Keeping water out of trailer bearings

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Don B.

I just bought a Hunter 26 that has rubber plugs in place of dust covers over the trailer's wheel bearings. Do these rubber plugs work as well as bearing buddies in keeping out excess water? I can see the principle behind them: As they are submerged during launching the water pressure presses them in, compensating for any vacuum formed by decreased air pressure due to lower temperature. Does anybody have ideas about this? Thanks! Don B.
 
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Rick Webb

Grese Fitting Inside

There is a zerk inside of the rubber cap so that you can squeeze grease through the spinde and out to the bearings. Sorta the same idea as the Buddy Bearings but backwards. Always let the bearings cool off before you dunk them or the will suck up water and wear out much quicker.
 
Apr 19, 1999
1,670
Pearson Wanderer Titusville, Florida
Actually, by the time you raise the mast....

...and do all the other things you gotta do before you sail off, the bearings should be cool. Even so, the bearing Buddies are a good idea. Also, disconnect your electrical connections at the trailer hitch before you back the trailer into the water. The brake lights won't illuminate and so you won't blow the bulbs when the trailer hits the cold water. There is no such things as a "waterproof trailer lights" Peter S/V Raven
 
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Craig

Rubbercaps will leak

About 50% of the time those rubber caps leak. Moisture in, hello rust! After having all my bearings repacked at a trailer and RV shop, they placed metal caps where the rubber caps had been. As you know, the zerk is inside, there is no need for Bearing Buddies.
 
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