bearing buddy keeps popping off

[fishrdan]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

The hub will heat up faster then the BB can soak up the heat and...

I was thinking of something along the same lines, yet different. IF (if) the the trailer has drum brakes and the hub is heating up, it could expand enough to loose the BB's tight press fit. This wouldn't normally happen, but if there are other problems (like the hub's end not being 100% round or a tire being extremely off balance) the BB could loose it's grip in the hub and work it's way off.

I've installed bearings that had a very tight press fit, with the old school heat/freeze method. A hot bearing easily slipped onto the a frozen shaft, but once they became the same temp, they were locked together. Or, I've heated up a housing to remove a pressed in race, the race simply dropped out when the housing expanded enough....

 

[scooper77515]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Lots of stuff being thrown around here...

For my application, I have a 18.5' boat, single axle trailer, new bearings and buddies. I drive about 5 miles from the storage unit to the ramp, I doubt any amount of heat is being created in that time. I actually put my hand on the hub for the first couple of trips just to make sure, and just barely above body temperature (maybe 100 degrees?). No brakes on the trailer. No significant heat.

So in my application, something other than heat is the culprit.

Yes, I greased it until grease came out the little bleeder hole. More came out as it was driven over the past 5 trips. But not much, enough I could wipe up with a large paper towel.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Its probably your hub or out of balance tire. Are your tires balanced?

When you add grease to your Bearing Buddy you only need to add enough grease to barely get the piston to move.

read this:
http://www.bearingbuddy.com/faqs.htm#7

 

[bigdee]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

I was thinking of something along the same lines, yet different. IF (if) the the trailer has drum brakes and the hub is heating up, it could expand enough to loose the BB's tight press fit. This wouldn't normally happen, but if there are other problems (like the hub's end not being 100% round or a tire being extremely off balance) the BB could loose it's grip in the hub and work it's way off.

I've installed bearings that had a very tight press fit, with the old school heat/freeze method. A hot bearing easily slipped onto the a frozen shaft, but once they became the same temp, they were locked together. Or, I've heated up a housing to remove a pressed in race, the race simply dropped out when the housing expanded enough....

The heat from drum brakes would be originated remote from the hub and gradually transferred to the hub but I think we are splitting hairs on just a theory. For heaven's sake put 2 spot welds on it and lets go fishing! Bruce, you can come too but it will have to be in Carolina and DON'T bring your laptop....I have a friend here that has a reputation......oh well that's another story.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Here's something interesting from Bearing Buddies website FAQ...

2. What can cause a Bearing Buddy? to fall out of the hub? The most common reason is the hub bore diameter is wrong, because the hub manufacturer did not maintain quality control during production. Other possible reasons are listed below.

* The spindle may be too long, which could cause the nut or cotter pin on the end of the spindle to push against the Bearing Buddy? piston (when grease level is low), eventually forcing it out of the hub.
* Excessive removal and reinstallation of a Bearing Buddy? can wear down the Bearing Buddy? shoulder (the part that fits into the hub), which decreases the interference fit between the Bearing Buddy? shoulder and the hub bore.
* An out-of-balance tire and/or incorrect bearing torque can cause excessive "wheel play" or wobbling, which can cause a Bearing Buddy? to work its way out of the hub.
* Installing the wrong size Bearing Buddy? for the hub bore diameter.
* Theft.


Who would have though to look there... :facepalm:

 

[bruceb58]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Who would have though to look there... :facepalm:

Maybe post #33!

This link states what BB says can cause a BB to fall off:
http://www.bearingbuddy.com/faqs.htm#2

 

[fishrdan]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Maybe post #33!

Whoops... I guess Bruce though to look there...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Trust me...looked there when I was having the same issue a few years ago.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

I still like my hose clamps (post#5). No spot welds to have to grind off later, relatively easy to manipulate to check the BBs, and in addition to the insurance of not losing one on the road, they tend to provide an extra level of protection from the "theft" cause of loss (as stated on BB website and in post#45) while parked at the ramp. Just sayin'...

 

[marcoalza]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

I agree with Bruce.

When I first had BB's installed and didn't know much about them, I greased till the plate could move no more and carried on.
On the 2nd spurt I heard the grease pop out the rear seal.

That bit of rubber will always give way before correctly installed BB's fall off.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Trailer tires are new, and balanced, and the hubs are pretty new. Fairly new trailer with very few miles on them.

Let me toss this out. Would hitting bumps in the road be enough to knock them out? If a wobbly unbalanced wheel is, then wouldn't a speedbump or pothole?

I actually lost this one most recently while hitting a small bump. I happened to notice and recovered the lost bb because of looking into my mirror to see what the trailer hit, and noticed my little buddy flying off to the side of the road.

As for theft deterrent, wouldn't my tack weld pretty much cover that?

If someone wants to drag a grinder around to steal my bearing buddies, they DEFINITELY need them more than I do...

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

I would probably go the tack route myself if I had ready access to a welder (soon to get one, though). Also would then need to grind off the tacks to do any kind of service to the hub (even though it shouldn't be necessary for many miles, according to the claims). Seems like you solved your prob and got some good response to the thread. BBs get mixed press, but I am happy with mine and sounds like you are too. Gonna put a few more miles on mine today because it is a beautiful day and the water is calling.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Yes, tack seems to be the best solution for me, at this time.

Raining and chilly here. But supposed to clear up all week and be 78-80 degrees. Wife and I are educators, so we have spring break off this week!!!

 

[bigdee]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Yes, tack seems to be the best solution for me, at this time.

Raining and chilly here. But supposed to clear up all week and be 78-80 degrees. Wife and I are educators, so we have spring break off this week!!!

Yep, that would be cheaper than replacing the hubs. I always used lock-tite but that was because a weld would spook most people and kill a sale. Also feel your hubs and make sure they are not above normal temps. For whatever reason for the heat, it can cause an ill fitting BB to fall off.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

The heat from drum brakes would be originated remote from the hub and gradually transferred to the hub but I think we are splitting hairs on just a theory.

Most small trailer brakes have the hub integrated into the brake drum, so the heat wouldn't have to transfer from 1 part to another. I do agree it's splitting hairs as there is a huge heat-sink bolted onto brake drum, the wheel. Though, If the brake shoes where dragging, a lot of heat would be generated quickly...

A tack would keep the hub on, but don't "weld" it on, LOL. OR, don't ask my neighbor to """tack""" it on. He's a jack of all trades-know it all-pseudo welder, and I asked him to tack something for me once.. The guy laid down 1" of weld :facepalm: and I had to bust out the grinder

 

[scooper77515]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

A buddy of mine has a boat that he wanted to take out and test drive a couple weekends ago, so he told one of his employees "put some gas in my boat", so his employee grabbed an old diesel can out of the back of their truck and dumped it into his tank. His boat is a 4.3L Merc, doesn't need diesel, and DEFINITELY doesn't need diesel that has been rained on for 6 months and is 25% water.

Needless to say, his test drive did NOT go well.

Long story short, nobody does ANYTHING to my boat but me. That way I know it was done correctly, and if not, I know what is wrong when I come back to it later.

I have my own welder, did it myself, and know that I need to grind it off before my next bearing maintenance.

I only did one small tack on each side. Just enough to keep it from walking out while I am driving.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

OK, 2nd trip out with the welded on bearing buddies, and one popped off AGAIN!

Taking both hubs off and putting on new ones. Getting tired of this.

 

[PKomrowski]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

They are a bad invention, that don't work very good. Just use dust caps, the "buddies" the way most guys use them will pop the back seal and cause water to come in anyway. Most every one puts to much grease in them. Pack your bearings up with dust caps and then about every 1000 miles check them. You need to have a set of bearings with you anyway, a maby a new hub depending on how far, fast and hot of weather your traveling in. When those stupid buddies pop off your grease flys away, and then you burn out your outer bearing. This has happen to me as well.

So just compare your failure modes of your two choices. With the dust caps your bearings will go about 1000 to 2000 miles + "in bad condition" before they come apart inside.

With the Buddies if it comes off your bearing will go bad in about 15 min of highway driving or about 15 to 20 miles and then they come apart.

One of the truths about trailering a boat is a tool box with a punch long enough to drive out the races, hammer, and bearings/races, seals, grease, rags, a socket to drive the new races in evenly, nuts, cotter pins, and a couple of dust caps. You can change both bearings and races out in about 15 mins if you need to. The whole box will cost you less than $100 and when your on the side of the road you would give $100 in a moment to have the problem fixed. Its strange as well if you make up this box and always have it in your vehicle you probably will never use it, but leave it home once and you will need it!

 

[marcoalza]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

They are a bad invention,
One of the truths about trailering a boat is a tool box with a punch long enough to drive out the races, hammer, and bearings/races, seals, grease, rags, a socket to drive the new races in evenly, nuts, cotter pins, and a couple of dust caps. You can change both bearings and races out in about 15 mins if you need to. The whole box will cost you less than $100 and when your on the side of the road you would give $100 in a moment to have the problem fixed. Its strange as well if you make up this box and always have it in your vehicle you probably will never use it, but leave it home once and you will need it!

As someone who has BB's fitted and suffered failure then fitted more, this email is annoying as you're probably 100% right.
When I had no BB's I traveled 100 miles per day, 30 times in my first year till they got noisy. Replaced the bearings, fitted BB's and had aggro ever since.

Where were you 5 months ago PK!!

 

[scooper77515]

Re: bearing buddy keeps popping off

Yes, I am tired of messing with them. I have had great luck with them on every other trailer, but for some reason, not this one. Going to repack them and put dust caps back on.

I live 5 miles from the ramp, so a yearly pack should be more than sufficient to keep me in the water.