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Bearing Buddy Advise

Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:06 pm
by Paul
Got new tires and while I had the rims off I thought I'd look over and maybe change the bearings. This thing was not used in so long that the tires had great tread but the dry rot chacks scared me A LOT! After removing the lug nuts I had to use a pry bar & hammer from the back side to seperate the wheel from the flange.

So while it was on the jack stands I tried to get the Bearing Buddies off to pull the hub but couldn't get them to budge. Tried tapping with a hammer and grabbing with large channel locks and nothing budged. I hate to tear them up so I'm looking to the brain trust for advise.

Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:58 pm
by Bhacurly
Hey Paul,

I did my bearings last weekend, well I finished them anyways. Took 3 of my days off and 5 trips to the bearing supply to get finished. I believe I have an OEM single axel trailer. I was afraid to tear into them an not be able to get the right parts.

To keep the bearing buddies you'll need to remove a retainer clip to get down to the axel nut. There is a spring and large flat washer with the grease fitting held in place by the clip. The axel nut was held in place by a cotter pin and nut gizmo to keep it from turning. Once that was off my hub just pulled out. I think the outer bearing will come out after removing an inner retainer clip (but I removed the whole bearing buddy assembly as described below).

To get the inner bearing out you have to pry out the inner bearing seal with a large screwdriver, probably holding the hub in a vise or some other device.

You'll need a 12-14" axel chisel to get the races out of the hub. I bought one at an auto supply store for ~$10. It has a flat round tip about 3/8" diameter. You just tap out the races by alternating sides.

After tapping out both the inner and outer races you can head to the bearing supply store. Take the hub, both inner and outer bearings and races, and the inner seal with you and make sure they all are the same size before you leave. Mine were older parts made in America, and having the numbers off them can help them ID new ones, BUT,,, Size them up before you leave the store or you'll do like me and have to go several times to get everything to fit!! My new stuff was made in China...

To put them in is the opposite, tap in the races, being sure they are facing the right way an try not to slip the chisel off and damage the bearing surface. I started them with a short piece of 2x4 wood... Grease it all up good, snug up the bearings tight and lock in place with the axel nut gizmo and cotter pin. If there isn't an axel nut gizmo to keep the nut from turning, ask for one at the stroe,,, guess you should take the nut with you then. The cotter pin alone is not spaced right to keep the nut from backing out in my axel.

I took the bearing buddies off. I used really large 14-16' plumbers pliers to pull them off the hub. Put some deep gouges in them but I wasn't planning on reusing them anyway. They are pressed into the hub in an extension that houses the spring, washer, and grease fitting.

When done with the bearings I put new axel covers on. Again make sure they fit the hub before leaving the store if you go that route.

It only took a few hours to do after getting it figured out and the right parts...

Sorry I didn't take any picts that may have helped...

Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 6:56 pm
by mcrandall
I annointed mine with some carefully applied...okay, not so careful.

Tried to tap them out, then got a bigger hammer. Worked well, AND those new bearing buddies tapped right in nicely--less than $20 for the pair.

Go crazy!

Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:05 pm
by Paul
"Nut Gizmo" that's a technical term I'm not familiar with :wink:

Thanks to you both!

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 7:02 am
by back2class
loose the bearing buddies. They are a failed design and cause countless bearing falures.

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:03 am
by Capt. Bondo
back2class wrote:loose the bearing buddies. They are a failed design and cause countless bearing falures.
I agree with back2class. I have not has any luck with bearing buddies. You should inspect your bearings every year to make sure no water has gotten into the hub. If you disassemble your hubs every fall and make sure they are dry and very well greased, you'll be good for winter storage and next summers use. If you do regular maintance, there no need to remove the rear seal unless you find water. I'll usually just remove the hub, inspect the outer bearing for wear after cleaning, repack with grease and reassemble with a extra grease placed into the inner bearing and regular hub cap. Use the same type/brand of grease as what is in the hub. I saw a story somewhere that mixing greases (which often happens with bearing buddies) can actually damage the bearings because the mixed grease will break down.

Here is a couple good links for step by step bearing maintenance.
http://www.sailingtexas.com/Movies/Trai ... rings.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWCS-ALw ... re=related
Take a hour a year to maintain your trailer bearing and will avoid a sailing trip that ends at the side of the road :cry:

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:44 am
by Bhacurly
LOL,,, Ya "nut gizmo",,,

I had just a plain nut in there, not the one like in the video that has the cotter pin through cuts in the nut... Only I had it on one side only and had to fashion one for that side cuz I didn't have that axel apart yet when I got the parts and wasn't making another trip for another part!!!

I got rid of the bearing buddy because as it warmed up it threw grease all over my pretty wheels unitil it was happy with the amount of grease inside the silly thing!

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:26 am
by clair hofmann
I've used Bearing Buddies succesfully for about 25 years. I have them on all my trailers. The advantage of them is the spring keeps the hub pressurised to keep water out. One pump before you leave and you're good to go.

You are correct aboout different greases being incompatible. If however you always keep the same grease in your gun, that shouldn't be an issue.

Annual inspection at the end of the season is still a good idea. If there was a seal failure, catching it at the end of the season doesn't have water sitting there all winter.

Clair

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 12:01 pm
by mcrandall
I've never had a problem with bearing buddies like is described here. :? Several friends swear by them. Guess it's a personal preference thing. :wink:

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 12:48 pm
by lecker68
we don't have the problems power boaters have because we step the mast and get ready before going into the water the other guys get to the ramp with hot bearings and go into cold water and the hub sucks water in when it cools. I myself have never had a problem with bearing buddies if you fill them you watch the plate come out if you put more grease in you push it past the inner seal. Also I always use Marine high temp grease.

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 12:58 pm
by Paul
Thanks for the videos, Capt Bondo. The second one was the removal of bearing buddies. He just wacked them with a 3 lb sledge - simple and primal!

Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 5:26 pm
by astrorad
The nut with the cutouts for a cotter pin is called a "castellated nut"...just a point of info.

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 7:24 am
by Bhacurly
Cool, thanks,,

So if you don't have a castellated nut, what do you call the "nut gizmo" that goes over the regular nut ?? :D

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:34 am
by lecker68
Baring nut lock but I have not seen them on boat trailers mostly on older rear wheel drive cars but will work just make sure not too much bearing preload. tighten and back off a little but no play.

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 4:46 am
by Jmckamey
First, Keep the bearing buddies, second, remove and inspect the hub, axle, and bearings once a year, third, Always, Always use heat and a good penatrate to remove stuck metal parts, bigger hammers only break things. You can use a paint removing heat gun on the area around the hub, and don't be afraid to get it HOT . Should just tap right off. As a final note, inspect carefully before hand with a strong light if nessary, to ensure you are not missing some form of retainer. :wink: