bearing buddies care

[f4rioboy]

Hi all,
I have a 2005 Shorelandr trailer with bearing buddies. How do you maintain your bearing buddies. I have heard that one should press on the diaphram to see if there is resistance every so often and one should give it a squeeze of grease before each outings. The dealer tech told me that I probably will not need servicing until about 5 years for my particular boating destination. Do you guys repack your bearing buddies every year? Do you do it yourself? I'm new to this bearing and repacking thing.

Thanks.

 

[280 SeaRay]

f4rioboy.... I am not sure what the "official" answer is but I do re-pack every year and I have bearing buddies on all 6 wheels. I live on the side of caution or too much maint (can you ever have too much?) as it just costs me a little of my time.... much better than hoping the bearing buddy keeps everything packed with fresh good lube and does not fail. My trailer and boat are in the 13-14k range and I will not likely find many folks that want (or have the proper equipment) to tow it and I could not stand to see it left on the side of the road. My recommendation is to repack and be sure. All it costs is a little of your time.

The bearing buddy website advertises that it eliminates repacking.... http://www.bearingbuddy.com/

I will continue to repack.... plus it allows me to get a peek at the bearing condition.... the bearing buddy does not tell you if you have shavings, water, grit, scorched bearing, etc.

 

[f4rioboy]

Hi Jeremy,
Thanks for the reply and info. I would apprecate if you can walk me through the proceedure you use to repack your bearings. Thanks.

 

[Sea Ray 300]

When I was trailering, and repacking bearings, I first stated off by doing it the 1940's way of smearing a blob of grease on one hand, and putting a finger through the bearing with the other hand, and dragging it through the grease, rotating it, until it was "packed". Dirty, messy, and any other adverb that you can imagine. :smt101 :smt021
Towards the end of my trailering days, I found a tool that is basically 2 cones, connected by a threaded tube, with a grease fitting on one end. Insert the bearing inside, wind the cones down to capture the bearing, and grease with a gun. Clean(er), simple(r), and fast.

 

[BON DIA]

Along with repacking my trailer bearing annually I carry a spare hub with packed bearing & new cotter key for each trailer I pull.

 

[VTSeaRay]

I was reviewing this to see what/if I should do to my bearings with Bearing Buddys on them, and came across this and thought others might benefit:

Bearing Buddy FAQ's.

http://www.bearingbuddy.com/faqs.htm#13

How Bearing Buddy Works.

http://www.bearingbuddy.com/why.html

What is a bearing buddy bra?

http://www.bearingbuddy.com/bra.html

and for packing bearings a how-to

http://www.goboatingamerica.com/hob/DM_article.asp?id=2274