Can Trailer with EZ Lube Spindles Have Bearing Buddy Installed

Question:

I see you have conflicting info on your site. 2 people ask about putting bearing buddy on trailers with grease fittings in the end of the spindle - EZ lube spindle. One answer is that , yes you can use a bearing buddy, make sure you get the right size and you recommend digital caliper to measure. The other answer is no, the Ez lube spindle is actually better than bearing buddys and you should not use a bearing buddy, use the normal dust cap. Can you clarify?

asked by: Bluesthing

Expert Reply:

Sorry about any confusion! A Bearing Buddy can install on a EZ lube hub/spindle but you are going to have to take the zerk fitting off of the spindle to allow the Bearing Buddy to fit and have the needed clearance. You can yank it off with a pair of pliers or vice grips. If they are threaded (should see a hex pattern around outside of fitting) you could also use a small wrench to take the fitting out.

Aside from the zerk fitting on the spindles of the EZ lube spindles there's no difference in terms of grease cap/Bearing Buddy fit.

EZ lube setups are superior to Bearing Buddies though since they locate the grease in a better place than the Bearing Buddy which tries to force it through the front of the hub. The EZ lube setup pushes the grease through the middle of the spindle/hub. That said, both are very easy to overfill the hub with grease and blow out the seal on the hub so I still recommend packing the bearings by hand as the best and most reliable method. Sorry if that adds to the confusion but it's worth sharing!

expert reply by: Jameson C