Do Bearing Buddies work?

wingmastr23

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Oct 26, 2009
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I am a newbie when it comes to boat ownership - while at a reputable marine dealer, the parts man (who has worked there for 20yrs) explained to me that Bearing Buddies were a gimmick and do not help.

His reasoning is that if water were to ever get into the hub, the Bearing Buddies would just compress and keep the water in there by "sealing" it in with more grease....thus creating an environment for the bearings that consists of water and grease....and actually ruining the bearings faster.

His recommendation was to use the traditional covers.

Thoughts?
 

rbh

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

My take on bearing buddys is they preasureize the bearing area with grease so water doesnt get in.
 

vegasphotoman

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

well they make it EASY to add grease....but since there's no design for the OLD grease to come out....Id have to agree that they aren't doing that much good....I have thought a little about what to do about that problem.....NEW INVENTION NEEDED!

if you dont want to spend $$ for bearing buddies one could always add grease fitting to each regular cap....might need a small nut on the backside of the cap to give the grease zerk something to bite into....either way theres only SO MUCH room for grease and it has tom come out to be useful.....

I guess Ideally there would be a removable plug at the back of the hub,past the bearing and before the seal.....remove it when adding grease and old grease comes out........re-install plug and enjoy for a couple trips etc.

currently the best way to treat your bearings would be to remove them, clean and grease a couple times a year. and to inspect and or replace the bearing, wheel seals and caps annually.
 

jaxnjil

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

I am a newbie when it comes to boat ownership - while at a reputable marine dealer, the parts man (who has worked there for 20yrs) explained to me that Bearing Buddies were a gimmick and do not help.

His reasoning is that if water were to ever get into the hub, the Bearing Buddies would just compress and keep the water in there by "sealing" it in with more grease....thus creating an environment for the bearings that consists of water and grease....and actually ruining the bearings faster.

His recommendation was to use the traditional covers.

Thoughts?


i think they work quit well. there rotating two piece seals work well to if you can get the size for your spindle.
 

mla2ofus

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Dec 30, 2008
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571
Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

I am a newbie when it comes to boat ownership - while at a reputable marine dealer, the parts man (who has worked there for 20yrs) explained to me that Bearing Buddies were a gimmick and do not help.

His reasoning is that if water were to ever get into the hub, the Bearing Buddies would just compress and keep the water in there by "sealing" it in with more grease....thus creating an environment for the bearings that consists of water and grease....and actually ruining the bearings faster.

His recommendation was to use the traditional covers.

Thoughts?

If the buddies have pressure on the grease, how is water expected to get in??
Mike
 

jay_merrill

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Dec 5, 2007
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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

If your seals are in good shape, you shouldn't bet getting water in the hubs. What I like about Bearing Buddies, is that you can pre-grease the bearings and races, get your hands cleaned up, put everything together and then fill the hubs with a grease gun. To me, that's a more efficient and cleaner way of getting the job done.

If your seals do happen to be leaking, you will notice splattered grease on the backside of the hubs and can then use the bearing buddies to force water and old grease out, while putting new grease in. Obviously, such a situation calls for new seals (and bearings while you are at it), but it buys you time and prevents ruining an axle and a set of hubs, until you get the problem fixed.

BTW, some hub manufacturers recommend that Bearing Buddies not be used. I just installed new hubs on one of my trailers and that point is made in the instructions. I installed Bearing Buddies anyway, for the reasons that I just stated.



???
 

kenmyfam

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

If your seals do happen to be leaking, you will notice splattered grease on the backside of the hubs and can then use the bearing buddies to force water and old grease out, while putting new grease in. Obviously, such a situation calls for new seals (and bearings while you are at it), but it buys you time and prevents ruining an axle and a set of hubs, until you get the problem fixed.???

Excellent point. Friend of mine has been "forcing the water out" for years now after each launch or recovery. Same bearings.
 

Navy Jr.

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

BTW, some hub manufacturers recommend that Bearing Buddies not be used. I just installed new hubs on one of my trailers and that point is made in the instructions. I installed Bearing Buddies anyway, for the reasons that I just stated.

FWIW, our Shorelandr' Trailer came new from the factory with BBs. They apparently believe the device is worthwhile.

There are other threads on this board about the merits of BB. Some folks think they are a gimmick, while others have had them for years without any bearing problems. -Ken
 

Silvertip

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

Installing a grease zerk on a standard dust cap is a great way to pop the rear seal. You have just created a closed container and pumping grease in will blow the seal as the current contents are attempted to be compressed. A bearing buddy has a spring loaded disk that has the grease zerk installed in it. Bearing buddies are not intended to completely fill the hub with grease and besides, that's not even necessary. Proper use of a bearing buddy is to pump grease in until the disk just begins to move outward. That will not pop the seal and will not force out any water. Properly used and provided you have a good seal water cannot get into the hub as there will be slight positive pressure on the hub. Once a lip seal is has been blown it will always be blown and the back side of the wheel will sling grease all over everything.
 

Frank Acampora

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

The fact is that bearings heat up whille the boat is being towed. Then, you dunk them in colder water cooling the hub immediately and creating a negative pressure inside the hub. This can (not will) cause water to be sucked in. Bearing buddies keep a constant positive pressure on the inside of the hub, reducing the chance of water intrusion.

Do they work? My current trailer(s) have had them for anywhere from 5 to 10 years and I have NEVER changed the grease, re-packed bearings, or changed seals. I have, however, added grease. So I would say they do work for me.

As far as I am concerned, unless there is a definite need, re-packing bearings is a waste of time. Think about this: Your auto has wheel bearings and seals that are greased for life. The only time they are ever re-packed is if the hub itself needs to be removed for inspection, exposing the bearing. Even then, the seals are not replaced unless they show obvious signs of failure.

On a boat trailer, if the seals fail, you will see grease spatter on the back of the hub, inside the wheel, and inside the fender, indicating a need to check the bearings and replace the seals. No grease spatter--good seals--Why bother re-packing the bearings?

Now mind you, there will probably be about 100 replies indicating how stupid and risky my actions are. They will also probably say that they will laugh as they pass me broken down on the road. All I can say is "Well, maybe I am just exceptionally lucky, because in 45 yrears of trailering I only needed to change one set of bearings and even then, they got me home without failing."

Ultimately, you process all the information and do what you think is correct.
 

Boatist

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

I put them on both axels in 1980 and I have not had any bearing failure at all.
I did change two hubs on the trailer when I changed form drum brakes to disc brakes.
I have two different types and both work to keep water and salt out of the hub.

When I installed them I also put in good double rear seal.
The first ones are actual Bearing Buddies.
On them just pump grease into the hub until the spring is pushed out most of the way.
Then check them after each trip. At first each trip you will have to add grease.
After the hub is full of grease then have to add grease to push the spring out less than twice a year.

The second type I have is on the new hub for the disc breaks and it just the same except,
It has a bleed hole when the spring is pushed 3/4th of the way out.
The hole will let grease come out if you over fill them.

They work Very Well. No water or salt in the hub and no rust. Cheap also.
 

seaboo

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

In my opinion they do help prevent water intrusion (provided your seals are good). They can make it easy (imho) to overfill and do damage to the rear seals. That being said I have them on ALL my trailers and they give me a "safer" feeling about my bearings while towing. I do still pull, clean, inspect, repack my bearings once a years just to be safe. I have been on the side of the road once due to a poorly maintained bearing and decided I didn't like it, and go to extremes to make sure it doesn't happen to me again.
 

Bondo

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

A bearing buddy has a spring loaded disk that has the grease zerk installed in it. Bearing buddies are not intended to completely fill the hub with grease and besides, that's not even necessary.

Ayuh,... Amazingly, Only Silvertip actually understands the concepts,+ design criteria behind Bearing Buddies....

All of you guys Filling the hubs with Grease, will Always have Blown seals...
The Air inside a hub can expand,+ contract with the changing temps...
Grease, oil,+ Water do Not,+ will Not compress, so it Blows the Seal...

Bearing Buddies are Only for helping to keep the water out, when dunked for launch, or retrieve...
You guys using them as a grease maintance item are just plain ole Wrong...
 

Navy Jr.

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

You guys using them as a grease maintenance item are just plain ole Wrong...

Bond-o, I've always been a big fan of yours because you've disseminated lots of good info over the years, but I'm perplexed by your statement above.

The BB ad says: "...prevents wheel bearing failure on boat, ATV, snowmobile, horse, RV and utility trailers; eliminates bearing repacking; keeps water and dirt out of hubs and bearings; grease level easily checked; stainless steel components; proven in use for over 35 years and billions of miles of service; easy to install."

Further on, they say, "When properly installed and maintained, Bearing Buddy? prevents wheel bearing failure and eliminates bearing repacking."

Based on many of the comments in just this thread alone (and there are other threads on this same topic), it would appear the product works to not only keep water out when the trailer in backed down the ramp, but it also works to eliminate the need to repack bearings.

I agree that air inside the hub will always be a problem, but isn't the idea behind BBs to keep water and air out? Thanks. -Ken
 

Bondo

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

I agree that air inside the hub will always be a problem, but isn't the idea behind BBs to keep water and air out?

Nope,... Not in any way...

The air pocket in the hub is Necessary....
Using a BB to pump grease into the bearings does NOT work,... Period...

As I said,... Grease, oil, or water will Not compress,... Air Does...
Without the Air pocket, BBs don't work...
With the Air pocket, the BBs allow the Air to expand with heat,+ contract with cooling...
All without Blowing out the seal...

BBs in No Way reduce or eliminate the Required repacking of the bearings...
But,...
BBs Do extend the time between Normal wheel bearing maintanance because they Help the seals not to Blow Out....
Only Because of the Air pocket....
 

jay_merrill

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

Taken directly from the Bearing Buddy site ...


"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."


I also surfed a few other sites. Apparently the reason for many to recommend that they not be used, is because people tend to over fill them, which causes the rear seal to blow out.



???
 

CR CRUISER

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Messages
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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

Bearing Buddies do help at keeping water out of the bearings by keeping them under a slight pressure. They don't however work well at getting new grease to the bearings themselves.

If the rear seal is in good condition, it will not allow the new grease to flow through the bearings. You are actually just greasing the cotter pin and nut when you pump them up with grease.

There is a much better system that is installed on the higher quality trailers that has a grease fitting in the cap but there is a relief hole through the back of the spindle. This allows the grease to flow through both the outer and inner bearings and flush out the old grease. It also keeps the cavity completely full so there is no place for water to enter and collect. Unfortuneatly it requires you to replace the spindles to have this system on trailer that wasn't built with them.
 

Dunaruna

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Re: Do Bearing Buddies work?

............slight positive pressure on the hub...........

Take note of the word 'slight', it is critical. Most failures are down to way too much spring pressure (which means way too much grease).
 
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