Bearing Buddy Falling out (again 3rd time -same wheel) need help/advice

[dzeppos]

I have 2016 242- Shorelander Trailer. I've posted recently about the bent axle and new tires. Both solved, but every since they redid my brakes last month, i've lost three bearing buddies on the same left rear axle (which also has the brake)
I was half to Lake Mead 120 miles out - when I notice my bearing buddy was off. See attached.
Even though the last two times, each shop sent out a guy to reattach (They literally came off within a few miles).
So here I am, in Barstow - middle of nowhere, I find an RV show, and I happen to have extra bearing buddies 1.98 M198, and I make sure one of their guys hammers it in with a mallet, and puts gasket/epoxy (even though we did that each time). Further, I know it sounds crazy, I put duck table all round. Well - it worked. Got to Lake Mead and am going to take it to another trailer center to see what they can do.
My trailer guy back in California thinks the guy who did the breaks didn't resurface the rotors correctly. The store that did the brake rotors said the hub went bad. I don't think it would after 4 years and with faithful annual service on the trailer.

Two questions:
1. The wheel wells are hot. Not enough to melt something but both wheels on that axle (with the brakes) are hot after driving a good distance. I know they will be hotter than the other wheels on the non-break axle.
2. Anyone have any idea what it could causing the 3 bearing buddies to come out know over the past 4 trips (same wheel)? I'm going to Lake Powell - another 280 miles from Vegas -and can't afford to get stuck
Really appreciate any advice and/or suggestions
Thank you in advance
Demo Zeppos

 

[Dixie Highway]

Bearing buddies just press in, sounds like that hub is getting hot and letting it fall out. I’d invest in an infrared thermometer and verify the temps after driving a while. My guess is the left rear gets hotter than the right. I’d verify also that brake caliper is not dragging after the brake job and the bearing itself was not damaged during the brake job.

 

[Gym]

I'm guessing your caliper, on that side, is not fully releasing. If the brake pads are staying in contact with the rotor the hub will heat up. This would cause it to expand loosing its grip on your bearing buddy. Is the hub on the affected side hotter than the other side?

 

[dzeppos]

I'm guessing your caliper, on that side, is not fully releasing. If the brake pads are staying in contact with the rotor the hub will heat up. This would cause it to expand loosing its grip on your bearing buddy. Is the hub on the affected side hotter than the other side?

Learned a lot today about trailer's and hubs/bearings.
I found the best trailer guy in Las Vegas. Gary's Trailer Repair - he's a mobile trailer repair guy - phenomenal. 31 years in business, solo operator. Took the time to walk me through all of the issues.

He met me at my trailer and jacked it up and showed me the slight wobble of the left rear tire that has the disc brake (heard a clicking sound) and the tire would wobble about half inch when you pushed against it. The other tire without the brake didn't do that. He pulled the hub, and as he suspected, saw that the brake had some heat discoloration (not really bad) - but confirmed that the wobble of the tire (causing excessive camber) was rubbing against the brake and the bearing buddy since the wheel was slightly titled.

On the bearing side -it was not tightly installed, so with the boat and weight on trailer, it caused it to til inwards, thus the wheel was running slightly against the rotor, causing heat, but further, pushing against the small bearing buddy - that's why the bearing buddy on that tire kept coming out. He tightened the hub correctly (still a very small amount of tilt)- and now its perfect.
We checked opposite side tire to the axle (with the brake) and it done correctly, with no wobble when pushed against it.

Be sure when you ever get your brakes done, or a new axle, that the hub is attached correctly, with just enough tightness, so that it doesn't rock back and forth when you push on it, yet freely spins. I never lost a bearing buddy towing the past 4 years for 15,000 miles, and then lost three on the same wheel in 3 weeks- that was the cause.

Two lessons - use Gary's Trailer Repair if you in the Vegas/Lake Mead - legit and priced fairly; and two, bearing buddies don't just come out - if they do, it something indicative of a more systemic issue that must diagnosed.

Now - I'm ready to travel to Lake Powell - another 280 miles - should be a good trip.

 

[Liveto99]

Cool thanks for the info, and for the tip on Gary.

 

[ZGhost]

Precisely what @Gym and @Dixie Highway described. Revisit and correct the brake job, pistons likely getting stuck. Your next problem if this isn’t corrected will be the tire coming off the rim due to the excessive heat. I’d correct this problem ASAP and before this happens.

 

[dzeppos]

Brake job was actually good. I saw them take out the wheel and the hub - wasn’t fastened tight enough causing wheel to shimmy (camber back and forth slightly on right brake axle tire) which caused the brake rubbing (heat) And what knocks off your bearing since it will now slant outwards forcing off the hub over time if the hub isn’t fastened tight enough. I feel like i became a bearing hub expert (painfully) the past few months. Great learning experience