bearing buddy keeps falling off

T

thepopeis1

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Joined
Oct 30, 2010
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3
So I repacked my bearings and put on bearing buddys a few weeks ago before putting my boat in storage. I was on my way to put it in storage got 10 miles and saw it fall off and turned around and got it. I cleaned out all the grease and dirt and hammered it back in. drove 5 miles and checked it. it was almost all the way out. I had to pull over every 5 miles and tap it back in.

Its seating all the way in. and feels snug with no play.

any one else ever had this problem?
 
Tim Frank

Tim Frank

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Jul 29, 2008
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5,333
Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

Could you have too much grease in there?
 
fat fanny

fat fanny

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1,935
Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

divit the O,D of the buddy then pound it in your hub may be worn a few thou and is just enough to allow it to slip out from centrifical force of tire rotation.
 
CobiaXL

CobiaXL

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Mar 8, 2010
Messages
353
Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

I lost 2 sets already,Guess my hub was worn cause same thing happened to me.I ended up buying new hub and problem was solved.Could always drill tiny holes and beat pins in.Might be pita when its bearing repack time.
 
kmarine

kmarine

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Nov 5, 2010
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581
Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

Jack up boat and first shake wheel to se if you have any play. Your bearing may not be seated correctly in the race. Rotate tire and make sure wheel is running true. You may even have a warped hub. Easier to check and replace now before stranded on roadside. (I always heep a spare bearing set in my truck. I learned the hard way.)
 
bruceb58

bruceb58

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Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

You may have to dimple the Bearing Buddy surface where it enters the hub so it has more bite. I had the same problem with some TieDown hubs that I used to have. My newer hubs don't have the same problem.
 
Sharp Shooter

Sharp Shooter

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Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

kmarine said:
Jack up boat and first shake wheel to se if you have any play. Your bearing may not be seated correctly in the race. Rotate tire and make sure wheel is running true. You may even have a warped hub. Easier to check and replace now before stranded on roadside. (I always heep a spare bearing set in my truck. I learned the hard way.)
Click to expand...

Yes yes!!

This is more often than not a wheel that is wobbling due to lack of wheel bearing and/or race maintenance or the nut wasn't tightened correctly. The wobbling wheel unseats the buddy bearing and eventually tosses it. If you're losing yours in 5 miles it's probably very loose. Sometimes you can feel the play without even jacking up the boat.
 
F

Fed

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Apr 1, 2010
Messages
2,457
Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

I've come across at least one brand of 'bearing type buddy' that the inner end of the zerk hit the end of my axle. I could still hammer the buddy on properly but the spring pressure was there trying to push it off. Solved the problem by changing brands.
Check the end of your axle for rub marks.
 
L

Low dsrt jon

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May 14, 2009
Messages
77
Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

:confused::confused::confused:That's a problem that I had many years ago!! Get a caliper and carefully measure the wheel hub that the bearing buddy is supposed to fit into. Good chances that it's tweaked a little bit. If it is you will have to replace the hub itself. How old is your trailer?? :eek::eek:LDJ
 
J

jeeperman

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Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

bruceb58 said:
You may have to dimple the Bearing Buddy surface where it enters the hub so it has more bite. I had the same problem with some TieDown hubs that I used to have. My newer hubs don't have the same problem.
Click to expand...

elaboration................
Use a center punch on the outer surface of the BB that enters the hub.
Several punches all around will create raised dimples which will bite into the hub when you re-install it.

Ideally place the BB over the horn of an old anvil, or something similar.

But throwing them within 5 miles does sound like a wobbly wheel.
Or maybe your running the edge of the road too much?
 
M

mike343

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May 4, 2009
Messages
284
Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

Towing with BB's over 30 years. I have lost two as you describe but not in ten miles. Balanced the tire and problem went away.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: bearing buddy keeps falling off

If there is too much flex in the hub from a to soft tire they will work themselves out. Here is what I do with mine so that dosen't happen. Get a prick/center punch and put marks in the hub and some on the buddy this will enlarge the od so it fits much tighter, make sure everything is real clean too. And then make sure your tires are at their max air pressure. Try that and let me know what happens next time out. :cool:
 
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