Bearing Buddy Rip Off

[Gator]

This happened to me before at HBSP several years ago and again last Monday.
Somebody decided to rip off my bearing buddy on one side of my trailer. Those things are on there really tight (have to be hammered on) so I'm sure that they had to hammer them off too. Seems like somebody would have heard the hammering.
Best to keep an eye on your trailer hubs. emoConfused :emoticon:logo

 

[Aries 181]

3 or 4 decent blows with a rubber mallet will pop one right off. It sucks there are low life people who prey on others out there.

Bill

 

[Fishindawg25]

Same thing happened to me at HBSP 4 years ago on my Nitro Z7 trailer one Sunday, but didn't realize it until the following Saturday morning on my way to a tournament when I drove over the bridge on Hammil road. My whole truck and trailer went to shaking. I pulled over at Big Ridge elementary and popped my hubcap off the driver side trailer wheel and found that all my lug nuts had been loosened and 3 out of the 5 studs had broke! Went to the passenger side and popped off the hubcap and found that they had punctured the bearing buddy with the other end of their lug wrench and grease was everywhere! I was able to get the 2 studs tightened down enough on the driver side and continued to drive from Cassandra Smith road to the jet ski ramp at Chester frost park and fish the tournament. Fixed it after the tournament in the parking lot, thanks to Tom Kizzah and his dad and fish n fun having the studs and lug nuts! The scary part is I drove from ooltewah to hixson on I75 and 153 at the speed limit and was very fortunate that it didn't break off then! I'm a mechanic and very particular about checking things on my boat, trailer, trucks etc. and I always check my lug nuts before I leave the house and before I load my boat at the ramp since then! I recommend that people with hubcaps on their trailer wheels, pull them off or buy some other trailer wheels if you want it pretty so you can see your lugs and bearings caps!

 

[churly]

You sure it didnt pop off? Why would even a meth head want to steal a bearing buddy? And why would someone take the risk of loosening your lugs unless they have it out for you? Seems like if someone was gonna make that kind of commotion, they would just bust a window and get the stuff in the vehicle....

 

[Nauticman]

I’ve had several bearing buddies pop off on the highway. Don’ t use them any more. Trucks and Trailers does not like them.

 

[Gator]

I wasn't aware they could pop off, I suppose that could have been the case, guess I'll have to keep a closer eye on them. What is recommended that would NOT pop off other than just a cap?

 

[Strato-G]

Gator - 5/13/2018 10:14 PM

I wasn't aware they could pop off, I suppose that could have been the case, guess I'll have to keep a closer eye on them. What is recommended that would NOT pop off other than just a cap?

To assist in preventing the popping off, use a center punch, make least 3 ping spots around the cap before installing. This will put raised pressure points causing much more tension on the caps securing to axle housing... emoGeezer emoUSA

 

[BustinBass197]

They are crap in my opinion. Still need to grease wheel bearings at least once a year. They do not actually grease the bearings. They just compress bearing grease on the outside of the hub making the bearings harder to go dry. Since oil bath hubs have came out I wouldn't have it any other way. I even switched my heavy equipment trailer (12 ton Hudson) over to oil bath hubs.