bearing buddies

[johnny roger]

Gday all,

after having my new Stacer complete with the stacer trailer, i thought i would grease it all up. not really familiar with the bearing buddies though. when i greased it, the assembly wanted to come out as i pumped it. is this normal? i am assuming that it is supposed to come out until it is full of grease, then it comes out of the weep hole once it is full of grease?

thanks in advance,
John

[Roughasguts]

Well you probably buggered it up and pushed out the rear seal.

What you should do with bearing buddies is to pump them up with grease until the little spring loaded plate, the one that the grease nipple is screwed down on, just starts to wobble and is no longer seated, that's plenty enough pressure.

Your grease gun can pump out over 3000 Psi, so no need to over do it cause it will push the rear seal out easily. Anyway over time that plate settles back and you need to top up with more grease.

There that easy.

[dnej]

John,
The buddies are spring loaded.As you grease them up,the pressure of the grease ,pushes against the springs,and when there is enough pressure,the whole centre moves outwards.
Dont fill them more than about 3/4 full.
Is that what you were getting at?
David

[johnny roger]

John,
The buddies are spring loaded.As you grease them up,the pressure of the grease ,pushes against the springs,and when there is enough pressure,the whole centre moves outwards.
Dont fill them more than about 3/4 full.
Is that what you were getting at?
David

thats exactly what i was getting at Dave. and thats what i did. i pumped it till the spring loaded plate started coming out, and then stopped just before it bottomed out. then grease started coming out of the weephole. so i think i did it right.....?
John

[dnej]

HOW BEARING BUDDY® WORKS


The axle hub is filled with grease until the grease forces the Bearing Buddy® piston outward about 1/8 inch. Because the piston is spring loaded, the piston exerts a slight (3 psi) pressure against the grease, which maintains a slight pressure between the inside of the hub and the outside environment. When the hub is submerged, water cannot enter the hub because of this pressure.


An automatic pressure relief feature prevents over-filling and over pressurization. Without this feature, the inner seal will be damaged. Grease can be added to the hub through an easily accessible grease fitting located in the center of the piston. Lubricant level (and pressure) can be checked quickly by pressing on the edge of the moveable piston. If you can rock or move the piston, the hub is properly filled. Bearing Buddy® will last the life of your trailer. The outer barrel is made of steel and is triple chrome plated. Internal Bearing Buddy® parts are made of stainless steel. Bearing Buddy® is also available with a stainless steel barrel for maximum corrosion protection

[datamile]

Are BB worth taking off , and checking. I recon mine were on for four years without anyone checking when I brought the boat, and I've not done anything about them. Currently I only drag the boat 2 km to the sea so its not an issue, but I might want to drag it camping in the future.

[Roughasguts]

Before any long trip with a boat trailer I would check the bearings, and if you wan't to clean and replace the grease in your bearings then yuo the BB comes off to undo the castle nut.

Or you you just jack your wheel off the ground, and spin the tyre to hear if theres any crunching or grinding, feel for any binding, slowing down of the rim in certain spots on it's revolution. Then check tolerance, hands gripping the wheel 3 O'clock and 9 O' clock position and push in and pull the other side out there should be a slight knock, if not the bearing could be to tight, to loose, or even buggered.

But if nice and smooth, and the rear seal is still in place, stick a bit more grease in the BB until the little plate wobbbles and your done.

If in dought replace the bearing there pretty cheap, or buy new Gal hubs around 40 bucks.

[BM]

Well you probably buggered it up and pushed out the rear seal.

What you should do with bearing buddies is to pump them up with grease until the little spring loaded plate, the one that the grease nipple is screwed down on, just starts to wobble and is no longer seated, that's plenty enough pressure.

Your grease gun can pump out over 3000 Psi, so no need to over do it cause it will push the rear seal out easily. Anyway over time that plate settles back and you need to top up with more grease.

There that easy.

This cracks me up Rags,

I couldn't begin to count the number of times I have seen you write this here and on fishnet!!! Bit like all the times I have harped on about stale fuel and good oil etc etc

A mate of mine in the US who's an OMC Mastertech has pre-prepared replies for the forums he is part of (Mastertech, iboats etc etc). I have often thought of doing the same thing because the number of times we write particular things (like yours above!) is nuts...

Cheers

[Roughasguts]

This cracks me up Rags,

I couldn't begin to count the number of times I have seen you write this here and on fishnet!!! Bit like all the times I have harped on about stale fuel and good oil etc etc

A mate of mine in the US who's an OMC Mastertech has pre-prepared replies for the forums he is part of (Mastertech, iboats etc etc). I have often thought of doing the same thing because the number of times we write particular things (like yours above!) is nuts...

Cheers

HI BM, I was thinking that exact thing when I started reading the thread, nearly didn't reply for that reason as well.

But hang on BM, your losing it you usually bring up the price of a carton of Beer, and the price of a bearing kit being the same. But never give the price of a carton of Beer a second thought. But the 30 dollar bearings holding up me 50K boat on the road can be forgoten about, and maybe changed never.
Good analagy though, your bloody right.

Now I'm off to tow me new Caravan up the coast, with the 3 kids, never even checked the wheel bearing Sh!t, hope Windsor know what there doing.

Nah i'm not worried, brakes another story.

[datamile]

Just trying to find the happy medium between 'I change my bearings on every trip, and keep 4 spare sets' , and 'I've had the same bearings on my siege engine since the late 11 century , never checked them , never changed them'

Its pissing it down, windy in the bay , and nowt to do ..... ( Trailer wheels sinking in lawn so not the weather to check the bearings ).

How about , I'm looking at a 6.5 offshore crusier... will it be ok to tow from Sydney with my kia rio.

[fez]

Just trying to find the happy medium between 'I change my bearings on every trip, and keep 4 spare sets' , and 'I've had the same bearings on my siege engine since the late 11 century , never checked them , never changed them'

Its pissing it down, windy in the bay , and nowt to do ..... ( Trailer wheels sinking in lawn so not the weather to check the bearings ).

How about , I'm looking at a 6.5 offshore crusier... will it be ok to tow from Sydney with my kia rio.

Datamile,

Go for it may be better off towing the car behind the boat though wrap a length of wire around it couple of deep diving lures never know what you may troll up!!!!!!!

This rain is obviously messing with everyones heads.

Fez

[bigfella23]

Could be two dramas. Sometimes the gal hubs are a little oversize, or secondly the cheaper bearing buddies are smaller in diameter (10 thou) than the good USa ones.
A trick is to remove the bearing buddy, put it on its side and give it a hit with a hammer to elongate it a bit. It will then tap back in with a bit more grip.
Not too much grease though.