bearing question

[Lil Jon]

Try this on for size
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bearingbuddy.com/why.html&ei=o4qYSqK9Gc2g8Qaj1qysBQ&sa=X&oi=smap&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&usg=AFQjCNH5_4mFAIm2R-9WwrK5DtMlxWiKQA

 

[Lil Jon]

This is a quote fome the official bearing buddy website frequenty asked questions.

3. With Bearing Buddy® installed, how often do I need to repack my bearings? We don't recommend inspecting your bearings more frequently than once every 5 years, provided you properly maintain the grease level in the hubs, and your bearings and seals are in new condition when you install genuine Bearing Buddy®. The Bearing Buddy® system maintains a constant pressure of 3 p.s.i. on the grease inside the hub. Since the hub is always full of grease (with proper maintenance) there is no need to repack your bearings. Some customers have reported that their Bearing Buddy® units were removed for the first time after 10 to 15 years of use, and the bearings still looked like new.

Another
2. What can cause a Bearing Buddy® to fall out of the hub? The most common reason is the hub bore diameter is wrong, because the hub manufacturer did not maintain quality control during production. Other possible reasons are listed below.

The spindle may be too long, which could cause the nut or cotter pin on the end of the spindle to push against the Bearing Buddy® piston (when grease level is low), eventually forcing it out of the hub.
Excessive removal and reinstallation of a Bearing Buddy® can wear down the Bearing Buddy® shoulder (the part that fits into the hub), which decreases the interference fit between the Bearing Buddy® shoulder and the hub bore.
An out-of-balance tire and/or incorrect bearing torque can cause excessive "wheel play" or wobbling, which can cause a Bearing Buddy® to work its way out of the hub.
Installing the wrong size Bearing Buddy® for the hub bore diameter.
Theft.

 

[crazymanme2]

You people have to remember that the professionals are in a business to make money & will tell the public what they want to here.(Some of it is truth,you just have to figure out what)They are NOT going to discredit there product.Some times people just have to use their own common sense, experience,& what works for them type of attitude.This is now, not the good old days when most people where honest.Its good to get professionals thoughts,but I don't always take it to the bank.

A good example is us, the people, bailing out the car manufacturers, presidents that lie,what happened to good old American know how.

I realize, some of you, this is the first time you've done some of this,but be careful on what you do,not who you listen too.

Sometimes things can get OVER analyzed.(Too much information)


Sorry for the rant but I hope people will open there eyes & think before they act on there decisions



PS I am not discrediting anything anybody has said on this subject(wheel bearings)

 

[Quackrstackr]

Those bearings are toast and just goes to show that yes, water does get inside bearing buddies. :wink:

There's nothing water tight about most of them, especially the cheap ones.

I called Wesco boat trailers today and they said same thing I did. If you are getting water in your bearings, you have a problem and you need to fix it. It should be a sealed system. Also said most bearing buddies leak because people pump too much grease in them and blow out the seal in the back. If you add grease and top it off every time you go it will blow out the seal. Call anyone who deals with boat trailers and knows what they are talking about will tell you the same thing. Call around. We can argue this till we're blue in the face or you can call a professinal as I did and ask for yourself. You might just save youself a bearing problem on the way to the lake.

I guess that's why White Moose's bearings look like they do. All of that fresh air from a blown seal kept the inner bearing looking like new and the outer bearing next to the bb was rusted and falling apart by shear coincidence.

I don't have to call a "professional". I've had boats with bearing buddies for 20 years and have dealt with this kind of stuff for a living for just as long. I guess you could say that I am a professional. :lol:

While it's true that many people put too much grease in them and blow the seal, many brands of bearing buddies will let water in around the plunger. There are no if's, and's or but's about that. There is no rubber seal in a lot of them to prevent it. If my camera was working, I would show you a set of them that I have sitting right here to prove it.

Others have o-rings to seal against the piston but it the piston cocks a little bit from dirt or uneven spring pressure (they have to slide so there is a fair amount of play there), you just broke your seal and they will leak water like a sieve.

Just something to think about, but if a bb was a completely sealed system.. why would you need them? Their claim to fame is for ease of greasing the bearings without removing the hub. Where is all of that grease going if you don't have an inner seal failure? If you have a seal fail, you need to inspect and repack anyway.

 

[Lil Jon]

Ok,Ok I give up. If ya'll want to ride around with water in your hubs then so be it. If you think that is the smart thing to do. As for me, I'll keep mine sealed and no water. If I see water in there during an inspection I'll replace seals and or bearing buddy. I don't have a drop of water in any hub of my six boats (I checked because of this thread) and If I do I'll fix it. Ya'll don't have too, just keep doing what you have been doing if it works for you.

 

[Lil Jon]

Those bearings are toast and just goes to show that yes, water does get inside bearing buddies. :wink:


I guess that's why White Moose's bearings look like they do. All of that fresh air from a blown seal kept the inner bearing looking like new and the outer bearing next to the bb was rusted and falling apart by shear coincidence.

I don't have to call a "professional". I've had boats with bearing buddies for 20 years and have dealt with this kind of stuff for a living for just as long. I guess you could say that I am a professional. :lol:

While it's true that many people put too much grease in them and blow the seal, many brands of bearing buddies will let water in around the plunger. There are no if's, and's or but's about that. There is no rubber seal in a lot of them to prevent it. If my camera was working, I would show you a set of them that I have sitting right here to prove it.

Others have o-rings to seal against the piston but it the piston cocks a little bit from dirt or uneven spring pressure (they have to slide so there is a fair amount of play there), you just broke your seal and they will leak water like a sieve.

Just something to think about, but if a bb was a completely sealed system.. why would you need them? Their claim to fame is for ease of greasing the bearings without removing the hub. Where is all of that grease going if you don't have an inner seal failure? If you have a seal fail, you need to inspect and repack anyway.

He was putting the trailer in the water WITHOUT A BEARING BUDDY INSTALLED
No cap no nothing.

 

[Quackrstackr]

He was putting the trailer in the water WITHOUT A BEARING BUDDY INSTALLED
No cap no nothing.

Bunk..

He lost a grease zirk a week ago. That's not water damage from launching his boat a week ago.

 

[Lil Jon]

Well then, wanta keep going ok this is geting fun!! If you are getting water in your hubs you have a leak you need to fix period. I'm not saying if you have bearing buddies you'll never have a leak. Things wear out that's why you inspect every few years. If you find water you know you have a problem to fix. When properly installed bearing buddies and seals there should be no water. If you have water in your hubs there is a problem to fix.

He was putting the trailer in the water WITHOUT A BEARING BUDDY INSTALLED
No cap no nothing.

Bunk..

He lost a grease zirk a week ago. That's not water damage from launching his boat a week ago.

If he lost a zirk he probaly has a regular bearing cap with a zirk fitting (don't know) If he does then this is why it had water in it. I am only debating bearing buddies. I know water will get in if you only have caps. I think I've mentioned this before.

WHY TRAILERS NEED BEARING PROTECTION

Boat Trailers
Trailering, even a short distance, heats the hubs. When the wheels are submerged during launching, the hubs suddenly cool and the air inside the unprotected hubs contracts, forming a vacuum which draws in water through the rear seals. There is no such thing as a rotating seal that stays perfect. Water and grit thus drawn into the hubs relentlessly destroy bearings. When properly installed and maintained, Bearing Buddy® prevents wheel bearing failure and eliminates bearing repacking. Boat trailer wheels can be completely submerged.

 

[Lil Jon]

I have a challenge. Prove to me that bearing buddies are designed not to be a sealed system and that water should be getting in your hubs and I'll eat my words. I'll print all my posts on this thread and eat them. Take some pics of me doing it so ya'll can laugh at me and say Ha Ha. Show me. I know you don't have to prove anything to anybody but I thaught you might like to see me eat my words. Heck I'll go kill a crow and eat it if you like.LOL

 

[crazymanme2]

If you (Lil John) would read what you wrote( When the wheels are submerged during launching, the hubs suddenly cool and the air inside the unprotected hubs contracts, forming a vacuum which draws in water through the rear seals. There is no such thing as a rotating seal that stays perfect.)I'll agree that bearing buddies push the water out but it won't keep the water out.
Everybody has opinions,just some are a litle harder to swallow than others
I'm through with this post

 

[Zum]

I have a question,maybe I should of started another post but will see.
I'm pretty lazy,when it comes to my bearings,I have buddies as well.
I've put a few miles on each week for the last 3 years and never have repacked my bearings...probably bad I know.
My question(s) are,I touch my hubs to see if there warm after every trip,should that be a good indicator that the bearings are going bad?(probably to late?)
I do jack up the trailer and wiggle and spin the tires,everything seems tight,am I looking for big trouble?
I grease them,every once an awhile.

 

[crazymanme2]

I do about the same thing you do.I have had no problem so unless you have some weird thing happen I would say you are good to go.As I stated in a previous post just use a good grease.

 

[Quackrstackr]

Lil John, my camera bit the dust last week or I could show you pretty quickly how water can get into a bearing buddy with the two I have sitting on my desk. In a perfect world, it won't happen. We all know that we don't live in one of those. I've already explained to you how the water can get in there through the bb but even their own words from their site are telling you that water will get into your bearings, even with bb's installed. =D> For the record, all bb type products have a grease zirk. That's the little nipple looking thing that you hook your grease gun to..... :wink:

My question(s) are,I touch my hubs to see if there warm after every trip,should that be a good indicator that the bearings are going bad?(probably to late?)
I do jack up the trailer and wiggle and spin the tires,everything seems tight,am I looking for big trouble?

Zum, if you ever get excessive heat on your hub, your bearing has probably already started to come apart.

Without pulling the hubs, it's really hard to tell what kind of shape your bearings are in but you can get some indicator by just removing the bb and looking at the condition of your grease. If it doesn't look like it did when it came out of the grease gun, chances are the bearings need to be cleaned and repacked.

 

[Lil Jon]

I have a question,maybe I should of started another post but will see.
I'm pretty lazy,when it comes to my bearings,I have buddies as well.
I've put a few miles on each week for the last 3 years and never have repacked my bearings...probably bad I know.
My question(s) are,I touch my hubs to see if there warm after every trip,should that be a good indicator that the bearings are going bad?(probably to late?)
I do jack up the trailer and wiggle and spin the tires,everything seems tight,am I looking for big trouble?
I grease them,every once an awhile.

That's pretty much what I do too. Heat will be a good indicater something is wrong.

 

[Zum]

My hubs,axle and buddies aren't even getting warm.
I was just wondering if I should repack them regardless.
I wish i had a garage to work in....again being lazy.
I should take a look this year.

 

[WhiteMoose]

I didn't mean to start any big arguments, but this is turning into an informative thread. This is what I have. Not bearing buddies, just the plain old cap with the grease fitting on the end. I agree that the bearing damage was done well before I lost one of the grease fittings. I believe I will be upgrading to bearing buddies though because obviously these aren't working like they should.

Last night after I pulled out of the water, I gave them a couple more shots of grease and on one side, grease pushed out from around the cap. :shock: I crawled underneath to look at the inside and couldn't see anything coming out.

 

[WhiteMoose]

Mine get hot. I pulled off the interstate after about 30 min. of 70 mph driving to check them out and I could have almost cooked eggs on them. This was after repacking them the night before.

 

[Zum]

Thats not good,shouldn't happen.

 

[Quackrstackr]

That should most definitely not be happening. You didn't perchance overtighten the castle nut that holds the hub on, did you?

 

[WhiteMoose]

I tightened the castle nuts until they stopped, then backed off about 1/2 a turn until I could spin the wheels w/out resistance.