Bearing Buddies

[Johnshan1]

Re: Bearing Buddies

So I assume we should do the same for the bearings in our vehicle axles?

 

[wayne h]

Re: Bearing Buddies

if u have unsealed bearings on your car yes for sure. u are supose to check them and repack.but these days most car wheels bearings are sealed and none servicable even sealed bearings go bad. people on this topic are right about pulling the whole hub and checking both bearings i only said to pull the outside bearing because for some reason u are against checking them maybe u dont wanna mess up the 2$ rear seal i dont know. thats the only reason why i said pull the front and see whats going on in there. any service manual car, truck, trailer, or other will tell you that a rough feel or sound is not normal and should be inspected and or replaced. i am a fleet mechanic by trade where we inspect ower vehicals every 28 days and trust me i have seen bearings be good 1 month and bad 28 days later. anything could happen to contaminate the grease.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Bearing Buddies

There is also an often overlooked/ignored difference between trailer & car bearings - when they start to go bad in a car - you can hear them! Not so on a trailer.<br /><br />Car bearings are often heavy duty, sealed and the load more evenly shared. We also don't regularly dip the hot car bearings into cold water. With all that said - yes, car bearings should be check and replaced/regreased regularly, just not as regularly as trailers.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[GregMS]

Re: Bearing Buddies

Where does the grease go when you pump it in with Bearing Buddies? Can it go past the seal and onto the brake shoes?<br /><br />Thanks<br />Greg

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Bearing Buddies

Originally posted by GregMS:<br /> Where does the grease go when you pump it in with Bearing Buddies? Can it go past the seal and onto the brake shoes?<br /><br />Thanks<br />Greg

It sure can so don't over grease or there goes your brakes.

 

[gss036]

Re: Bearing Buddies

It Sure can go into drums if you put too much in. I just went through that with my trailer, one rear seal out of 4 failed and I had greased brake shoes. <br />You should only put a couple of pumps into the bearing buddy after the initial fill. Bearing buddy sells a rear seal kit w/double lips seals. They are about $12 compared to the single seal.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Bearing Buddies

Originally posted by gss036:<br /> It Sure can go into drums if you put too much in. I just went through that with my trailer, one rear seal out of 4 failed and I had greased brake shoes. <br />

Yeah but it stops brake squeal

 

[youngboater]

Re: Bearing Buddies

I have used buddy bearings on all (3) of the boat trailers I have owned and they have worked great. Except for the time I looked in my rear view mirror and saw sparks. I lost the tire. A witness said the wheel just rolled right off. Luckily nothing or nobody was hurt. ALWAYS have a spare tire.

 

[GregMS]

Re: Bearing Buddies

Where does the grease *go*? You just keep pumping it in but it never goes out. Does it just disintegrate or something?<br /><br />Greg

 

[kd6nem]

Re: Bearing Buddies

A TINY bit weeps from the seals with use, maybe, but a lot of the need to fill was that there were air pockets working their way out of the hub from when it was first packed. When the air warms and expands it can get past the seal, leaving more room. If you put several strokes worth in with the grease gun every time you get back, look for where the grease is going. Probably have a blown seal.<br />As the wheel turns it warms up a bit. And as soon as it hits cold water, it cools. Warm grease expands. Cold grease contracts. The contraction causes a bit of a vacuum. And since the (single lip) seals are mostly designed to keep the grease in water can sometimes enter when the trailer gets dunked. This is why the bearing buddies make such a difference- the vacuum can never form because the grease chamber just expands and contracts as needed. Also why you need to never fill the bearing buddy all the way, but always make sure it pushes the inner piston away from the inside the recommended amount. Keep it floating in that safe zone and all will be well for a long time.

 

[gss036]

Re: Bearing Buddies

Greg, it will amaze you as to where the greas goes. Last spring my brother-in-law was doing his small single axle tralier when I pulled into the driveway. He told me he was on his tube of grease.I checked the axle and it was hollow with a drain hole in the center between the two wheels. It was no loner hollow as he had filled it completely up and grease was squeezing out the drain hole. I know this belongs in stupid things, but maybe will help to answer your question. :-}

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Bearing Buddies

Bearcat, Excellent post

 

[louisp]

Re: Bearing Buddies

And lastly... when you pull your hubs during bearing maintenance, some axles have a channel (looks like a small hole) that allows grease to get pumped to the rear bearing when you fill the front. Be sure and clean the hole with wire or pipe cleaners as it clogs easily.

 

[dgassy]

Re: Bearing Buddies

whats the correct way to install grease seals when using bearing buddys- lip out allows used grease to be purged out and seals the water out.<br />lip in seals the grease in and allows water to be sucked in when vaccume is created, i also suspect having the lip in is the main reason alot of people lose there BBs on the road<br />let me know what you think as i'm not really sure what the right way is. my guess is lip out.<br />thanks<br />dgassy