Which Bearing Buddy Bearing Protector Is Needed

Question:

I have purchased both the 1.98 inch and the 1.81 inch. The 1.98 is too large and the 1.81 is too small to fit my boat trailer. Is there one just a little smaller than the 1.98?

asked by: Richard S

Expert Reply:

The best starting point is to determine which Bearing Buddy you need would be to measure the diameter of your hub bore. A digital caliper like # PTW80157 is an easy way to get an accurate measurement, but we can also determine the hub bore from the outer wheel bearing. For instance, if your outer wheel bearing is L44649, then your hub bore diameter is indeed 1.980 inches.

Bearing Buddies are purposely designed to fit very tightly so they don't fly off as your rolling down the road. The first time I installed a set of them on my PWC trailer, I was convinced that the # BB1980T-SS I'd purchased was the wrong size, but after centering the # BB1980T-SS and placing a block of wood against the Bearing Buddy, I was able to use a hammer to drive it into place.

I've linked to an installation video that you might find helpful.

The key is to place the Bearing Buddy so it's perfectly centered at the hub bore, and be sure to hit the block of wood placed over it right in the dead center. You might need an extra hand to assist.

If your hub bore is actually smaller than 1.980 inches, let me know and I'll check on a different solution.