Trailer hub automatic bearing greaser

[Mick_Marsh]

I thought I'd put this to the brains trust.
I'm thinking of puting those hub caps with the grease nipple and spring on my trailer. You know the ones. You pump them full of grease and as the bearings rotate the grease works it's way through.
Is there any reason why I should or shouldn't do this?
What are the consequences or benefits?
Thanking you all in advance.

[Landover]

You are talking about bearing buddies. There do work well keeping the outer bearing greased, but for them to get grease to the inner the hub would have to be packed solid. This would cause the hub to over heat. They can put pressure on the inner seal and weap a bit.

I ran them on the boat trailer and have gone back to standard packing and cap. This way I can check the bearing condition at the same time.

If you want to try them you can use mine for a while.

[Mick_Marsh]

At the risk of sounding Yodaish:
I don't want to try or not try. I want to do or not do.
I'm after peoples experiences and advice. Then, I'll either buy some or not.

Thankyou for your experience and advice. Just the information I am after.

[Landover]

Let me rephrase that, if you like you can have.

[Mick_Marsh]

Thanks Dave.
So far you have convinced me it is not a good idea.
If thousands of people venomously disagree with you, I'll keep your kind offer in mind.
I suspect you may be on the money though.

[stevo]

I went away from the bearing buddy alway found the inner bearing would get some water in it went to oil filled hubs it has a clear cap on the end to check the oil and if it goes milky drain the oil out flush it out and refill, been over 4 years since i have replaced a bearing repco sells them

[Blknight.aus]

they also fall out...

[scanfor]

Yep, one of mine is on the side of the road between Roma and Toowoomba.

[redrovertdi]

I love them, on the boat and work trailers. Dont buy the plastic rubbish ones from supercrap.

[Blknight.aus]

Im for the oil conversion if the seal faces on the stubs are up for it.

if they're not dont forget that when you speedy sleeve the face you should sand the face first with emery paper and use loctite 680 to hold the speedy sleeve on.

[Davehoos]

I see plenty over the years and now the boat trailer coming in have plastic shrunk stuff to hold these on and water proof.

I recently tried to use one to grease a troublesome slasher guide wheel -its a trailer bearing hub last 6 months,normally rust.

all that happend was it needed the inside seal to be removed to get the gease to the inner bearing.the grease pumped in came out through the bearing budy as it rotated.
my project was to be to drill the hub and fit a grease nipple to allow grease pumped in to the center-but im thinking now this will only pop out the lid and seal.

we are using a thick grease caltex liplex II[?].the type of plant we use requires lubrication in extream conditions.it doesnt wash out in water.

previously work use lubrication engineers products--these take too long to clean up prior to repairs,and a not next service person freindly--so i found out..

my dealership service work i prefer to use the old runny grease and do it often--im inclined to recomend the oil conversion-and check bearng tension a few times after service.if its good enough for trucks.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

A long time ago when someone was paid to teach me to grease bearings(amoungst other things:angel:) the golden rule was two thirds grease, one third air.

and after lots and lots of trailer miles I havent seen anything to change that.