Bearing buddy to blame?

[huntindog]

The rubber plug keeps water out of the bearing, so as long as the plug is in place there will be no way for water to enter the bearing. If you leave the rubber plug out though...

The deal with boat trailers is that in most cases a hot hub is plunged into cold water. This rapidly cools it and creates a vaccum inside. Since it is submerged it cannot suck in air. It can only suck in water. The path of least resistance will be where the water will enter. It can be the seal, or the rubber plug.

Bearing buddies solve this problem. They have a zerk screwed into a small spring loaded plunger in the cap. As the grease is pumped into the bearing cavity filling it, the plunger pushes against the spring and it moves out of the cap. When you see a green ring appear on its side, the hub is full and under a little pressure. When it gets dunked in water and cooled the plunger moves into the cap reducing the vaccum in the hub, while remaining sealed
For those using EZlubes on boat trailers... There is a lot riding on the condition of the seal and that rubber plug.

[Hoopy Frood]

The deal with boat trailers is that in most cases a hot hub is plunged into cold water. This rapidly cools it and creates a vaccum inside. Since it is submerged it cannot suck in air. It can only suck in water. The path of least resistance will be where the water will enter. It can be the seal, or the rubber plug.

Bearing buddies solve this problem. They have a zerk screwed into a small spring loaded plunger in the cap. As the grease is pumped into the bearing cavity filling it, the plunger pushes against the spring and it moves out of the cap. When you see a green ring appear on its side, the hub is full and under a little pressure. When it gets dunked in water and cooled the plunger moves into the cap reducing the vaccum in the hub, while remaining sealed
For those using EZlubes on boat trailers... There is a lot riding on the condition of the seal and that rubber plug.

I only posted that because you had posted twice, incorrectly stating that the EZ-Lube is open to allow water to enter. I just posted that there is a rubber plug in place. I don't use the EZ-Lube feature, and don't feel it's necessary, but that's JMO.

[huntindog]

I only posted that because you had posted twice, incorrectly stating that the EZ-Lube is open to allow water to enter. I just posted that there is a rubber plug in place. I don't use the EZ-Lube feature, and don't feel it's necessary, but that's JMO.

IMO, that rubber plug is a dust cover.

[Buckskin]

I just returned from camping trip in Florida and guy there had GD 2150 -2018. He was using just Easy Lube and never pulled drum and did wheel bearing repack/inspction. He had bearing seize and melted bearing and damaged spindle - must of been close to campground as he made it in. Mobile repair service was going to replace complete axle assembly; axle, spindles, brakes and drums. He had very expensive learing experience.
I told him how it should be done correctly and what parts, grease, etc he needed to complete job. One thing I learned the hard way, wait until weather warms up; grease flows easier in warm weather with hand bearing grease packer.

Ordered this and will evaluate when it arrives to see if I think it will work and hold up over time - otherwise it will be returned.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BCG3TGNH...roduct_details

[jleonard]

Ordered this and will evaluate when it arrives to see if I think it will work and hold up over time - otherwise it will be returned.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BCG3TGNH...roduct_details

I recently bought a similar one (made by Lisle) and it works "ok-ish", but I still did some hand packing to get more grease in the bearings. And this was in Florida in October, so the weather was warm, and the grease was flowing good.
It also retains a lot of grease after packing, but I guess it's there for next time.

[Linndoren]

Thanks for the info, this was the last and cleanest of the hubs. Unfortunately I was green as green could be when I got the TT and didn’t notice my poor braking.

[Linndoren]

Thanks for the clarification. I have come to the conclusion that I should not use them either. I agree the equipment is not to blame but having it installed gave someone the opportunity to over grease.

[Second Chance]

Thanks for the info, this was the last and cleanest of the hubs. Unfortunately I was green as green could be when I got the TT and didn’t notice my poor braking.

Thanks for the clarification. I have come to the conclusion that I should not use them either. I agree the equipment is not to blame but having it installed gave someone the opportunity to over grease.

@Linndoren -

Here are a few forum tips:

1) If you use "Reply With Quote" (to the right of "Reply") as I have here, folks will know to whom you are responding and that person will get a notification.

2) You can also tag folks using the "@" symbol and their user name (as I have done yours) - they'll also get a notification that way.

Rob

[Linndoren]

All I can say is WOW.
I cannot believe they are marketing it for that application!
OTOH, this is the same company that had (has still?) a video showing how to use the EZ Lube feature.
That was a joke. It showed a single band of dirty grease exiting the outer bearing (where water will enter) and they call it done. That dirty grease was from the outer bearing. The inner bearing dirty grease is still in the hub!

After reading the instructions I think I have a very probable answer for all the grease in my brake drums. I’m sure they used a powered grease gun, you know to save time and effort. No matter, the issue has been rectified and I have learned a valuable skill and lesson, as well as the proper way to use an EZ-lube. I Just have to be more diligent about maintenance as I am almost a full timer. I knew better I don’t let my truck miss any maintenance because I rely on it, my TT is just as important but I for some reason took the Ostrich approach. I will still do it manually myself though, I don’t want to risk it again.

[Linndoren]

It was the leaf... the leaf did it.

DOH!!!! How did I not put two and four together?!🧐🤭