bearing buddy issue

[SoupCanCowboy]

guys, i have an 07 classic, i purchased it used, and have always had an issue with the bearing buddies.

the issue is if i grease them at all, when i put the wheel centercap back on, it pushes grease out throu the axle hub seal.

this hasnt been an issue becose i take short trips and put a pump of grease in them often, but i am heading to a job in north carolina and will be there for a couple months,i am thinking about bringing the boat.

i am going to replace all bearings,seals and races since i have never done it, just always did an anual inpection and repack.

so i am considering replacing the bearing buddies with the regular caps….in the 3 years i have owned the boat i replaced one hub seal becose the grease got contaminated.

what do u think

rich

[schodackbassman]

Bearing buddies are fine, as long as you don’t use the grease fittings!  Really, if you have replaced all the seals front and back, repack the bearings, you should be good to go for years assuming you are using he red marine grease.  Rick P. did a youtube vid on this and said you can go 5 years or more without touching them.  Especially for those who mostly do short trips like you and I.  I have a 2020 Caracal that was sold in August of 2019.  I’ve never had them repacked.  I check the wheels for heat and if the are staying cool, I just leave them alone.  I put at most, 500 miles a year on my trailer.  For those who travel long distances frequently, it’s probably a good idea to have bearings cleaned/repacked every 3-5 years.  But Rick/BCB recommends NOT adding grease via the bearing buddy fittings because to often we put too much grease in and it blows out the rear seals which results in the grease spraying on your wheels and  bearing failure soon or later.  Simply clean, repack, then leave them the hell alone.

[Bass Cat Boats]

^^^ This…

Don’t ever put a grease gun on the Bearing Buddy cap as they can easily overpack the bearing cap. The pressures inside build and the rear seal becomes compromised. The grease has no place to go in a sealed system, so, they get more and more grease until it can hold no more.

On a 2007, you’re probably due. Just break it down, clean everything, rebuild brakes if necessary, hand pack the bearings and stuff the cavity, check bearings and races for abnormal wear, replace the rear seals with new ones.

*** And this one gets overlooked. You should… Replace the brake fluid and bleed the brake system. The fluid is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture over time, causing rust. We expect the brake system to be compromised after almost 20 years of neglect. You should be prepared to be down waiting on parts needed. 

BCB

[schodackbassman]

Yep, I had an 07 Classic and had problems with brakes.  Sure enough system was compromised and full of rust.  Had to replace entire system.  CR Marine took care of it and cleaned/packed bearing too.  Just had brakes flushed  on the 2020 Caracal last week.

[SoupCanCowboy]

thanks guys.. i tear it down every year and clean and repack the bearings so i will just do what i normaly do, just not add any grease throu the buddy.

i check often to see if the hub is warm, never has been.

good tip on the brake system as well will definetly do that

 

rich

[Author]

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