Bearing Buddies

[edwardr132]

Do they prevent having to do any real work on cleaning the axle bearings?

I talked with the RV dealer and they said as long as I don't have breaks on my Popup.  I don't; that it would be fine to install bearing buddies.  


Does anybody else have Bearing Buddies and can comment on them?


If anybody wonders;  I currently own a 2000 Fleetwood Coleman Seapine...

[mike4947]

Unless you intend to launch the trailer Bearing Buddies won't do much for you. They are designed to allow owners to flush out water that gets in from submerging the hubs when launching boats off of trailers.
Watch someone come right in off the road and launch and you can hear the hiss of the cold water hitting the hot hubs which forms a partial vacuum and sucks in water. The bearing buddies give a positive pressure to counteract this and to allow more grease to be pumped in to displace the water that entered.
They will not replace removal/cleaning/inspection/regreasing/ reinstallation.

[edwardr132]

Unless you intend to launch the trailer Bearing Buddies won't do much for you. They are designed to allow owners to flush out water that gets in from submerging the hubs when launching boats off of trailers.
Watch someone come right in off the road and launch and you can hear the hiss of the cold water hitting the hot hubs which forms a partial vacuum and sucks in water. The bearing buddies give a positive pressure to counteract this and to allow more grease to be pumped in to displace the water that entered.
They will not replace removal/cleaning/inspection/regreasing/ reinstallation.

I was under the impression that all you need to do as add more grease through the hole when they start showing that they are low on grease?  Their website specifically states: eliminates bearing repacking.  Do you think that's an exxageration?

http://www.bearingbuddy.com/

[Done Working]

Sounds convincing to me.

[Billy Bob]

"Watch someone come right in off the road and launch and you can hear the hiss of the cold water hitting the hot hubs which forms a partial vacuum and sucks in water."

I have seen thousands of boat launches but have never hear the hissing sound.

I know many fellow fisherman who use the bearing buddies with great success but I myself have always doubted them because I can not see how the grease can possibly get to the inside bearing.

I have saved the trouble of having to clean and repack my boat trailer bearings by lowering my boat trailer set up so the boat rides lower and the rollers and pads are greased and siliconed so when launching and retrieving my boat the axle is never in the water. It's been over 15 years since I repacked those bearings.

[mountainrev]

I've read in different threads that there is a difference between Bearing Buddies and the Dexter E-Z Lube hubs.  Here's a link to the E-Z Lube hubs:  http://www.dexteraxle.com/e_z_lube_system

IIRC, some maintain that Bearing Buddies only keep the water out, but you still need to repack regularly (even though the website claims that you don't).  Supposedly, the E-Z Lube hubs don't need repacking, since you lube them via zirk fittings, pumping in grease until all of the old grease has been displaced.  But others say that even with this system, you should at least occasionally repack your hubs so that you can visually inspect the bearings.

I just bought my Viking with the E-Z lube hubs, so I have no experience to draw from.  But they were a selling point for me, and I'm hoping I truly don't have to repack my hubs.  That's a major pain, in my opinion.

[mike4947]

If you read between the lines or call the manufacturer you'll find out they mean not having to repack the bearing BECAUSE THEY GOT WATER IN THEM. They are designed to keep the water out with positive pressure. They will also tell you their product does NOT replace annual removal, cleaning, INSPECTING, regreasing and reassembling.Dexter designed the EZ Lube axles originally for boat trailers and gave a positive system for replacing all the grease in the hub. They were amazed that for the first several years how many unknowing trailer manufacturers started ordering their EZ Lube axles as OEM for regular dry land travel trailers. Last year they took the warranty experience and trailer manufacturer feedback into account and now rate the axles for dry land trailers.
BUT, although you can replace all the grease in the hub doesn't mean a bearing can't go bad. the only way to check for bearing problems is the old "removal, cleaning, INSPECTING, regreasing and reassembling".

[wavery]

Here's the point. The reason that you need to clean and inspect the bearings on any trailer is because most trailers just sit, most of there life.

Cars have used the same wheel bearings that your trailer uses for a hundred years. They need very little maintenance in hundreds of thousands of miles of use because the car is used (hopefully) on a regular basis.

When a grease packed bearing sits in one place for a long period of time (weeks and sometimes months) gravity has a chance to work on the grease in 2 ways.

#1. The grease at the top of the bearing tends to slip down, over time and leave the tops exposed and the bare metal vulnerable to rust.

#2. The bottom of the bearing is exposed to the weight of the trailer baring down on a single point over a long period of time. The ball in the bearing will eventually displace every molecule of grease from a single point. That single point may (over time) actually weld itself in place (microscopically) due to electrolysis and corrosion.

The next time that the trailer is moved, one of those areas may become a week point in the bearing. It can become a small place of friction that can cause a small area of over-heating, gaulding and/or pitting.

No matter what kind of hub/bearing lubricating gizmo that you install on your trailer, nothing replaces inspection to be sure that the bearing has not developed the above conditions from the lack of use. When it comes to wheel bearings, use is good, lack of use is not good.

Very few wheel bearing/hub assemblies need additional grease over time. If they do, you have a bad seal. Grease does not evaporate. It can only leak out.

I hope this helps.  IMHO......don't waste your $ on that junk (unless you have a boat trailer). It may give you a false sense of confidence and result in more harm than good.

IMHO the best thing that you can do for your bearings is to move your trailer about 6" (1/4 turn of the wheel) in either direction a couple times a week.

[Billy Bob]

Using Marine Wheel Bearing greas is much better because it sticky like glue and stays in place. My boat trailer bearings are a prime example of using good marine grease when you replace your bearings. Do it once the right time and you wouldn't have to do it for MANY years. But if you enjoy working on the bearings every year go for it.

[edwardr132]

to make a long story short;  I put them on my pop-up camper before I found this website.  I was in debate mode struggling with whether or not I should put them on.  It only costs $20/so to have Farm & Fleet put them on so I did it while they cleaned/packed and replaced my seals.  I had to run all-over the place looking for the specific seals for my pop-up.  

The way I look at it is hopefully they will give me some warning that they need grease.  Of course, I still have to buy a grease gun.  I am new to all this pop-up maintenance and repairs.  I am hoping these bearing buddies give me a little peace of mind knowing that if I look at them before I go on any camping trip and see any changes; that I should be alert.  Better that I figure than just going out and praying for the best.

It sounds like based on other comments that you still should have the axles checked periodically even if you have bearing buddies.  Thanks for all the replies.
I really appreciate all the comments; good and bad...

[smoorenc]

Wavery,

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

Also I have had a set of bearing buddies on my tow around trailer (for junk) the last 8 years and I just add some grease once in a while. It does get used or at least moved around frequently.

[volzjr]

Twenty years ago I used to keep Bearing Buddies on my snowmobile trailers, thinking that I didn't have to re-pack the bearings as often, if at all. One night on the way out of town on a trip to Michigan's upper peninsula, our "convoy" of trailers hit a bad bump at speed. A city crew had dug a hole in the road and did a poor job of patching it, leaving a jarring transition point. They also did not put up a warning sign. The impact knocked one of my Buddies off, so for the next six hours, I was flinging grease out of that hub. It was 20 degrees below zero that night, so I didn't do the usual hub inspection when we stopped for gas. After all, how hot can a bearing be when it's -20