How Often Do Seals Need to be Replaced on Bearings with Bearing Buddies

Updated 06/11/2021 | Published 06/09/2021

Question:

I’ve had bearing buddies on my shoreland’r trailer for about 18,000 miles over the past few years, with ZERO problems. When traveling, it’s not unusual for me to travel 600-700 miles per day on longer trips. Almost without exception, all they need is 3-4 pumps of boat trailer grease, for each full day of travel. I also check the inside seals, to make sure that there is no grease leaking. That said, how often should I replace the seals, to ensure for no problems? Thank you!

asked by: John L

Expert Reply:

The Bearing Buddy Bearing Protectors # BB2441 provide premium protection for your wheel bearings. It is still recommended that you inspect the bearings, races, and seals every 12 months or 12,000 miles to ensure reliable performance on your trailer. Seals are typically designed to last the lifetime of your trailer but may need to be replaced for a number of reasons.

If the seal is no longer round or the rubber seems to be dry rotted, the seal will have to be replaced. Removing the grease seal from the hub will often damage it enough to require its replacement. If the seal does not seat well in the hub, it will not work properly. If you need to find a replacement for the seal, look for the numbers stamped in the rubber part of the seal. If you do not see any numbers, measure the inner and outer diameters of the seal.

I have attached a helpful article that covers the process for replacing bearings, races, and seals on a trailer hub that you may reference.

expert reply by: Robin H