Bearing buddies/ savers

[Johno99]

Hi again,
I’ve just bought a Bombard 500 on an Extreme trailer which I’ve been refurbishing. I’ve fitted new wheel bearings and I wanted to fit bearing buddies as I’ve used them before and been really pleased with them. Problem is that the genuine bearing buddies don’t have one that fits my hub or boss which is 40mm inside diameter. Does anyone know different please or know of a copy or another make which supplies them this size. Thanks

[Nasher]

They are a great piece of kit.

I had to skim mine down in my lathe to get them to fit my Indespension trailer when I replaced the axles.
Did it with a small bench grinder bolted to the saddle rather than try to cut the Chrome plate with a cutting tool.

Easy enough to get any local machine shop to do if there is a size available just a mm or so too big.
The trick is to get them to an 'interference fit'

[Johno99]

Hm, that’s a thought. I think the smallest I can get is 47mm so grinding down to 40mm will probably take all the material away. I’ve got one in my garage and as soon as it stops raining I’ll run out and take a look �� thanks

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Johno99

Hm, that’s a thought. I think the smallest I can get is 47mm so grinding down to 40mm will probably take all the material away. I’ve got one in my garage and as soon as it stops raining I’ll run out and take a look �� thanks

I’m sure they came in different sizes, have you looked at other brands? Which hubs do you have?

[Johno99]

I’ve looked at other brands but they all seem to be the same size. I’ve got an Alko hub 40mm.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Johno99

I’ve looked at other brands but they all seem to be the same size. I’ve got an Alko hub 40mm.

Al-Ko?? They aren’t sealed bearings by any chance?

[Johno99]

No mine are tapered bearings.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Johno99

No mine are tapered bearings.

Ah[emoji106]

[jeffstevens763@g]

I bought a set a few years ago never fitted them because I find the back seal wears on bearings so I just buy cheep bearings and change each season.

[Old seahorse]

On my previous trailer , with Alko (unbraked) hubs, after my first set of bearings failed, my neighbour suggested a mod to prolong bearing life. He drilled and tapped into the hubs, and fitted a grease nipples between the inner and outer bearings.
I kept them pumped with more grease every month or so, and never had problems for the next9 years of use.
It meant lying on the floor to gain access behind the wheel, but it worked a treat.

[Johno99]

Old Seahorse, I was thinking that and I think I read it somewhere. I’ve just changed the bearings and obviously repacked with fresh grease so I don’t want mess with anything now. I think it would be a fairly easy mod so if the bearings fail, next season for instance, I might have a go at this. I’ve had many many trailers over the years and I don’t recall any not having a grease nipple fitted.

[Old seahorse]

I can’t claim the credit for the idea, but it seems so simple it’s a shame they weren’t supplied like that, especially for boat trailers.
You don’t need to take the caps off to check, as the greases oozes out both ends, so grease is refreshed each time more is pumped in.

[Nasher]

I remember all the trailers we had under boats when I was young had hub grease nipples, and yes it was part of my Fathers routine to pump grease in until it came out both ends.
That was after stripping the hubs for a quick inspection at the beginning of the season.

But they were all non-braked trailers, I certainly wouldn't do that on anything with brakes.
I've had bearing savers fitted to my braked trailer for many years and have only had water ingress into the hubs a couple of times, and that was when the rear seals have failed.

[Pikey Dave]

Anyone with a lathe should be able to knock out some reducers to fit the standard savers into a 40mm bore.

[Nasher]

Hey PD.

The only issue I have with my Bearing savers is how much they stick out when fitted.

I'd be more than happy to make a collar to fit a smaller Bearing Saver into a larger hub, but I think a stepped adapter to connect a bigger Bearing saver to smaller hub would have you doing Ben Hur impressions.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Hey PD.

The only issue I have with my Bearing savers is how much they stick out when fitted.

I'd be more than happy to make a collar to fit a smaller Bearing Saver into a larger hub, but I think a stepped adapter to connect a bigger Bearing saver to smaller hub would have you doing Ben Hur impressions.

Yeah! It did occur to me that might be the case. Could the adapter be made so that the savers fitted over it, rather than into it. I.e. the adapter fits inside the bore of the saver, rather than the saver fitting inside the adapter? I’m not familiar with what the arrangement is inside the saver.

[Johno99]

It could be a bit of a problem with bearing savers sticking out. On my last trailer I actually lost one, not sure why but I think it must have got knocked off. I had to buy a pair so consequently I’ve got one new one in my garage but unfortunately it’s the wrong size.

[Nasher]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Yeah! It did occur to me that might be the case. Could the adapter be made so that the savers fitted over it, rather than into it. I.e. the adapter fits inside the bore of the saver, rather than the saver fitting inside the adapter? I’m not familiar with what the arrangement is inside the saver.

They might be able to be done this way, but can't remember for sure what depth there is on the inside bore before there is an internal circlip or similar to stop the sprung loaded plate just coming out the back.