Bearing Buddies keep popping off

[A.Hoj]

I've had this issue with my bearing buddies popping off since I bought this trailer last year. It's a single axle shorline trailer and pretty stout. When I put on the bearing buddies they feel pretty snug, but after driving an hour down the road they get loose over bumps and tend to fall off. Luckily I've seen them fall off several times and was able to stop and hammer them back on and wrap some ducktape around them to keep them on temporarily, but this looks horrible and there has to be another way to stop this. I also tried flaring the end out a little and they go on nice and snug, but they don't stay on long. Any suggestions?

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

I had that problem with a set and cured it by laying them face down, then using a hammer and chisel I put 6 notches evenly spaced around the rim that goes into the hub. No more problems.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

Yup a few raised marks in the hub keeps them tight and I have also stretched a strip of black tape around the seam.

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

I had that issue with 1 and replaced it with a new one and the problem went away. Does it always seem to fall off the same hub or does it move around?

 

[A.Hoj]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

It happens on both hubs but one side seems worse than the other, even the old metal caps I had on there were popping off before I got the bearing buddies. I'll try notching them tomorrow when I am checking on the bearings.

 

[mike343]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

I had the problem once in thirty years of towing. Balanced the offending tire and problem went away.

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

I had the problem once in thirty years of towing. Balanced the offending tire and problem went away.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[partskenn]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

Loctite has a bearing and seal product. It might help

 

[djvan]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

I've heard that installing them straight helps.

By this I mean jack up the tire so it can be rolled.

Then place something on the floor that can be moved close to the buddy.

Give the wheel a spin and observe the buddy. Is it running true? Is it wobbling? If wobbling hammer it in tighter and recheck.

I usually do this and use red loctite to glue them in.

Haven't lost one yet. (I hope I didn't just jinx myself)

DougV>

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

I had the same problem on new balanced wheels/tires. I am sure out of balance can exacerbate the problem but the main culprit is the fit of the bearing buddy. In my case, I switched to a different brand that fit a bit tighter and my problem went away. Dimpling the edge of the bearing buddy should work well.

 

[mike343]

Re: Bearing Buddies keep popping off

You can probably do some things to keep BB's on out of balance tires--even welding (ha)--but the vibration loads will still be on the bearings/axle