Bearing buddy on an M101

[ultim8gamr]

I was looking on etrailer.com for some new bearings etc. to do a little R&R to the hubs on my M101A2's. While looking I came across the bearing buddy. Like a grease cap but with a spring and zerk fitting to keep grease packed in the bearings. I have this on my boat trailer and it seems to work well. But I was just wondering if anyone has done this on their M101 trailers and if it is an easy install. I did a search and was unable to find any mention of them being used in the forums. Also if anyone does use them, Which size bearing buddy fits the hubs on the M101?
here's a link to one set of bearing buddys
Bearing Buddy Bearing Protectors - Model 1980A-SS w/ Auto Check - Stainless Steel (Pair) Bearing Buddy Grease Caps BB1980A-SS

thanks,
John

 

[tanglediver]

There is a danger with any grease fitting on wheel bearings. Bearing buddies are meant to allow a slight amount of positive pressure to be maintained when dunking your hubs. Over zealous pumping of grease into a hub only serves to blow out the grease seal, thus eliminating any chance at all of keeping positive pressure against the now blown seal; and it allows grease to contaminate the backing plate and brake shoes, thus elimnating the effectiveness of your trailer brakes alltogether, or at least in part (usually a large part). Grease is not compressable, it does not evaporate. It only becomes contaminated and it loses viscosity, not volume. Pumping (too much) grease into bearings is the second worse thing to do to them. The worst thing, is to neglect them.

Every couple of years they need to be torn down, inspected, and repacked or replaced as needed. They will be fine for a year or two, just with that, under normal use.

But since you asked...take the grease cap off very carefully by tapping with a hammer and chisel between the cap and drum. Clean the inner diameter of the hub surface where the cap rides and measure the I.D. with some calipers. That is the measurement for the outer diameter of the bearing buddy model you would need. But personally, I see little use for them on anything but a boat trailer.