Trailer Bearings

[Lazy Flamingo]

It was suggested to me that for the boat trailer, that I purchase the
"Bearing Buddy" to protect the bearings, that they replace the caps ....
I was told it keeps the water & dirt out of the hubs ??

Is this something worth getting, or is it just another gimmick accessory ?

Take 'em back and spend the money on some good grease and a bearing packer. The only thing bearing buddies do is leak and over service the bearings :) (which traps heat and grime)

[Lazy Flamingo]

I have not purchased them, that is why I ask questions like, should I
purchase certain things. I guess you just saved me some money .... :D

When you say "good grease" and "bearing packer", what do you refer to
ie: "bearing packer" ?

Or, is this just something that maybe it would just be easier to have the
dealer check every so often, or after a trip of 150+ miles ?

Last year, a neighbor, who was a lifelong mechanic, moved to Florida.
He used to take care of all the auto & boat engines and trailers in the
neighborhood for us. So now, we are on our own .... :(

Actually... there's something a bit therapeutic about getting your hands a little greasy with wheel bearing grease. I have Supr-Lub hubs on mine, but I'd not bother if I had it to do over.

It's a pretty simple thing to remove both wheels... and inspect and repack the bearings.

[Randygh]

Don't waste your money on bearing buddies. Wheels have two bearings, inner and outer. There is a large dead space of air between the bearings and a bearing buddy will only add grease to the spindle area around the outside bearing. I doubt if they even force grease into the outer bearing much less the inner bearing.

A bearing packer is a real gizmo--a little pan with a grease zirk that allows you to pack grease into the bearing with several pumps of a grease gun. I had to rebuild my brakes and install new bearings/races in my boat trailer last year. I did not buy bearing buddies. I pack my own wheel bearings with a marine bearing grease. Packing bearings is alittle messy but since I do it myself I know it was done properly. Never have had a hot wheel.

[heymagic]

My buddy Ed always gives his bearing buddies a squirt of grease before using his trailer...last year I checked the brakeds for the heck of it. There was grease everywhere. The bearing buddy had actually pushed grease past the seal and onto the shoes. Not a good thing.

[Lazy Flamingo]

Ok, I can see now that "Bearing Buddy" is a waste of money, so that has been
crossed off my list of "to gets" .... :lol:

Thanks for the input, it is appreciated !

[Go Aweigh2452]

I have bearing buddies (came with the trailer) and as noted above, I grease a bit too much and got grease on the brake shoes. Brakes don't hold worth a hoot with burned grease on them. I had to sand the brake pads down. BTW, Still have the bearing buddies on but I watch how much grease I apply in the spring.

[3788sam]

Same as Doug above. My first trailer did not have them and I would grease the bearings every other year and never had a problem. Our new trailer came with them I add just enough grease each year to move the plate on the Buddy's- No problems yet.
When you do them manually it does give you a chance to inspect the bearings and see if there are any problems before they happen!

[Lazy Flamingo]

I was reading more reviews about the "Bearing Buddies", and it seems that
if properly maintained, without over greasing, they are a plus to the longevity
of the bearings ???

I am concerned that I should have something to protect the bearings.

The trailer Bayliner uses for the 195 is Karavan ....
Model: US-4100-78-SSB-ST-GL (galvanized)
Weight: 850 lbs.
Tires: 225/75D/15D
Wheels: 15X6J

Ted, if you read this, I would appreciated your input on what your shop people
think of them using the "Bearing Buddies" on the trailer ....

If they are properly maintained... there is no need for Bearing Buddies. Just pull them, pack them and reinstall them as people have been doing for probably a hundred years.

They are a gimmick. I won't buy a set.

[Pegasis]

I've always had bearing buddies on the hubs of all of the boat trailers I've owned. Wouldn't live without them. As Gene noted the grease does get to the inside bearing. If maintained properly they will keep the grease on the bearings, specially on long hauls. Without the bearing buddies the grease will heat up, when cooling the grease will settle to the bottom and into the space between the bearings if not kept full.

[Go Aweigh2452]

They are a gimmick. I won't buy a set.

From Seaworthy Magazine: http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/trailer/hubs.htm

That's exactly what is wrong with them. That "space" in the middle is designed to allow bearings to cool down. When that becomes packed with grease through and through... you've got way too much grease in there. the only way you can get grease to the back bearings is to overservice them... then you blow the rear seals and in comes the water.

This is probably a better product:

WWW.AIRTIGHTHUBS.COM

[Pegasis]

Just your point of view, and like the Ford vs Checy problem - here's another. I've had them on all of my boat trailers and will continue to unless I go to those superlube hubs.

Neah... I think it's more like "If I put these on my boat... I don't have to know how to pack a bearing again... or get my hands dirty"

I had the Supr-Lubes on my King. The "oil-filled" ones looked interesting... but one leak or blown seal on a road trip and you're gonna burn abearing for sure.

If those hubs were designed to be force-fed grease from the front... don't you figure the mfg of the hubs would just put a zirk on the side and be done with it? That grease has to eventually go somewhere... once its filled the inside hub... it has to seep out the seals... or blow them... either is bad.

Just pull 'em ... inspect 'em and pack 'em once a year.