Bearing Buddies

[ckarns]

Thinking of putting these on me trailer. Wanted to get some opinions first. What are your thoughts?

Thanks Chad

[CatFan]

They are great if you use them right.

[ckarns]

They are great if you use them right.

How do you use them right? I've had a couple opinions on it.

[CatFan]

How do you use them right? I've had a couple opinions on it.

Just pump enough grease in for the caps to move out from the hub. This is definitely not a case where more is better.

[ckarns]

Just pump enough grease in for the caps to move out from the hub. This is definitely not a case where more is better.

Understood.

[tcesni]

And don’t just “give them a squirt” after each trip. Eventually the rear seals will fail. I was one of those guys.

[NautiBuoys]

They are excellent, as others have mentioned. I believe the new ones come with an overflow hole if lubed too much, plus the blue indicator shows when properly filled.

[Avanti]

I wish there was a more straight forward way to remove them during maintenance than hammering them out.

[billnorman1]

I used to have them, but went to the plain metal caps. I feel the caps seal better and almost never fall off. If properly packed a hub will last for years.

[86 inches]

Here's a trick if you feel like they don't tap in just quite tight enough. Use a small punch and tap the mating surface of the bearing buddy about a cm apart all the way around it's circumference. The punch will create a "meteor" effect with a raised rim around the center "crater" and this will tighten up the fit of the bearing buddy.

[Menacer]

Here's a trick if you feel like they don't tap in just quite tight enough. Use a small punch and tap the mating surface of the bearing buddy about a cm apart all the way around it's circumference. The punch will create a "meteor" effect with a raised rim around the center "crater" and this will tighten up the fit of the bearing buddy.

This. Or put them on a 2in hitch ball and give a few wacks with a block of wood over them. Just don't over do it.

[CoryDS33]

Mine always seem to “leak” a little and grease my rims. Any thoughts about that? They were really tight to put in so I think the fit is good. Just hate having to clean the rims all the time.

[Smallie_Hawgin]

Mine always seem to “leak” a little and grease my rims. Any thoughts about that? They were really tight to put in so I think the fit is good. Just hate having to clean the rims all the time.

They make a "bra" for the bearing buddies. Solves the slinging grease issue. Like others have said, not overfilling and keeping them clean, then put the buddy bra on and good to go...

[zelmo]

And don’t just “give them a squirt” after each trip. Eventually the rear seals will fail. I was one of those guys.

I switched my oil bath hubs to grease two years ago and installed Bearing Buddies. I haven't given it a squirt after every trip but I do check them periodically. By that I mean I push on the blue indicator to see if it will move. If it moves at all I leave it alone. If it doesn't move I put grease in until I see it move.

I did this a couple of weeks ago and after a few pumps one wasn't moving. I can see a little grease coming out the back seal so I suspect it has failed. What is the typical life of the seals? Is this something I need to address immediately?

[CoryDS33]

I will have to find me some of those. Thanks for the info.