ReeseTowpower 74177 Trailer Wheel Bearing Protector, 1.98 Inch Diameter, Contains 2 Bearing Protectors and 2 Covers, Easy to Install

I'm restoring a flat bed trailer that I just got from a neighbor. It needed a lot! First I installed new hubs - from Amazon, of course. But I went one step farther. As an ASE multi-certified automotive diagnostic tech, I know the benefit of proper lubrication to Any moving part. Particularly wheels and hubs. This is an absolute requirement for any trailer I own. Lube it once and thereafter just watch the visible spring. When it expands and more space is visible between the coils, add more grease. These units are inexpensive, work well, and prevent a catastrophe on the road. Being stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with a seized axle bearing is BAD! But its preventable. Install these.

The hole is an extra feature I love. When the spring is pushed out enough by full grease, relief comes out the hole on the side.The previous Bearing Buddy popped off somewhere during a trip, possobly due to overpressure using an automatic grease gun or maybe not tight fit. A different Bearing Buddy broke off a fitting.Yes I used a grinder to round the lip, yes it went in extremely tight with a sledgehammer and 2 by 4 block of wood. There are ridges on the pressed in part, presumably they will dig in over time. Yes if I ever have to change the hub I'll likely have to destroy the assembly with a sledge to remove it. At $14 that's no problem, cheap enough to destroy.One real issue is the rubber bra is loose. I sprayed contact cement to hold it in place. I also drilled a hole in the rubber cap and matched it to the relief hole so I can see grease coming out if it heats up. And I put a zip tie on the cap. If anything falls off I will be surprised.Great value for $14. I've replaced 6 failed Bearing Buddies with these so far. Overpressure hole and tight fit are perfect. The first four never failed after a few hundred miles, I'll see for these next 2.

Had to replace hubs on boat trailer-perfect investment for greasing wheel bearings. Install was easy, looks good and comes with rubber dust cover. Should be able to trust a name like Reese!

I have not used these on the road, but I have no doubt about their ability to function fine. This review is mostly based on the ease of installation. I was replacing a very old and tired set of original "Bearing Buddy" protectors on a trailer I rebuilt. They were somewhat stubborn about being driven into the hub, something that others have commented on. I quickly noticed that the shoulder of this product that actually goes into the hub is much thicker than the ones I took out. These appeared to be machined from solid stock, the others looked to be stamped. The added thickness was catching on the cotter pin that holds the castle nut still, a little adjustment of the cotter pin solved that. They were still very tight, not wanting to go in despite the fact I was using a 3 pound hammer. A little light work with a file around the shoulder solved that, I just filed until I saw bare metal through the finish, they were still tight but they went in. I did wind up mushrooming the end just a little getting them started, but its a working trailer and the vinyl caps cover the ends well. Total install time was about 15 minutes, no problems that couldn't be overcome and they took grease just like they were supposed to after installation. They appear to be VERY heavy duty and should last quite a while. The only reason I didn't give a 5 star rating is because of the very tight fit. If you want some that drop right in, these are not for you. If you don't mind doing just a little extra work to save a few bucks, these can't be beat.

Works as expected. Very snug so make sure you align them well before driving them in. I used a short piece of 2x4 between the hub and my hammer.

Tight fit but otherwise Good

Good product. Tough to get the first one on. After you figure it out, the 2nd is easy!

These are fun to put in! Use the right tools!