Bearing Buddies or Not?

[Kab Dreamin]

Friday night on the way to Mille Lacs, I burned up a hub just north of Mora (my first one in 27 years of towing boats). The spindle was really messed up so I took it to a local welding shop to have them evaluate whether they could clean up the spindle or if I needed a new axle. I told them to re-pack the bearings on the other side as long as it was there and to put on a new set of bearing buddies (I lost one Friday night). The service writer told me not to put on bearing buddies since they didn't work and according to him "were the best thing to happen to their service department".

I have only heard good things about bearing buddies and have had them on every trailer I have ever owned. Anybody heard anything different about them?

[fishing-addict]

A little grease will reach the back bearing, but not enough. That is why if you do not pack the bearings and just fill them with grease the bearings that always go out are the inner ones.

[Keith_MN]

What type of grease is best for trailer bearings?

This spring I used Mystic JT-6 from Mills Fleet when I replaced and repacked all my trailer bearings. Anyone know if that was a big mistake or not on my part?

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Well, I took the bearings and hubs off last night and decided to replace the whole hub assembly because of pitting and rust. I called the three Northern tool stores closest to me and nobody has them in stock. One store told me that they are strickly an order item.

Anybody have any ideas where I might be able to find these hubs. They are Northern Stock # 125.

Thanks,

Mike

[Jeremy airjer W]

I just bought these at Cambells in Souix falls for $21.89 each.

They were Rigid Hitch # BT-105-01-A

Did you try Fleet farm or tractor supply? I just called fleet farm in oakdale and he said he had three boxes on the shelf. I think he said $23 each.

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Not yet, I'll stop on my way home tonight.

Thanks,

Mike

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Stopped at Fleet Farm lastnight and picked up the last two hub kits for my trailer. $21.95 ( not assembled )Thanks to Dave assembly was a breeze and brought back memories of high school shop class.

We are good to go.

Mike

[Kab Dreamin]

Well, since I started this, I might as well tell everyone how it turned out. I picked up my boat and trailer from Crystal Welding last night after shelling out $340 for a new axle and a new set of hubs and bearings. On the way home from Rogers to Brooklyn Park one of the dust caps they installed (remember, they don't believe in bearing buddies) came off. It couldn't have been more than ten miles! I got home, unhitched the boat, and drove to Fleet Farm and bought a set of Bearing Buddies which are now installed and ready for tomorrow's fishing trip.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I felt that slap!!

[Surface Tension]

Bearing Buddies, yes but as long as you don't misuse them.

As some of the posts stated they don't replace annual inspection. Well actually I'll take that back. As long as you didn't blow the seal out when applying grease and keep a bra on them to keep the road dirt out of the bra assembly you can go a couple years without any worries.

The key thing is when applying grease is knowing when to stop. If the buddy is clean it'll collapse when the grease is applied. If it dirty it'll hang up and that grease has to go somewhere else. That would be toward the seal. After all somethings gotta give and if it aint the buddies spring its the seal. If you have grease flung on the inside of your rim its time for an overhaul. The seal is the deal with rigs that are meant to be submerged. If its shot you have a 99% chance of having water intrusion, shortly after that you'll have pitting on the bearing and race, then its just a matter of time.

[Fireguy]

The Oil filled hubs are great. However they are not recomended for trailers that are stored for long periods of time. The oil drains away from the bearings and allows corrosion. If used on trailers that sit all winter the trailer should be jacked up and the wheels rotated ocassionally. Check out the Dexter axle site for more information on Oil filled hubs.

[sparkyaber]

I have a question related to this topic:

I just purchaced a boat that has "trailer buddy" axles by LIFP. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with this product? Are they the same as bearing buddies? They seem to work on the same priciple as buddies (pressurized grease). The only difference that I see is that it has a cap that tells you when grease is needed.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Abe

[cold one sd]

I have bearing buddies on my boat trailer and I just had them checked and packed for the second time in twelve years. Everything checked out good. Maybe I'm just lucky.

[Animal]

I've used bearing buddies for the last 25 years on many different trailers. I average about 6000 miles a year towing boats, snowmobiles and now a fishhouse. I also give them a shot of grease before I leave on a long trip and also clean and repack the bearings every three years. I have never had a bearning problem and never had to replace anything. I will use them until I can't lift the trailers onto the hitch.