Why is it ...?

[V153]

Why is it when a trailer bearing fails you always lose the 'bearing buddy' in the process?

[Tonka Jim]

Why would a bearing fail with a bearing buddy     

No grease gun in your tool box 
Shame on you 

[Hotwired]

check the backs and outsides of your wheels periodically.  If there is excessive grease either side you have a bad sea on the hub.  If the hub looses most all of the grease water will easily get into the bearing.  Bearing goes .... so does the hub and off comes the bearing buddy!  Bubye buddy bubye!!

[V153]

Ha! Okay fair enough. But I'll have you know I grease those bearings frequently. Pump in just enough til a lil squeaks out around the seals.

Noticed it in the port truck mirror halfway to the ramp yesterday. The top of that tire appears to be leaning in towards the trailer a bit. Hmm ...
There was NO grease slung around the wheel beforehand btw.

Honestly it never hiccuped or gave any sign it was going to fail. Just did?

My Bearing Buddy is off in the mangroves somewhere. With any luck it landed next to the last one I lost ...

[Jerry]

RTFI
The spring in the bearing Buddy should compress, but you should NEVER have grease coming out of the seal.

[Gotesh]

My Bearing Buddy is off in the mangroves somewhere...

My tire, wheel and hub are in Maple Grove somewhere.  It's quite a sight to look in your mirror and see sparks flying off your axle and your wheel bouncing in between the cars.  At 70 mph.  In traffic. 

Take it from me... repack your bearings on a used trailer.

[Hotwired]

All the way home from Tucson last week (only 2 hours) I kept the mirrors trained on the trailer wheels and half expected one to at least come unraveled!   No blow-outs, not a bearing problem.  I got lucky for sure towing home a trailer that had not had so much as air in the tires in 5 years.

[V153]

Ya I hear ya Chris. That musta cranked the anxiety level up a notch. Glad the trip was uneventful.

I've had a few bearings fail but never a wheel/hub come completely off. Thankfully. Bet that'll perk ya up a bit? The sparks'd be cool though I suppose ...

Tell ya what. I'm not all that impressed with these so-called 'Bearing Buddies'. Believe I had about the same luck the old fashioned way.

[Jerry]

Tell ya what. I'm not all that impressed with these so-called 'Bearing Buddies'. Believe I had about the same luck the old fashioned way.

That's because you blow the seals out by over filling them.  They only work if you use them correctly!!

[Rosscoe]

I had a similar experience. I notice the crooked wobbley wheel coming up out of the ramp. Had to leave the boat and trailer at the ramp overnight. Didnt like that at all! Bearings were missing so it was toast. I replaced the entire hub. Too much grease? I never thought that would be a problem. Both wheels are all greasy on the inside. Better replace the other one I suppose.

[CVX Fever]

Why would a bearing fail with a bearing buddy      

If the bearing is out of adjustment all the grease in the world won't save it. I've had more than one used boat trailer that had slop in a wheel due to improper adjustment.

[Gotesh]

Jerry says use them correctly.  Since I write instructions for a living, I figured there must be something out there. 

Sure enough.  http://www.bearingbuddy.com/faqs.htm

It looks to me that if you pack and assemble the hub correctly, and service the bearing buddy with grease correctly, you shouldn't ever have to add grease.  If you have to add grease, you need to look for leaks.

[Jerry]

Thanks Tom.
It keeps a positive pressure on the hub so water can't get in.
Like Ron Popeil says "pack it and forget it"  (or something like that)
If you don't have bearing Buddies you are looking for a bearing failure.

[badgercarlson]

Jerry's right.  For 23 years I was throwing grease and changing bearings and seals every two years.  Seemed like no matter what I did, I couldn't keep water out of the bearings.  Got the Red Eye brand of bearing protectors at Northern Tool in 2004 and have not had any problems since.  Red Eye has a indicator to tell you when you have put in the right amount of grease.  As long as that indicator is showing, you know you have no leaks.  I've never added grease since they were installed.