Dust Cap Retention

[honda03842]

I've heard people write about lost dust caps and assume they're of the plastic variety like the ones over my bearing buddies. I simply use a couple of tywraps to hod them in place. Had not cut off ends yet.

[Carol H]

I use metal dust caps and lost a brand new one a couple of days after the bearings were serviced. Happened to have purchased a spare one at the same time. When I lost the cap I was only a few miles south of the border at the time so went into the first Camping World I came to and asked if someone in the service department could bang the spare cap I had with me on as I didnt have a mallet with me. No problem - when the service person went to put it on he said it went on way to easy and question if it was in fact the right size. They didnt have any dust caps for a 3500lb axle at Camping World, only for axles 5000lbs & over. So they sent me off to the Dexter dealer they get all their axles and parts from who was only a few mile away. He had a cap that fit much more snuggle and took my spare and gave me one of the correct fitting ones in exchange. He said it was likely that the dust cap I had was an after market metric as I purchased it in Canada and the axle on my trailer isnt metric as it was built 21 years ago in the USA. Said he would hang onto my dust cover as he occasionally has had customers with Canadian built trailers come in needing such a dust cap.... pulling my leg? hummmm not sure.... may depend on where and when the axle was built.....

[honda03842]

I know the metal dust caps, having taken them off our trailer to put on bearing buddies some years ago. It's hard to imagine one of them falling off if it was the correct size. The dealer may have been correct.

I have never lost a rubber one but after your post I became concerned.

I know some on the site are opposed to bearing buddies but they don't seem to do any harm. I take them off once a year to grease the bearings and reload them never using a power grease gun.

[carlkeigley]

I was missing a rubber cap on mine right off.
I'm thinking it wasn't put on but have to give
the benefit of doubt that it got lost along the
way as I didn't notice it right off. Of course,
it was pouring down rain when we got it and
it was a few days before observations were made.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I know the metal dust caps, having taken them off our trailer to put on bearing buddies some years ago. It's hard to imagine one of them falling off if it was the correct size. The dealer may have been correct.

I have never lost a rubber one but after your post I became concerned.

I know some on the site are opposed to bearing buddies but they don't seem to do any harm. I take them off once a year to grease the bearings and reload them never using a power grease gun.

You do know there's a big difference between Dexter's EZ Lube hubs and Bearing Buddies, don't you.
FYI - Bearing Buddies are made for boat trailers where the hubs are repeatedly submersed in water. It's very easy to blow the inner seal with Bearing Buddies and dump grease onto the brakes. EZ Lube is a completely different design that will allow you almost replace the bearing grease with the zerks fittings.

[honda03842]

Byron,

I NOW realize the difference between Bearing Buddies and EZ Lube but did not when I bought them some 7 years ago. I try to be careful when filling them via the fitting and never use a air powered fill.

Thanks for the thought.

[Jerry71]

The last time I repacked the wheel bearings I notice one of my dust caps had a small tear in the rubber part of the cap. Dexter ezlube 3500 lbs axle. It lets a little bit of grease come out on each trip and messes up the white spoke wheel. I am wondering if the ezlube dust caps are available at any retailors or do I need to find a dexter axle supplier in my area. Also does anyone know off hand what the exact diameter of the dust cap is? So if I can't find a dexer, I can buy one that will at least fit my hub and quite throwing grease out. Thanks in advance.

[RogerDat]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

You do know there's a big difference between Dexter's EZ Lube hubs and Bearing Buddies, don't you.
FYI - Bearing Buddies are made for boat trailers where the hubs are repeatedly submersed in water. It's very easy to blow the inner seal with Bearing Buddies and dump grease onto the brakes. EZ Lube is a completely different design that will allow you almost replace the bearing grease with the zerks fittings.

Was told when I ordered my axle with EZ Lube it is important to rotate tire while putting in grease, and not to over do it. For the reason you mention - blowing out the inner seal and greasing the brakes. Had a couple of pallet size bins of used brakes, most still with good shoes and hubs except for being covered in grease.

Showed me the EZ Lube passage where grease comes out. It's at the rear of the bearings so grease has to be forced in at the back and pushed to the front.

Guess it's like a lot of things done with care and understanding it works out well. Done with a big honking grease gun and no rotation you get a poor lube job and can blow out the rear seal. Air powered is easiest way to blow out seals, used to see it in the cycle shop on the old BSA's a lot. they were not designed to take that pressure like the newer bikes so bike shops that used air blew out the seals.

[Brian B-P]

I don't think there's much point is rehashing how EZ-Lube works again... the topic is about Norm's tip for keeping the plastic cap on a Bearing Buddy, which is an entirely different product - and thus an entirely different cap.

It looks like the plastic cap on a Bearing Buddy is their "bra". I can see how a cable tie would help this stay on.

[Jerry71]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I don't think there's much point is rehashing how EZ-Lube works again... the topic is about Norm's tip for keeping the plastic cap on a Bearing Buddy, which is an entirely different product - and thus an entirely different cap.

It looks like the plastic cap on a Bearing Buddy is their "bra". I can see how a cable tie would help this stay on.

All though I think Norm has a good idea regarding the cable ties on the plastic hub covers. He said he "assumed" that people were talking about the plastic hub covers. He did not realize that folks were loosing the metal hub covers on the original equimpment axles. And rehashing things are exactly what is needed here. We are not all seasond veterans here, and haven't been on the forum for years.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by honda03842

..like the ones over my bearing buddies.

Bearing Buddies, REALLY Norm? When was the last time you launched your Scamp down a boat ramp? Anytime someone makes a referece to BB and confuses them with EZ-lubes... my hair stands on end and yeah, I saw your response to Byron....

[honda03842]

Donna,

Always glad to learn, hopefully the purpose of the site, but obviously not always.

Here's the story from the beginning......Before we started trailering we belonged to another forum and a member on the forum recommended Bearing Buddies so I bought a pair. As we moved thru 3 trailers the Bearing Buddies have moved with us. As has been suggested by at least 3 people, they are not the best solution or maybe even a good solution.

I intend to look into their use and the Dexter EZ Lube.

We have experienced no problem using them, probably because we load them gentlely, never loading them with grease with a powered grease gun.

As to water and the Scamp, I woud say yes, we have driven thru water, not intentionally and not often but sometimes the places we travel water is unavoidable. One place I remember is driving west to the Oregon coast just before Florence you go under a railroad overpass where the road dips well below the surrounding landscape and has had water a foot deep on two occasions.

Certainly driving on less improved roads far from any one, water in the roads happens, though it was never my reason for installing Bearing Buddies. When I hear from our more astute engineering types I suspect they are not justified..... another opportunity to save maybe a half pound off the axle....

Hopefully your hair will settle before work tomorrow.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Jerry71

All though I think Norm has a good idea regarding the cable ties on the plastic hub covers. He said he "assumed" that people were talking about the plastic hub covers. He did not realize that folks were loosing the metal hub covers on the original equimpment axles.

Yes, that's all been apparent for a while... which still has nothing to to with bearing lubrication systems.

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I've heard people write about lost dust caps and assume they're of the plastic variety like the ones over my bearing buddies. I simply use a couple of tywraps to hod them in place. Had not cut off ends yet.



Attachment 64871

If you hadn't told us about the ties, I might have thought from the photo that your wheel was cracked! lol

[honda03842]

Mike, Conscious on my part because I was concerned that the black tie wraps would not show up against the black rubber.