Wheel Bearings Showing Heat?

[Foto-n-T]

Although some will dis-agree with me (there's a first), I'm not a fan of Bearing Buddies on hubs that have brakes. The pressure of the piston forces grease into the bearings and holds it there right up until you get a wheel seal that starts to leak. Then it forces the grease right out of the back of the hub and into your brake backing plate area fouling the brakes. Bearing buddies are meant for boat trailers that see a lot of immersion in water and prevent water from getting to the bearings.

The best method is to do an annual wheel bearing re-pack and brake inspection replacing the wheel seals at the same time. Just because a Bearing Buddy keeps the hub filled with grease doesn't mean that it's "good" grease, the stuff does have a lifespan and replacing with fresh is cheap insurance against catastrophic failure.

 

[warsw]

OK....here is your first LOL. My new trailer came from the factory with bear buddy type hubs. And I think most of the newer trailers do. It seems they're not too worried. I have been using them as long as I can remember on every trailer I have owned and have never had any problems (ever) or failed bearings.

 

[Foto-n-T]

What most new trailers come with are not pressurized Bearing Buddies, it's simply a zirk fitting that does indeed put grease into the hub, mine does have these and I DID use them. That is until I tore down the hubs this last fall and realized exactly how the ones on my rig work. Here is a link to the post that I did after doing a tear down of all six wheel positions. I understand that some of the systems are better than others, mine in particular only has one grease gallery and places grease in only one area of the inside bearing, the rest of the inside bearing and the entire outside bearing is getting nothing more than leftovers of used grease. Not to mention that it takes a pot load of grease to fill one of those hubs, most of which will simply take up space and serve no purpose.

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=57937.msg533190#msg533190

I'm not saying that Bearing Buddies are bad, I'm simply stating that there really is no substitute for actually taking the hubs apart and "Looking" as well as replacing old grease that has been exposed to moisture, heat and dirt with fresh stuff.

Keep in mind that the zirk fittings that are on the spindles of most new trailers are there in part as an effort to make it easier for the owner to at least "try" to maintain one of the most ignored and yet one of the most high stress components of the trailer.  Using the zirk fittings is by far better than not putting anything in there and just hoping that those bearings and races will be just fine for "one more trip."

My personal preference as someone who likes to know how everything works so that one day when it fails I just might be able to fix it, is to do a complete tear-down, re-pack and brake inspection once a year. I realize that not everybody has the knowledge or the inclination to tackle a job like this and RV techs will severely punish your wallet if you get them to do it. As with all things, I encourage folks to do what works for them but I also like to keep in mind that there are a bunch of "New' RV owners that read this forum even if they never post. With a new RV owner I'm very careful to suggest that something simple like wheel bearings are something that should be taken for granted simply because there's a little hole there that allows them to shoot grease into someplace that they can't see and might not even understand.

 

[eliallen]

Not to mention that it takes a pot load of grease to fill one of those hubs,

That depends on the size,  my hubs with 15" tires don't take that much more. "If used correctly they will work fine but , will not take the place of regular maintenance. My first trailer had them and I blew the seals out with a air power grease gun. 

 

[warsw]

What most new trailers come with are not pressurized Bearing Buddies

The last two travel trailers I have had did have spring-loaded bearing hubs. They were not the Bearing Buddy brand but worked the same. If used right they work very well. The mistake most make is to over grease because it is so easy to keep pumping grease. You want to only add until you start to see the spring move. You do not want to continue pumping until the spring stops. On my new trailer (2013) they actually have a relief hole so you can?t over grease them. Once the disk moves out past a certain point the grease just comes out the relief.

 

[Foto-n-T]

This last fall when I did my hubs I learned that there is specialty wheel seal designed for brake equiped hubs running pressurized grease fittings, the kid at the auto parts store grabbed them instead of the standard ones and rang them up not knowing the difference. When he told me the price for six of them was over $140 I about fell over!!  I don't know if they actually work better than the $3 ones and I guess I'll never know, I had him find the non-pressure hub seals.

 

[denmarc]

Not to mention that it takes a pot load of grease to fill one of those hubs, most of which will simply take up space and serve no purpose.

Old wives tale.  For those of us who have hand packed bearings "in the old days", it really only takes a couple of palms full of grease.  And that is for two axles worth of bearings.  Of which alot of that is spread on the races and the outside of the bearings before installation.  If you end up with a hub full of grease, you wasted most of it.

You have to remember that the grease is there as a lubricant and a rust/corrosion inhibitor.  Not to dissipate heat to the extent you may think.

Bearing Buddies do work, but at the expense of wasted grease.  And only if used at regular intervals. So far, the only tried and true method is to either have the bearings repacked by a shop or learn how to do it at home.  Prepare to get dirty, develop some confidence in your own work, and then enjoy your camping season.

 

[Foto-n-T]

The "Pot Load" of grease I was referring to was the amount needed to fill the void in the hub just to get grease to both bearings when using Bearing Buddies or a zirk fitting on the spindle. That much grease is just basically taking up space.

 

[denmarc]

The "Pot Load" of grease I was referring to was the amount needed to fill the void in the hub just to get grease to both bearings when using Bearing Buddies or a zirk fitting on the spindle. That much grease is just basically taking up space.

Exactly my point.  We are on the same page.  Bravo.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

I rather pack my own bearing every year instead of using bearing buddy or other systems. Because then you have the chance of pulling the bearing out washing them and inspecting them for damage. Then replace any damage bearings or parts at that point. Now with bearing buddies people assume everything is fine and doesn't need to be inspected. Kind of blind faith.

 

[denmarc]

Now with bearing buddies people assume everything is fine and doesn't need to be inspected. Kind of blind faith.

Great point!  If you don't keep up on the maintenance on a regular basis, you won't know if you are delveloping a problem.  Bearing Buddies can be a reason to forget about those bearings thinking that aspect is taken care of.  Not so!  They help, yes.  But if there is a plugged grease fitting, dirty grease in the cone preventing new grease from passing through due to neglect, etc...whatever reason, you wouldn't know it until you and your family are on you way to your favorite vacation spot and a bearing burns up!  Murphy's Law!

 

[tvman44]

No bearing buddies for me on a trailer with brakes, too easy to put too much grease and ruin your brakes.  Bearing buddies were designed for boat trailers to pressurize the hub too prevent water infiltration when submerging warm hubs in water as when launching a boat.

 

[denmarc]

No pressure in the wheel hubs.  The seal on the backside of the wheel only seals contaminates out and retains a certain amount of grease in. Grease under the pressure of a grease gun will come out the seal with no doubt, if the hub is full.  The seals (in good condition) is what is keeping the water out of your boat trailer hubs.  Unless the hubs are chuck full of grease with no room for water.  The usual explanation. 

I am assuming you hand/manually pack the bearings on your boat trailer.  If so, I salute you!  I thought I was the only one left on the planet doing so!

 

[lavarock1210]

A bona fide Bearing Buddy is under pressure ( approximately 3 psi ).  If the Bearing Buddy is installed correctly with a good double lip seal and the grease adjusted as per instructions they work very well on boats and can be used on trailers.  http://www.bearingbuddy.com/how.html.  Most current 5th wheels and TT do not have a Bearing Buddy.  The Easy Lube is often mistaken for a Bearing Buddy.

 

[Foto-n-T]

At least on my part I was using the term "Bearing Buddy" as a generic. I've used them before on submersible axles and they work great in that application.

 

[warsw]

At least on my part I was using the term "Bearing Buddy" as a generic. I've used them before on submersible axles and they work great in that application.

X2......Most of the new TT and 5th/W do now come from the factory with "Bearing Buddy" type hubs. They do work great. You just don't want to over grease them.

 

[lavarock1210]

If you will take the time to determine how a Bearing Buddy works you will find they are no more like the Easy Lube used on many trailers than a car is like a 1 ton truck for towing.  Totally different applications and method in which they work.  The Bearing Buddy is used to prevent water from entering the grease cavity when submersed in cold water.  The Easy Lube does not provide such protection.  A Bearing Buddy can not be over greased.  It will expel any excessive grease as it is pumped and make a mess but will not damage the grease seal.

 

[warsw]

If you will take the time to determine how a Bearing Buddy works you will find they are no more like the Easy Lube used on many trailers than a car is like a 1 ton truck for towing.  Totally different applications and method in which they work.  The Bearing Buddy is used to prevent water from entering the grease cavity when submersed in cold water.  The Easy Lube does not provide such protection.  A Bearing Buddy can not be over greased.  It will expel any excessive grease as it is pumped and make a mess but will not damage the grease seal.

You are right about the ?Easy Lub?. A little different animal. I had it in my head they were similar in operation to the ?Bearing Buddy? when they are not. If used right the ?Easy Lub? looks like a much better system. Thanks for getting me to learn what I really had.

The older "Bearing Buddy's" could be over grease (no relief hole). The newer ones now have the relief hole, which expels the grease after the disk has moved out so far. A much better system IMHO.

I stop adding grease before it gets to that point. Much less messy. Fact is you should stop adding grease as soon as you see the disk start to move.

 

[lavarock1210]

You are right about the ?Easy Lub?. A little different animal. I had it in my head they were similar in operation to the ?Bearing Buddy? when they are not. If used right the ?Easy Lub? looks like a much better system. Thanks for getting me to learn what I really had.

The older "Bearing Buddy's" could be over grease (no relief hole). The newer ones now have the relief hole, which expels the grease after the disk has moved out so far. A much better system IMHO.

I stop adding grease before it gets to that point. Much less messy. Fact is you should stop adding grease as soon as you see the disk start to move.

The "Easy Lube" will not work for a boat trailer.  It will not prevent water from entering the hub when a hot hub is backed into a cold lake when launching a boat.  The Bearing Buddy has had the relief system as far back as 1976.  I have a 1975 boat trailer with such Bearing Buddies.  You are correct about proper greasing of the Bearing Buddy.  My point was if you continue to pump in grease it will not expel out the grease seal.

 

[warsw]

The "Easy Lube" will not work for a boat trailer.  It will not prevent water from entering the hub when a hot hub is backed into a cold lake when launching a boat.  The Bearing Buddy has had the relief system as far back as 1976.  I have a 1975 boat trailer with such Bearing Buddies.  You are correct about proper greasing of the Bearing Buddy.  My point was if you continue to pump in grease it will not expel out the grease seal.

I have a "Bearing Buddy" that is a lot newer than 1976 in the garage and there are no relief holes in it. Would you like me to take a picture! Its about 12 years old. I also have one that is two years old. It has the relief hole.