Bearing Buddies

[locodave]

Hi guys!

I noticed the other day my bearing buddy fell off. Without too much thought I replaced it. Two days later it fell off. Tried one more time, didn't last a day.

When I put them in, they are tightly fit. There is no movement yet when I drive they seem to fall off. I never placed the original ones. My friend seems to think the problem is with the hub. So before I go and replace both hubs and bearings, any ideas why this is happening?

Thanks

[stevo-72]

Because the hub expands and contracts from temperature change and it works its way out.1ST Bash another one on with a rubber mallet or hammer and a rag. 2ND place some silicone around the hub and the bearing buddy, clean both surfaces well from grease before doing so. It also stops water getting in were the buddy and Hub join...Easy fix...

[Geoff]

Hi guys!

My friend seems to think the problem is with the hub.

Thanks

I think your friend is correct. I had a similar problem a year or so back.

Fitted a small piece of shim material which is only a few thou thick between the BB & the hub , problem fixed.

If you decide to try this option & unable to find any shim material send me a PM

as I still have some in the shed.

Geoff

[pjbink]

The easiest way is to get a needle punch and hammer and make some indentaions around the bearing buddy.

PS: I'm not sure that bearing buddies actually do any good.

Edited March 11, 2012 by billfisher

[Fisherman36]

Must be that time of year. I just did the wheel bearings today! I fitted those Durahub types 12 months ago, used grease not oil as the axels aren't that great. A small bead of lock tight holds them in place. Wasn't impressed with the bearing buddies that were on it before. The bearings were fine when I took them out today but replaced them anyway for peace of mind. Cleaned the old ones up to use for spares just incase.

[spaners]

Hi guys!

I noticed the other day my bearing buddy fell off. Without too much thought I replaced it. Two days later it fell off. Tried one more time, didn't last a day.

When I put them in, they are tightly fit. There is no movement yet when I drive they seem to fall off. I never placed the original ones. My friend seems to think the problem is with the hub. So before I go and replace both hubs and bearings, any ideas why this is happening?

Thanks

You can also pump too much greese in and it will start to push the bearing buddy off.

Regards.

[locodave]

Must be that time of year. I just did the wheel bearings today! I fitted those Durahub types 12 months ago, used grease not oil as the axels aren't that great. A small bead of lock tight holds them in place. Wasn't impressed with the bearing buddies that were on it before. The bearings were fine when I took them out today but replaced them anyway for peace of mind. Cleaned the old ones up to use for spares just incase.

I might try this option. The Loc Tite. Is there a particular one I have to buy?

[locodave]

Would this be the right one?

http://www.loctite.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/henkel_aue/hs.xsl/retaining-4052.htm

[Fisherman36]

There is a particular one. Give me 10 mins and I'll duck to the garage and check. Ok it's loctite 515 flange sealant. Cheers.

Edited March 11, 2012 by insomniac92

[locodave]

Awesome! Thanks mate

[Geoff]

Loctite is a great product but as the name implies , once applied it's there to stay making subsquent wheel bearing servicing difficult.

Ensure the one you buy will hold the BB in place but is also removable

Check with the supplier , Henkel for the most appropiate product

Geoff

[The Incredible Hull]

The easiest way is to get a needle punch and hammer and make some indentaions around the bearing buddy.

PS: I'm not sure that bearing buddies actually do any good.

+1

ever since I put bearing mates on, it's only given me hassles.

why change something that already works.

[Dorado 2]

Bearing Buddies are great, as long as you buy the original American ones and not the cheap useless ones you find at most places. My trailer has the same bearings since I bought my rig in 2003 and I just give it a squirt of grease every 2 to 3 outings. The boat trailer I had before this one, the same roughly 8 years same bearings!!

Cheers

[Fisherman36]

Loctite is a great product but as the name implies , once applied it's there to stay making subsquent wheel bearing servicing difficult.

Ensure the one you buy will hold the BB in place but is also removable

Check with the supplier , Henkel for the most appropiate product

Geoff

Hi Geoff,

The one I listed is the one recommended and used by Durahub. Just a small bead of the stuff around the BB holds it in place, and it comes off pretty easy with a tap around it with a block of wood.

Cheers mate.

[Juggs]

Bearing Buddies are great, as long as you buy the original American ones and not the cheap useless ones you find at most places. My trailer has the same bearings since I bought my rig in 2003 and I just give it a squirt of grease every 2 to 3 outings. The boat trailer I had before this one, the same roughly 8 years same bearings!!

Cheers

where is the grease going if you keep pumping it in ?

all it does is blow out your back seal and let water pass and all that grease is the only barrier then to water entry to the bearing

a good clean axle with a new rubber seal every few years and the rubber dust cap is all anyone needs

check them every 12 months and your fine

[The Incredible Hull]

where is the grease going if you keep pumping it in ?

all it does is blow out your back seal and let water pass and all that grease is the only barrier then to water entry to the bearing

a good clean axle with a new rubber seal every few years and the rubber dust cap is all anyone needs

check them every 12 months and your fine

Yep this is exactly what I found.

I gave it a couple of pumps, and carefully watched the little hole on the bearing mate to see when grease is coming out I.e. when it is full. It never came out of the little hole, so I started pumping more, to then realise I blew the back seal and it was coming out from the other side, which made water get in. Awesome...

[pjbink]

Yep this is exactly what I found.

I gave it a couple of pumps, and carefully watched the little hole on the bearing mate to see when grease is coming out I.e. when it is full. It never came out of the little hole, so I started pumping more, to then realise I blew the back seal and it was coming out from the other side, which made water get in. Awesome...

I think they should be called bearing enemies!

PS: If you have larger tyres and a single axle trailer and don't drive your boat on then it's possible not to immerse the bearings at all.

[locodave]

This is getting interesting!

Ok, which are the original american ones?

It's funny how you say pumping grease makes the back seal blow out. Which I believe it. Makes sense, it's just weird because in the packaging it tells you to pump grease until it spills out. Would it just be best to put a little bit of grease only every now and then?

Question:

Could it be my bearings are wearing out and that the will is getting hot and expanding therefore my bearing buddy falling out?

[Dorado 2]

In sixteen years I have been using bearing buddies I have never blown the back seal if you pump the grease properly!!! the buddies have a front spring where the nipple is and you just pump till the nipple comes forward and that is it, no more pumping. http://www.bearingbuddy.com/ which can be obtained from cbc bearings. Quite obvious there are a few that don't know how to use them, again if they are using the original buddies. Read the content on the site and should answere all your questions

cheers

[Juggs]

Where is the grease going if people have to give them a pump every trip or two

They dont create a black hole and the grease just disappears

You pack the bearing and partly fill the hub that's it, all they are doing is filling the hub with grease and pushing the old grease to the back of the inside bearing

Only the outside bearing gets any benefit

[The Incredible Hull]

In sixteen years I have been using bearing buddies I have never blown the back seal if you pump the grease properly!!!

How can one pump the grease the wrong way? It's a simple matter of plugging the pump in, and pump once or twice!

[Dorado 2]

Oh well mate it seems that the buddies work for some but not for others, I thank God I'm one of the lucky ones because I have saved a lot of dough on bearings. When I first started boating had a few problems with the bearings, a few guys at work advised me to get them and never looked back. In saying that I have no more to say and I hope locodave finds the solutions he is looking for, that will work best for him.

Cheers

[Yarraone]

I think it is like alot of things if they are used correctly they are great.. If any conditions break down then you are going to have problems..

Even with the buddies you still have to check your bearings and hubs regulary..and also maintain the grease in them..

1.if you are going through alot of grease ... find out why? Did you pack the bearings correctly??

2.if the back seal is gone it is not because of the buddy.. more that the seal has gone...and now the buddy has little affect doing its job with a added problem..

Buddys arent the end be end all of all hub and bearing problems, But used correctly can be a great prevention of more and often other problems that may occur..

The moral to the story is DO YOUR MAINTANCE, REGULARY AND CAREFULLY. Dont take short cuts or look for miracles..

[Moggy23]

Where is the grease going if people have to give them a pump every trip or two

They dont create a black hole and the grease just disappears

You pack the bearing and partly fill the hub that's it, all they are doing is filling the hub with grease and pushing the old grease to the back of the inside bearing

Only the outside bearing gets any benefit

I do the same as Dorado 2 and get a high mileage out of my wheel bearings and very rarely repack my boat trailer bearing, current boat has run for 2 years with no issues, one before that run for 8 yrs and replace 1 wheel in that time.

Some hubs leak a little grease over time through the seal, some through the bearing buddy itself,some don't leak grease all and don't require a top up, while there is pressure in the hub, very rarely water ever gets in.

I do not over grease the buddies , just enough to get the spring to move,

A mate has a ski boat trailer with standard caps, we move the boat the other day and all bearings are cactus with rusty bearings.

I know what to listen to due a lot of experience in this field, when jacked up and spinning the wheel

Edited March 19, 2012 by Moggy23

[PlayerOne]

Hi guys!

I noticed the other day my bearing buddy fell off. Without too much thought I replaced it. Two days later it fell off. Tried one more time, didn't last a day.

When I put them in, they are tightly fit. There is no movement yet when I drive they seem to fall off. I never placed the original ones. My friend seems to think the problem is with the hub. So before I go and replace both hubs and bearings, any ideas why this is happening?

Thanks

Hi Mate;

After all the responses, did you find a solution that worked? (I've got the same problem atm, lost 2x in the last 2x outings..... )

Cheers,

Alex.