Bearing Buddys falling off

KM7

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
222
I recently replaced 2 bearing buddys on my trailer. A few days later 1 had fallen off. I found it in the street and hammered it back in only to have it fall off again!!.
I may have been to heavy with the hammer when I removed it. I will buy new ones but how can I be certain that they will stay on ??
Can I use some light glue?
Any other suggestions?
 

todhunter

Canoeist
Joined
Sep 15, 2020
Messages
1,233
Clean the surfaces then reinstall them with some Loctite sleeve retaining compound.
 

crofoot

Cadet
Joined
Oct 11, 2020
Messages
23
I recently replaced 2 bearing buddys on my trailer. A few days later 1 had fallen off. I found it in the street and hammered it back in only to have it fall off again!!.
I may have been to heavy with the hammer when I removed it. I will buy new ones but how can I be certain that they will stay on ??
Can I use some light glue?
Any other suggestions?
I have had that problem on several trailers over the years and now peen them in place and never have problems anymore .I was taught that when I stopped to reinstall mine at a friends shop by one of his employees.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,297
first, are they the correct size for the hub?

if you collapsed the pilot by zealous applications of a hammer to get it off, you may need to buy new. you can pin-prick the hub like crofoot mentions.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Also make sure you install them straight. If they start to **** (c ock), the sleeve can get deformed and if you're lucky you see them bouncing down the road in your mirrors.

Use a flat piece of wood on the face to tap on squarely and they may stay in place.
 

ahicks

Captain
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
3,957
A buddy had that problem and traced it to an outer bearing that was trying to smoke on him. Might be a good idea to have a look at your bearings.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,414
As funny as it may sound, check the length of your cotter pins.

Make sure you have plenty of room for the bearing buddy to fit inside the housing.

Too long and they will walk a bearing out of the housing in a heart beats
 

crofoot

Cadet
Joined
Oct 11, 2020
Messages
23
I have had that problem on several trailers over the years and now peen them in place and never have problems anymore .I was taught that when I stopped to reinstall mine at a friends shop by one of his employees.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Since you're repeating yourself - What do you mean by "peen"? Beat it ou of shape with a ball peen hammer?
 

crofoot

Cadet
Joined
Oct 11, 2020
Messages
23
Since you're repeating yourself - What do you mean by "peen"? Beat it ou of shape with a ball peen hammer?
LOL the second one was by mistake. To clarify to peen the buddy in place one would take a very fine pointed punch and strike the shone surface in three places around the buddy. This should leave a very small indent in the surface but it does work well for me. The indent should be about 1/6" around and deep.
 

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crofoot

Cadet
Joined
Oct 11, 2020
Messages
23
Since you're repeating yourself - What do you mean by "peen"? Beat it ou of shape with a ball peen hammer?
I hope this one does not show up twice as the first was a mistake. To peen the buddy in place one would use a very fine pointed punch and strike the shown surface in three places around the buddy leaving an indent about 1/6" round and deep. This has worked without fail for me.
 

crofoot

Cadet
Joined
Oct 11, 2020
Messages
23
I hope this one does not show up twice as the first was a mistake. To peen the buddy in place one would use a very fine pointed punch and strike the shown surface in three places around the buddy leaving an indent about 1/6" round and deep. This has worked without fail for me.
sorry new to this I will figure it out
 

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,092
Had the same issue, used some rubber tubing, 1 hose clamp on the hub, 1 hose clamp on the bearing buddy. Never lost another one
 
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