Bearing Buddies

gingercoastie · 22 May 2003, 18:50

Whilst watching "Getting Afloat" on discovery home and leisure, they mention bearing buddies.

Aparently they force grease into the trailor bearing under pressure, stopping any water getting in.

Sounds a good idea to me, anybody else heard of them, or where to get them from.

geoff · 22 May 2003, 19:05

My understanding is that these will only work on unbraked trailers i.e. total weight of trailer and boat must be less than 750kg. I had them on my first trailer and its still going strong on the same set of bearings 5 years later. You cant put them onto a braked trailer because grease and brakes err dont go together!

gingercoastie · 22 May 2003, 19:07

Geoff,

Thanks for that. I am fairly ignorant in the ways of trailers.

David Hickman · 22 May 2003, 19:12

I had them on my small rib trailer which was not braked. Got mine fromthe indespension centre. I think they call them "bearing savers". Worked really well. I fitted them after the first year and was advised to fit new bearings with them.
I wanted to have them on my twin axle braked but not available! Even the hubs don't have grease nipples on them. Anyone with the same problem?

Jono Garton · 22 May 2003, 20:35

Hi

Bearing Savers from Indespension work on all 2" hubbs.

On trailers with breaks the bearing are inside the hub not in the drum.

I am a big fan of these, but check your hub size before buying.

You can buy them direct from Indespension in Bolton.

ozz · 22 May 2003, 20:56

I am pretty sure I have got them on my 4 wheel trailer and that has got brakes. I can fill it up with a greese gun and then a spring pushes the greese onto the bearings until it runs out. Not sure if this is the same thing though.

David Hickman · 22 May 2003, 21:05

I will get onto Bramber tomorrow then. Hopefully I can fit them to my trailer asap.

Jono Garton · 22 May 2003, 21:14

Check make sure you have got tapered bearing first. No point greasing sealed bearings.

If you have got tapered and cannot get Bearing Savers, just buy some grease nipples from halfords (25p each) and drill the correct size hole in your hub cap, then self tap them in.

You will have to grease more often than with bearings savers but a cheaper alternative.

I have just fully refurbished Brakes, Cables, Bearings on a super roller coaster 7 ready for my new RIB (hopefully The Pro Sport 7.5 with twin Yam 115 four strokes if Jason comes up with a cracking price and delivery).

David Hickman · 22 May 2003, 21:20

Sounds a nice package!
I hope to change my RIB for a new twin engined rib over next winter for the same reasons as you, twin engine instruction.
Good idea for the bearings. Fed up of maintenance costs on my trailer that I now have it lifted in/out by crane when the engine needs servicing etc. Rib is normally kept on the marina.

Thanks for the advice.