Why Do Bearing Buddies Fall Off of a Trailer Hub

Published 06/03/2015

Question:

Why does the bearing buddy fall off the hub?

asked by: Tommy

Expert Reply:

If the Bearing Buddies are not the correct size or are not driven in straight then they can fall off due to the centrifugal force when the wheels spin.

To ensure you get the right size you can go by the bearing numbers of the hubs or measure the hole where the Bearing Buddies sit using dial or digital calipers to get the most accurate measurement.

To drive in a Bearing Buddy the manufacturer recommends using a block of wood held against the Bearing Buddy and then driving it in using a mallet or hammer. The block of wood evenly distributes the force of the mallet/hammer blows so that the Bearing Buddy is properly seated in the hub.

In the video I linked our installer just uses a mallet. If you do that you will need to make sure that you tap it in all around the Bearing Buddy and not repeatedly in one spot.

expert reply by: Michael H