Replacement Bearing Buddy Grease Caps for Boat Trailer Used in Salt Water
Updated 06/20/2016 | Published 06/17/2016
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Question:
I think I overpacked my bearing buddies with your marine grease. They fell off in salt water exposing the castle nut. I am going to buy new bearing buddies but do I have to change all the bearings and races again because the bearing buddies fell off while dipped in salt water. Thanks for your expertise.
asked by: Joe P
Expert Reply:
It is possible to over-fill a hub when a Bearing Buddy is in use because they make it so easy to pump in wheel bearing grease. Usually the victim of an over-filled hub is the inner grease seal, however, not the Bearing Buddy itself. You'd blow out your inner seal long before you'd push off a Bearing Buddy in normal circumstances.
You may have installed the wrong size, or not fully seated them in the hub bore. If your inner grease seals are still intact (no obvious grease leakage) then chances are you had the wrong size or did not seat them fully.
Since your hubs may have filled with salt water, you will want to remove them, clean your spindles, bearings, races, etc, and re-assemble with fresh marine wheel bearing grease like # L11402. Brief exposure to salt water may not have damaged anything so unless you find corrosion in the bearings or races you can just do a thorough cleaning of the hub bore and those parts and then reassemble.
Take care not to over-fill the hubs with grease to avoid damaging the grease seal. If you think you have the wrong size Bearing Buddy installed you can use the linked page to see all sizes. To confirm your correct size, measure your hub bore using a digital caliper like # PTW80157, and then select a Bearing Buddy with a matching outer diameter.
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Bearing Buddy Bearing Protectors - Model 1980A-SS w/ Auto Check - Stainless Steel (Pair)
- Trailer Bearings Races Seals Caps
- Caps
- Bearing Protector Grease Cap
- 1.99 Inch
- 2000 lbs Axle
- 2500 lbs Axle
- 3500 lbs Axle
- Bearing Buddy
more information >
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