and boat !!!

 

[nymack66]

Re: Bearing Buddy Opinions please

Sorry Guy's..
I NEVER seen any grease on the inside of my rims , I NEVER have my bearing buddy with anything more than half full , when it does I remove them remove all old grease and YES install them empty and then apply only 2 stroke of grease at a time. Common sense will tell the average person you do not want to damage the seals and have grease on your rims I must say I have only been doing this for 2 years and I do trailer my 20' Boat an average of 100 plus miles per month . It works for me
Here is picture of my rims