I wonder why your Buddies are coming loose. Mine have stayed on for at
least 29 years. Maybe mine were rusted on, or maybe high speed is the
problem. California has a 55 mph speed limit for trailers, but it is hard
to stay under 60 on an Interstate and I often find myself going 65 or 70
before I notice.
How did losing the Buddy trash the axle?
Harry
>Bill,
>I thought about drilling a hole for a set screw as well. I worried about
>unbalancing the hub but I guess that it is not a problem. My are currently
>secured with two wraps of duct tape which has held up very well.
>
>Richard, Lubbock
>
>> ----------
>> From: Bill Combs
>> Sent: Sunday, September 5, 1999 6:14 PM
>> To: wwpotter@tscnet.com
>> Subject: Re: Bearing Buddies
>>
>> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>> West Wight Potter Website at URL
>> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
>> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>> Pretending to no particular expertise, but claiming a _lot_ of
>> experience, I want to say a good word for Bearing Buddies, despite
>> their having let me down a time or two.
>>
>> I've lost two on the Interstate, in one instance trashing the whole
>> axle, but I still use them. Short of the system that shoots grease
>> from a remote fitting on the axle into the hub area, I think BBs offer
>> the best chance of preserving your bearings.
>>
>> Bearing Buddies are not full-on wonderful as is, however. They do tend
>> to spin off at speed and are subject to misuse. The keys to success
>> are:
>> - Restrain their impulse to wander: I drilled & tapped a small hole
>> thru the lip of the hub and screw therein a SS setscrew that contacts
>> the edge of the BB. I know of folks who knurled (or thoroughly
>> scratched up w/ a chisel) the BB edge that inserts into the hub, also
>> solving the problem. Harnesses are possible.
>> - Don't overload: pump in grease only until the disk _just_ moves and
>> do so only when it _won't_ move (won't "wiggle" I believe was the
>> phrase). Check at major milestones: departure, arrival, before
>> immersing, or daily.
>> - Seal the little vinyl caps w/ a _very_ light coating of grease under
>> the lip and install them as if you were burping Tupperware.
>>
>> Letting the hubs cool before immersing is nonetheless still the single
>> most effective way of preserving bearings, w or w/o BBs.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Bill Combs
>> WWP 19 #439 (Aug 1987)
>> "Ursa Minor"
>> Fort Walton Beach FL
>> ttursine@gnt.net
>>
>>