A poor mans bearing buddie!!!

[Dennis]

Just a thought, my old bearing buddies apparently dont work as they are supposed to any more, so I took some old caps, and put grease fittings into them and have been using them! I dont have to take off the cap that way and it saved me some 20 bucks from having to buy new bearing buddies! No Im not cheap, but hey it works!

 

[Bob B.]

Grease caps

The bearing buddies have a spring loaded piston inside. When they are pumped up with grease, they keep a slight positive pressure insde the hub which helps keep the water out. If they are over pumped, the piston moves enough to uncover a pressure relief hole.In Canada, Bearing Buddies cost much less than $20 US! About 30 years ago I visited a Celanese Celco plant a couple of times at Narrows VA. It is probably still there?Regards,Bob B. 1980 C22

 

[Brian]

Bearing Buddies

That will work! This way you can put some fresh grease in the hubs, but you don't have any pressure to keep water out. My dad used to do that on the trailer axles. One problem is you may blow out the grease seals if you pump too much in. Just add alittle every now and then. Sincerely Brian

 

[Dennis]

Keeping the water out?

I would think, and correct me if I am wrong, but if the caps are in place, and the rear seal is too, then that should keep the water out? So many times I have seen where rear seals on peoples trailers, have been breached with grease. That said, then I am sure whether you have a bearing buddie or whatever, water will get in! A lot of people keep allowing grease to enter the bearing area until they hear a gushing sound coming out the back of the wheel!!!!!

 

[Brian]

Bearing Buddy

You know though, sooner or later you do get some water in. Even if you have buddies you may forget to grease or you have run out and didn't get to the store yet. Before buddies we would grease ours once a year, that's it! When we would grease them the grease that was left was more like used motor oil! cause water had seeped in & mixed. Regards to you, Brian P.S. I can't type when I just get out of bed!! (from sleeping)

 

[Gene G]

Bearing buddies not a cureall

Bearing buddies are probably better than nothing, but the are not a cureall. Here's my experience.A trailer I have with bearing buddies had the bearings corroded on the inside bearings. Even though the bearing buddies were pumped full of grease frequently, pushing the springs out, when I removed the wheels I found the hubs were not full. The grease on the far inside had moisture in it and the bearings were corroded.I replaced the bearings and pumped them full until they'd start to push off the hub. It still didn't fill the hub. Don't assume that if you've filled the bearing buddy grease is going all the way through.It was also interesting to find that the bearings on the wheels with brakes were in much better shape. I'm guessing that the heat from the brakes drove out some of the moisture.

 

[Dennis]

Not filled either

When I pulled my old bearing buddies off to replace with my grease fitted caps, I found that they were lacking for grease too. Here I thought they would be full. They didnt seem to be working properly anyway as when I tried to pump them up the springs never moved but always stayed in the same place, all the way in! Must have been crudded up????

 

[Bob B.]

You are right, not a cureall, but

for someone like me, not disciplined enough to pull the hubs & repack, they are great. My bearing buddies have been in place for 14 years & never removed the hubs in that time. I only tow twice a year about 100 miles. When first installing the bearing buddies, the hubs have to be filled with grease by hand. The inside spring loaded piston will not move until the hub is filled & slightly pressurized.The other thing is, some people believe that the hubs should not be filled because this will cause churning & overheating of the bearings. I think this might have been true in the (old) days when wheel bearing grease was the long fiber course type. You younger folks won't remember those days. I use a very light grease "Lubriplate" just because I had experience with it on heavy equipment.Bob B. C22.

 

[Night Sailor]

No problems

I've never had a bearing wear, rust or fail when using bearing buddies on travel, utility, or boat trailers. The wheel bearings must be installed properly BEFORE the bearing buddy is applied. That means no air pockets in the structures at all. Packed solid before assembly and afterwards. It's a greasy, messy job to force grease in by hand, but necessary. You an do it wearing viny or latex gloves. Even preload the bearing buddy as much as possible before hammering into the hub. Heat, due to friction and/or braking will cause all greases to become more liquid and obey gravity, sinking to the bottom of the containing structure. Any air will rise to the top. When the hot grease and air cools, it creates a vacuum (boyle's law) which draws air in past seals on either side of the hub if possible. If the axle is underwater while it is being cooled it will draw in water past the seals. That is where most moisture comes from, especially if trailed a long ways and launched quickly. True of your tow vehicle's rear axles, too.The more frequently a bearing is used on the road and in the water, the more frequently the seals will need replacing. Some regular weekend fishermen might need it every year, some of us can go 10 years without a need. Anything rubber however will dry out and crack or shrink give time and ozone or UV exposure. So annual examination is required.