Is this a bearing buddy? 2023 AR 250

[thedon]

Do i just tap it with a hammer to remove the end? my wave runner trailer just has normal ez lube axles

 

[flyingnugget]

Yes, the black rubberized cap, says shorelander, is where you add bearing grease via a zerk fitting. To removed the whole bearing buddy, take a soft mallet and start tapping it from all sides and it will start to come out. Don't whale on it, be firm, but not like nailing a nail with a hammer force.

I'd clean that area off before working on it to prevent debris from getting everywhere.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I don’t have a lot of experience with bearing buddies, but, I’ve found that once they’ve been installed and you remove them the interference fit is reduced when re installing so much so that I’ve lost one and found another loose. Now when I remove them I replace them with new ones.

Unless the wheel bearing is loose, there is a grease seal leak, or they were run with too little grease allowing the piston to bottom out and not keep positive internal grease pressure when submerging the trailer and water intrusion is suspected there is really no need to remove them.

As the instructions say below, when first using them, keep checking them / adding grease as the air pockets work their way out of the hub cavity and the piston collapses. When adding grease to the bearing buddy don’t add so much that there is no room left for the piston to move outward, the spring is fully compressed, when the grease expands when it gets hot. There is a built in pressure relief that will allow excess grease / pressure to escape but it makes a big mess under the dust cap.

How Genuine BB® Works | BearingBuddy

www.bearingbuddy.com

When I make a long trip to go boating I will check the pistons as the directions say by pushing on one side of the piston before launching my boat just to make sure the piston is sitting on grease.

These are far superior to EZ lube axles in that EZ lube axles do not keep positive internal pressure on the grease to keep water out.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

I don’t have a lot of experience with bearing buddies, but, I’ve found that once they’ve been installed and you remove them the interference fit is reduced when re installing so much so that I’ve lost one and found another loose. Now when I remove them I replace them with new ones.

Unless the wheel bearing is loose, there is a grease seal leak, or they were run with too little grease allowing the piston to bottom out and not keep positive internal grease pressure when submerging the trailer and water intrusion is suspected there is really no need to remove them.

As the instructions say below, when first using them, keep checking them / adding grease as the air pockets work their way out of the hub cavity and the piston collapses. When adding grease to the bearing buddy don’t add so much that there is no room left for the piston to move outward, the spring is fully compressed, when the grease expands when it gets hot. There is a built in pressure relief that will allow excess grease / pressure to escape but it makes a big mess under the dust cap.

How Genuine BB® Works | BearingBuddy

www.bearingbuddy.com

When I make a long trip to go boating I will check the pistons as the directions say by pushing on one side of the piston before launching my boat just to make sure the piston is sitting on grease.

These are far superior to EZ lube axles in that EZ lube axles do not keep positive internal pressure on the grease to keep water out.

I have had them on my sailboat trailer and like them as well. This post reminds me I need to order a new set for my new (to me sailboat).

Jim