Whatever you use here is a good tip. Let the trailer sit for 15 minutes after heating them up driving to the lake. Letting them cool reduces the tendency for water to intrude into the wheel and cause damage.

Keeping pressure in bearing buddies also helps.

I have changed one hub out in over 30 years of fishing and 200k miles of pulling a trailer. The one hub I changed was due to the bearing cap falling off and the hub loosing all its lubricant.

I love the oil bath hubs.

Done a ton of bearings for my customers. Here's what I do. Pull the hubs, replace the bearings and races. The inside bearing I pack by hand, install the grease seal and pack the space between the bearing and the seal. Install the hub on the spindle, fill the hub completely with Mystic grease, Hand pack the outer bearing, install the washer, tighten the nut, install the cotter pin. I then place a Bearing Buddy on the hub and pump enough grease into it to make the spring expand 1/4in. Place a Bra over the cap and never touch that bearing again.
What I do is inspect the inside of the wheel rim for grease each time I head out to the lake. If grease is present---you have problems. In order for grease to excape from the hub, water has entered. What you guys are doing with the grease gun is causing yourself problems by overgreasing and blowing the seal out. Think about this. How many times have you repacked your front bearings on your truck? What never! Why not? Your truck is running in water everytime it rains doesn't it. But you don't grease them everytime you go on a trip. My last bass boat made 3 trips 200miles North of Toronto Canada and Back, plus traveling to Amistad,Falcon,Fork and numerous lakes around here. No bearing falure. No extra grease. But I will admit, Once a year, I jack the trailer up and listen to the bearings. Any noise---their out of there, and on that last bass boat I never had to replace a bearing. Sorry for getting so long winded.

Allison1 right about letting the bearings cool down..I think the reason you like oil bath is because oil is less dense than grease, less friction, less heat. Hard to contain but better.. Everyone over greases their bearings, like Mike says-don't use that grease gun. Also I don't pack the hub full, just the bearings,If you push in enough grease in to move grease out pass the seals the seal will let water in. Also try running on dry ground or on sand, sand works the same on legs, as packed hard grease does on your bearings..FRICTION....IMHO Bearing Buddys cause more problems than they solve...Cover the bearings with grease and keep the water out,with good seals... Problem sovled..
My 2Cents

kingdad -- you da man-- I live in Santa Fe, the Home of Sportsman Trailers. Those guys over there told me 20 years ago that buddy bearings cause most people more harm than good. Not that they don't work but people pump that grease gun til the cows come home. Result is blown inner seal. My advice is if you have buddy bearings - DO NOT OVERGREASE and take your hubs apart and do the maintainance the correct way once a year if your trailer travels alot.

If you have the Ranger trailers with the needle valve, thats the best way. It injects grease through the inside of the spnidle and comes out the between the two bearings. This is the best as far as I've seen since bearing buddies just add grease to the outside of the hub. The key to them also is to grease until you see grease moving, a couple pumps.

I always carry a spare new hub and bearing, already packed with grease and ready to go. You never know where that old fickle finger of fate is going to point! I pack my bearings by hand and the use the bearing buddies,I use about one or two squirts at the maximum every 3 months. I always check the hub temp every time I stop. If buying a new or used trailer, make the dealer or seller pull the caps off the hub and make sure the washer is there.

Mike Halfmann the boatmann

You are the only one that I have ever seen or heard that does pack bearing the way my father taught me 55 years ago. I do the same thing you do and over fourty years of trailering I have neve had a problen.

VERY GOOD ADVISE...

I just got my first boat and I want to buy a bearing kit for it. How do I know what size I need? Do I just measure the diameter? I don't want to be stuck on the side of the road on a bad day. The trailer has the buddy bearings on it.
Thanks

My $.02 worth is that I agree with the frequent greasers You know what bearing buddys are designed to do?

When towing, heat and friction build up causing bearing to expand. Back your rig into 55 to 80 degree water and the metals contract quickley pulling water into the hubs. The bearing buddy keeps positive pressure (via grease) not allowing water to enter.

Not all buddys have the ring etc. to show they are full. I give a couple of pumps of grease per trip till I see the end plate move out a tad.

Like the other Guys have said, It's a small price to pay.

Anything I can do to prevent tow vehicle, boat, or tackle failure makes for a better Fishin' trip.

As far as tha spellin' thang goes, There is a freeware program called Tinyspell. Do a web search for it. It's made for forums like this.

TFF is Awesome!

If you drive far enough to heat up the bearings, let them cool for 15 minutes if you can.

When greasing bearing buddies, just enough to make the insert move...no more.

Pulling the wheel and cleaning/repacking once every year or two is the best single thing. It was mentioned several times, I will add it once more.

Here is another.02 worth about grease in hubs. If they are inspected, cleaaned and repacked by hand once a year with new seals you should never have a problem. Two things will make grease leak out. To much preasure from being over greased. And water getting past the seal. If water gets inside the hub and heats up it creates preasure that will force grease past the seal. The secret is not to over grease and make sure that your seals are good. Should be replaced every time you pull a hub. A couple of bucks for a seal is a lot better than having your trailer on the side of the road with a bare axle while you run to get bearings replaced.

Not sure about this, but will the heat from driving really deform hardened steel? Your hubs should never be too hot to touch after driving, if they are then you got a problem before you ever put it in the water.

Some water is bound to penetrate the seals anyway. The spindle looks & feels smooth but under a microscope it'd look like the rocky mountains. Thing is, grease can absorb a bit of water without breaking down. If you continually submerged your truck hubs they wouldn't last forever either - it's different from getting rained on or driving through puddles where the centrifugal force throws water off.

Bearing buddies use grease under pressure to help keep water out, as mentioned, just don't overfill. They also also let you add grease to the hub if you discover a leaky seal after you get to the lake - don't let trailer maintenance interfere with your fishing!

Never reuse a rear seal.
Never install new bearings into old races - replace both or neither.
If you reuse, keep the bearings & races together - they mate for life.
Any discoloration or pitting on the spindle will interfere with a good seal - polish it with emory cloth until it's completely clean.

True that is not a far trip but I would add a little bit about every 5 trips. Itis no where near the work you will have if one of the bearings locks up on the side of the highway. It is no fun and that is from experience. Just make sure the bra covers are tight. I have never been able to find the right size for my boat so they throw grease all over the rims. Finally I had to zip tie them.

Wow, can't believe this post is still alive and well. I posted this question originally last year. Guess it was a good one... Go Post! Go Post! Good info from everyone, thanks again!!!!!!!!

"previously jtc30"
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Well since you started this, you could at least tell us what you found out in all this time...
Just how often ,do you grease those buddies...