bearing buddy model number

[jkornfeld]

I lost one of my bearing buddys on my last camping trip, the whole assembly chrome cover, spring, grease zert and dust cover. I have my scamp in storage for the winter and I need the model number off the outer chrome part of the bearing housing so I can order a new one, I have a 2000 scamp 16ft. I think scamp uses the same bearing buddy on all scamps 2" ( not sure) if someone would be so kind as to look under the dust cover of their bearing buddy and give me the info. numbers or whatever I would appreciate it.
Thanks in advance.........Jack

[Brian B-P]

I have no idea why Scamp would use Bearing Buddies, since Scamps are not boat trailers. I would replace the missing unit with a standard dust cap to suit the axle. For instance, for a Dexter axle it appears from their catalog that it would be a K71-314-00 "Grease Cap".

[Byron Kinnaman]

I have no idea why Scamp would use Bearing Buddies, since Scamps are not boat trailers. I would replace the missing unit with a standard dust cap to suit the axle. For instance, for a Dexter axle it appears from their catalog that it would be a K71-314-00 "Grease Cap".

Scamp does NOT use Bearing Buddies, Dexter Axels us E-Z Lube bearings. Here the link to Dexter that describes the E-Z Lube bearings.

jkornfeld,
Contact Dexter, they should be able to help you.

[Brian B-P]

Jack described a Bearing Buddy, complete with the spring which does not exist in an E-Z Lube hub. Unlike a Bearing Buddy, the grease fitting of an E-Z Lube would not likely fall out with the cap, because that fitting is screwed into the spindle end (the Bearing Buddy fitting is on a spring-loaded floating piston in the end cap assembly).

Of course, if a Dexter axle is the E-Z Lube version, the cap to suit the axle would be different from that for a standard hub (for instance, K71-315-00 is the "E-Z Lube® Grease Cap & Plug Kit"). The Dexter Axle website has lots of good technical documentation showing all of the parts of their various axle configurations; find the picture of your stuff and you've got descriptions and part numbers.

[John Perry]

My personal opinion is anyone using bearing buddys or anything similiar is on anything but a boat trailer is asking for trouble especially if you have brakes on your trailer. You would be wise to get rid of them or not use them.
Wheel bearings, when properly cared for, are the most trouble free item on a trailer. Grease does not wear out. As long as the dust cap and the rear seals are in place and OK you do not need to do anything between bearing repacks.
I have attached a pic of s brake assembly off of aTrillium with bearing buddies I bought. The previous owner could not understand why his brakes did not work. I had to replace both complete brake assemblys.
Guess which one is the old brake and which one is new.
I think bearing buddies and similiar items are there to boost the gross price of the sale and in turn the commission of the salesman.
John

[Donna D.]

John, do not confuse Bearing Buddys with Dexter's EZ Lube System. They are completely different. Dexter is a well known and knowledgable builder of axles for travel trailers and wouldn't offer the EZ Lube system for travel trailers if was going to be a problem. Dexter's reputation depends upon it.

Grease doesn't wear out, but it does get contaminated, otherwise it wouldn't ever need to be replaced. The same can be said for motor oil.

[Dave N.]

Just to add to what Donna has said, I've seen wheel bearing grease separate ( the oil separates out and leaves a waxy like grease residue). The waxy grease residue doesn't flow around the hub and lubricate properly. Not sure if it happens from contamination, over heating, or just very extended age.

[jkornfeld]

I lost one of my bearing buddys on my last camping trip, the whole assembly chrome cover, spring, grease zert and dust cover. I have my scamp in storage for the winter and I need the model number off the outer chrome part of the bearing housing so I can order a new one, I have a 2000 scamp 16ft. I think scamp uses the same bearing buddy on all scamps 2" ( not sure) if someone would be so kind as to look under the dust cover of their bearing buddy and give me the info. numbers or whatever I would appreciate it.
Thanks in advance.........Jack

Thanks for the response to my wheel bearing question, this is my first scamp and I just assumed all scamps used bearing buddys. it never occured to me that the original bearing system could have been replaced. I'll have to look into it. in the mean time a 2" grease cap fit it perfectly, I will try to contact the previous owner to find out if he changed to the bearing buddy system and why. I know there are other RV's using the bearing buddy. I had an A-Liner with bearing buddys.

I appreciate all the opinions........Jack

[John Perry]

John, do not confuse Bearing Buddys with Dexter's EZ Lube System. They are completely different. Dexter is a well known and knowledgable builder of axles for travel trailers and wouldn't offer the EZ Lube system for travel trailers if was going to be a problem. Dexter's reputation depends upon it.

Grease doesn't wear out, but it does get contaminated, otherwise it wouldn't ever need to be replaced. The same can be said for motor oil.

You are right, that's why I added the caveat, if the seals are in place and OK.
When you add grease in excessive amounts it has to go somewhere. When you have brakes it is going to stay inside the brake drum and contaminate the brakes as in the picture creating a saftey issue. If you do not have brakes it is going to escape through the rear seal and get all over your tire and trailer possibly damaging the rear seal due to excessive pressure.
My point is most people do not have the experience to know when the bearings are in need of grease and will add a little {just to be safe} and this ends up creating a problem as indicated by the picture I posted.
When was the last time you had a wheel bearing problem on your tow vehicle? They use sealed bearings that you never have to add grease to. It does not wear our or separate unless it becomes contaminated.
I stand by my statement that wheel bearings, when properly maintained, are the least problematic item on your trailer and need nothing between routine services.
John

[Brian B-P]

Bearing Buddies and E-Z Lube both exist to prevent grease contamination by water, but [b]are quite different, and determining the appropriate replacement requires understanding which is in use.

Jack reported that he had Bearing Buddies, we still haven't seen any evidence that he actually has E-Z Lube, and I assume that John was responding appropriately to that.

Dexter is a well known and knowledgable builder of axles for travel trailers and wouldn't offer the EZ Lube system for travel trailers if was going to be a problem. Dexter's reputation depends upon it.

Originally posted by Dexter+ E-Z Lube web page-->

<!--QuoteBegin-Dexter@ Operation Maintenance Service Manual
[b]Note: The convenient lubrication provisions of the E-Z Lube® and the oil lubrication must not replace period inspection of the bearings.

While Dexter says (in the web page linked by Byron) that the E-Z Lube feature can be used for repacking, they also specifically warn (in the service manual) about the risk of brake contamination with the E-Z Lube. I notice that the E-Z Lube page and manual both show an idler hub - no brakes. Motor vehicles with the same bearing design do not use Bearing Buddies or anything similar; why would a travel trailer?

E-Z Lube is for boat trailers. It would be a minor convenience for non-braking (idler) travel trailers. I believe that it is used on travel trailers with brakes only because it makes someone a bit more money. It is a perceived "premium" feature which can be delivered at little cost to the manufacturer of the trailer. Truly premium trailers with Dexter hardware use Nev-R-Lube™, for a real maintenance advantage.

In the end, Jack asked what parts he needs, and my answer remains the same:

• plain caps if the hub was previously equipped with a Bearing Buddy; or,
• Dexter caps with rubber plugs for grease nipple access if the hub is equipped with E-Z Lube.

[Byron Kinnaman]

E-Z Lube is for boat trailers.

Quote from Dexter site. The protection and maintenance features of Dexter's E-Z Lube system make it ideal for [b]most towable axles.

[Brian B-P]

In Dexter's application notes fo their products, E-Z Lube is simply listed as an available option, and not recommended for anything. In their Applications Manual, which "is intended as a guide for the proper specification and application of Dexter Axle running gear, associated components, and accessories", there is a caution about the use of oil-lubricated hubs, but E-Z Lube is not even mentioned. Personally, I don't see this as a recommendation to use E-Z Lube at all, let alone on travel trailers.

In the E-Z Lube page, the product is indeed described as ideal for "most towables", with no explanation of why it would be of any benefit for a travel trailer, since all it does in this case is allow repacking without disassembly, and they recommend repacking no more frequently than inspection... but inspection requires disassembly.

It seems that the sales staff who wrote the E-Z Lube blurb think that it would be "ideal" if most towable trailer axle purchasers paid for this feature. The system was clearly designed and intended, on the other hand, for boat trailers. Other than this somewhat cynical explanation, I can only guess that someone at Dexter thinks that "most towables" (meaning "towable" RVs, a.k.a. RV trailers) don't have brakes, and get driven through deep water. Not mine.

I'll concede that in some sense Dexter recommends E-Z Lube, but

• this certainly does not mean that Bearing Buddies are recommended, and
• Jack should still know if he has E-Z Lube (and not actually Bearing Buddies) because he might then want to get a cap with a rubber access plug.

[Pete Dumbleton]

According to a knowledgeable person on another RV group, Dexter first intended the EZLube for boat trailer applications, but so many RV dealers and manufacturers requested them that Dexter did a series of over-the-road testing and determined they were applicable for that purpose also.

A nice feature to the EZLube (and Al-Ko's similar arrangement) is that one can choose to ignore the grease fitting and continue to hand-pack the bearings in the standard manner.

Apparently, Buddy Bearings recognized the potential for seal failure by spring pressure messing up the brakes and has designed current models with a pressure relief valve, but they still suffer from the design flaw of not actually allowing any grease flow to the inner bearing unless grease or air first exits by way of the seal...

Regardless of the system in use, I would strongly recommend that one use the newer seals with the double lip and spring retainer to retard grease leakage.

[Brian B-P]

Regardless of the system in use, I would strongly recommend that one use the newer seals with the double lip and spring retainer to retard grease leakage.

Good point, Pete: Dexter specifically mentions the need for the double lip seal, when E-Z Lube is used, in their maintenance manual. Of course, if Jack doesn't have E-Z Lube and does not replace the Bearing Buddy, there's reason to do anything special about the seal.

[Brian B-P]

According to a knowledgeable person on another RV group, Dexter first intended the EZLube for boat trailer applications, but so many RV dealers and manufacturers requested them that Dexter did a series of over-the-road testing and determined they were applicable for that purpose also.

Now there's a profitable product looking for an acceptable application where it isn't needed!

We still don't know if Jack's missing "Bearing Buddy" was actually a Bearing Buddy, which would make the whole E-Z Lube discussion irrelevant, if interesting.