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Bearing Buddy Question
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Sunbeam



Joined: 23 Feb 2012
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PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2016 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just to clarify, removing/replacing the bearing buddies doesn't mean you have to re-pack bearings, do anything with brakes or etc.

Basically, if you did not have bearing buddies at all, you'd just have a dust cap there. Many land trailers have just that. The bearing buddy comes in due to the fact that we immerse our trailers at launch and retrieve. If water gets into the hubs and bearings, it's not good. The bearing buddy is simply a spring loaded plate that puts a little bit of positive pressure on the whole deal. This means (or hopes to mean) that the pressure it is putting on the grease is more than the pressure of the water that's "trying" to get in. Presuming they work as they are supposed to, the grease wins and the water doesn't, and your bearings live to see another day (trip).

There are other ways to do this, some likely much better (oil types, ones where you can push grease right through to clean grease, etc.). But as far as I know, if your spindles (ends of axles) are set up for just regular dust caps, then you can use bearing buddy type caps, but you can't just suddenly use the other types (without changing parts of your axle). Since my axles are doing fine, I'm sticking with bearing buddy type caps, and working with them.

So anyway, if you don't have any "extra" grease pushing that little metal plate out (and presuming your bearings were packed correctly when it was done), then you basically have a dust cap (which is what you'd have without the bearing buddy). If you put grease in until the little plate flops, you have something better (how much better is something people debate) that puts a little positive pressure on the grease. If you put in too much grease (like pump it until the plate comes all the way out) then you have TOO MUCH positive pressure and will likely blow out the seal that's on the inside of each hub.

My bearing buddy's are the type that has neither a hole or a blue ring, and this type is still commonly for sale. They also have one with a blue ring. I don't think there is anything inherently different in how it works, but it's just that some people tended to overfill them, and they added one more thing to try to keep this from happening (you could also just push on the plate and see how things stand).

The BB's are just a friction fit in the open end of the hub. That's why you tap them out by going around the outside (moving it a wee bit at a time). You tap them in more all at once and flat so they don't get crooked. One thing to know is that once you have done it, you'll get it. It's not hard. The first time I did mine I bought a new one and then tapped out the old one (so I had a replacement on hand in case I muffed it up), but I didn't end up needing it.

If you like, watch a youtube video on bearing buddys and you will see it, which might be easier than reading about it.
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Pat Anderson



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
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City/Region: Birch Bay, WA
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PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2016 12:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sunbeam, I get all that! I was just bemoaning my lack of ANY mechanical skills. I lost an entire wheel, hub and all, on the way to Lake Powell in 2011. If Jim Martinson, Laurna Jo, had not been our travelling companion, we would have been up sh*t creek. We likely lost the wheel in Washington but did not discover it was gone until Pendleton. Jim called ahead to the NAPA in LeGrande, and they had the parts waiting for us (yes, we crossed the Blue Mountains on three wheels). I just mentioned my lack of mechanical prowess to express my doubt about my ability to get my Bearing Buddies off and put them back on...you are evidently quite experienced and skilled with mechanical and a number of other things, I envy you!
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Sunbeam



Joined: 23 Feb 2012
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PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2016 1:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I understand. Believe me, there are plenty of things I'm not capable of or don't quite get. And then sometimes people who do get that particular thing make it sound so easy.... (and I'm thinking "Oh sure, for YOU!")

Amazing that you ran on three wheels and apparently it was not bad enough to notice for awhile! (And great you were "buddy trailering" at the time.)
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localboy



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PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2016 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I feel your pain, Pat. I fear nearly everything electrical. I do somehow manage to fumble-f**k my way through most of it, though...and I haven't burned anything down...yet.

Mr. Green

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Pat Anderson



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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, this video has emboldened me to take a crack at repacking my bearings. It has been two years, a trip to Powell and back, and five or six salt water launches. Not to mention I probably blew out the rear seals while trying to cope with the bearing buddies. I am pretty sure I can get the bearing buddies off once I have a jack stand. At least I now know what the parts inside a hub are. So I am going to give this a whirl.

I will go buy a jack stand, a punch, a bearing packer and a race tool. Some grease too, I know you can pack by hand, but the bearing packer seems better for me.

Now, the really dumb question. I have no idea when I go to NAPA to buy bearings, races, and inner seal what to ask for.
They will ask "what size?" and I will say "I don't know." This is a King Saltwater trailer for a CD25. Are the bearing parts standard for this trailer or do they vary?

Thanks!
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Spike



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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pat
If I was you I would go to a trailer supply shop with the year, make, and model of your trailer. All that info should be on a data plate on the tongue
of your trailer. I have had real good luck using 6 Robblees trailer supply for both bearing and brake parts. I would think a well stocked auto parts store should be able to help you out. One word of caution though try and stay away from Chinese made bearings. Its hard to do these days, and it may be all you can get. There was a write up about this issue awhile back. May be better now.

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Salmon Fisher



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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 10:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here is way that may help you even more. My local Napa has a machine shop and I have simply taken the hub in. They disassemble, source parts, clean up, repack and give back to me.
I then reinstall the hub which means getting it the hub seated properly onto spindle without messing up the seal, get the bearing race on the outside put in correctly, washer, nut and cotter pin, tightening nut correctly.
This takes a lot of the mess out of the equation and just means a lot less work and hassle. So check to see if your Napa can do this.
Good Luck!

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thataway



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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Timken US made bearings are probably your best bet. There are only a few number of bearings, and grease seals--pretty standard. Probably have tapered bearings.

If I have a question about the size--I will measure the bearings with a digital caliper-(not that expensive)--measure the inside and outside of the seal OD, and ID of the old seal. Trailer superstore has a good selection.

You want the double grease seals--not the single.

I have just used my fingers for bearing packing all of my life--But the bearing packer would make it a bit quicker and easier. I am glad you are doing this!

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Sunbeam



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 2:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a note that some (all?) Timken bearings may not be made in the US anymore. I did use these when I first had my trailer done a few years ago. This time around I was not able to find US-made Timkens (I was able to find Timkens, just not US made) so I did a bit of research and, based on that, chose Japan-made SK bearings instead. Don't know what you may find, but just something to check if you care where your bearings are made.
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localboy



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Races usually come with the bearings. The current bearings should have part numbers on them. I know the part numbers are also on here somewhere, as I went thru this in the past. Let me search. As to packing the bearings, it can be done by hand and is quite easy. Like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhL1uAp_WCw I wear latex/nitrile gloves though.

Check out this thread, Pat. http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=15745&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=bearings&start=15

Part numbers are there for everything, even the rear seals. 6 Roblees is a good source or on-line.

There is also a step by step on doing the repack with pics I took. I've used the blue marine grease in the pics with excellent results. It can be bought in tubes too.
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El and Bill



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 1:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get your bearing, Buddy!
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Pat Anderson



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

localboy wrote:
Races usually come with the bearings. The current bearings should have part numbers on them. I know the part numbers are also on here somewhere, as I went thru this in the past. Let me search. As to packing the bearings, it can be done by hand and is quite easy. Like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhL1uAp_WCw I wear latex/nitrile gloves though.

Check out this thread, Pat. http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=15745&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=bearings&start=15

Part numbers are there for everything, even the rear seals. 6 Roblees is a good source or on-line.

There is also a step by step on doing the repack with pics I took. I've used the blue marine grease in the pics with excellent results. It can be bought in tubes too.


Thanks, Mark - that old thread was actually rattling around in the back of my brain as well! Those part numbers were the Posi-Lube (or whatever) hub I had on the trailer back then, in 2014 all hubs and brakes were switched out to what I have not. Would the part numbers be the same in either case? I am going to check with the shop that did the replacement of the hubs and brakes in 2014 to see if they can tell me what races, bearings and seal they used. Maybe they will be able to tell me, maybe not...
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localboy



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Would the part numbers be the same in either case?


Hmmmm....honestly, I don't know. I did not know the hubs and all where changed. Do you know the brand he replaced them with? I'd start there, like you planned. If he can provide the make/brand you could find the parts needed easily enough. Last resort is to see if the bearings have a part number on them , which they should.

Myriad sizes: http://www.easternmarine.com/Trailer-Wheel-Bearings-Races/

Usually, the hubs/spindles are the permanent part of the entire assembly and the rotors/calipers & bearings/races are replaced. It may be that he left the original spindles on the trailer and removed the front zirk fitting from the axle, thus making the SUPER LUBE no longer functional, but without it being apart, I'd have no way to know.
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Pat Anderson



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 8:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also looked everywhere, not just on the tongue but everywhere else, for a plate stating the manufacturer (King Saltwater Trailers), the year, the model, the serial number and so forth. There is no plate that I could find anywhere On the tongue there are only a couple of safety decals. Where is this alleged plate located on anybody else's King trailer?
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localboy



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 8:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On ours there is a sticker on the port inner frame, just aft of where the tongue splits off into the triangle member. It has the model, VIN etc...but I can no longer read any of that info. Rolling Eyes The model number is on the other thread I posted; yours should be the same.I'd imagine. It should also be on your trailer reg.

If Estes can't give you the info you require, my suggestion would be to disassemble one bub, clean up the bearings and you should get part numbers. I use mineral spirits and something to soak/rinse them in...and lots of paper towels.


Last edited by localboy on Wed Jun 01, 2016 8:49 pm; edited 1 time in total
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