Is this to much bearing grease?

[Thermobrett]

I regularly grease my bearing buddies on the trailer and never had an over heat issue, but am I over greasing the bearings? Does this amount seem normal?

 

[zipper]

Why so much grease around the zerk fitting. Did it leak out past the bearing buddy? Or did you apply that much on the outside? Do you have the blue indicator under there?

 

[Thermobrett]

I guess that answers some of my questions LOL.
I have always kept up with how I received the boat/trailer from the dealer. I always just pump grease into the fitting until I see the bearing buddy move out and they grease starts to flow around the bearing. I will then take a paper towel and wipe the excess off so its no so messy looking.
I assume more grease is better than less...

 

[zipper]

You are good, the bra will keep it off the rim. I assume you applied it there and it did not squeeze past the BB.

 

[zipper]

This was one of mine that failed and lost a bra going down the road. Grease leaked past the bearing buddy piston. Caused by heat from a stuck caliper. I replaced this BB with a new one

 

[Thermobrett]

This was one of mine needing grease, shown by the blue indicator that pushed a bra off going down the road. Grease leaked past the bearing buddy. Caused by heat from a stuck caliper.

View attachment 202371

I don’t think I have that. When I squeeze grease into the fitting, I can see the spring move out towards me and any water pushes out. I have the standard bearing buddies in the shorelandr trailer that comes with our Yamahas.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

That is too much grease. All that grease on the outside like that means the grease has gotten hot, expanded and pushed the piston out to the stop, had nowhere else to go, then pushed past the seal of the diaphragm/ piston.

If memory serves, when the bearings are cold the floating diaphragm / piston should just be able to be wiggled by pushing on one side. If it is fully collapsed it will not wiggle when one side is pushed on and a little bit of grease needs to be added.

The late model trailers did not come with the blue indicator.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Here you go…



here’s the link

https://www.bearingbuddy.com/faqs

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Blue indicator type instructions

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

It’s easy to want to put in too much grease, I’ve done it several times. It just makes a mess under the bra when there is too much grease, and I would theorize that when over filled and the hub gets hot and the grease escapes around the piston it may release all the pressure and allow the piston to collapse to its seat before the piston seal re seats which could allow a vacuum to form when the hub is dunked and rapidly cooled.

The whole point of the BB is to keep a tiny bit of positive pressure on the grease inside the hub so a vacuum can‘t ever be formed inside the hub when it goes under water and pull water in, the piston floats in and out as the grease heats / expands and cools / contracts.



I try to remember to pull the bras off and wipe out the little bit of water that gets pulled in there. A thought just occurred to me, when I put the bras on I push in on the center, wonder if I just used the outside if that would help to keep a vacuum from forming in that area and pulling water in .

 

[anmut]

LOL only inspecting every 5 years?! You know how anxious some of us would get if that were the case?!

 

[steveinmd]

I always allow some room for the piston to move. I don't fill to completely collapse the spring.

 

[Bottom Bracket]

Over service may result in a blown inner seal.

 

[Thermobrett]

Less is more at this point in time. Next time I grab the bot I will wipe all the excess grease off and see “actually” where the spring is prior to adding my lube.

 

[Thermobrett]

Going back to this thread. I had the new tires put on and when I got the boat home I wanted to ensure proper inflation and when I touched the right wheel, the rim was hot, but the left one wasn’t. I wiped all the grease (very dirty) from the hub and applied new grease (about 10 pumps) until the spring and zirc stopped moving then wiped the balance away. Should I be ok like this prior to putting the dust covers back on?
left wheel

right wheel

 

[zipper]

No, just let the pressure equalize, wipe off the excess and cap it.

 

[Thermobrett]

No, just let the pressure equalize, wipe off the excess and cap it.

Fantastic, thanks! BTW, new tires made a world of difference. No more fender vibrations and pulls so smoothly again.