Someone knocked one off my trailer. I believe I got the right size. Having trouble getting it seated. Conventional wisdom say's I have the wrong size. Don't think so.
I have tried the rubber mallet, the wood block, also just tapping on it with a hammer. It seems to want to go on one side, when I try to tap the other side it does not want to go. Need a bigger hammer?
And yes I have tried starting and then going around in a circle with the same result.
Any thoughts guys.

quote:

bearing buddy

Genuine Bearing Buddy® Installation

Hold the Bearing Buddy® against the hub with a small block of wood, and drive it into place with a hammer. If Bearing Buddy® cannot be driven into the hub, or will not fit tightly into the hub, don't force it. Your hubs may be slightly oversized or undersized. If this occurs, or if the Bearing Buddy® is obviously too large or too small; contact your dealer. If you install Model 1980T (threaded), apply Permatex or some other grease proof gasket cement to the Bearing Buddy® threads, and then screw Bearing Buddy® into the hub, hand tight.

https://www.bearingbuddy.com/installation

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So you are saying the old Bearing Buddy was a knock-off.

Wood block and a BFH. Apply force liberally.

Freeze it, put it in the freezer for oh a hour or two, that will shrink it ever so slightly and then press/hammer it into the hub. Should go right in.

Any chance a piece(ring?) from the old one is still in place? That would obviously prevent a new one going into place.

Suggestions - thoroughly clean off the mounting area for the new one. Clean and dry, no grease. Mounting it with grease under it may allow it to easily come off.
Deburr the edge of the new bearing buddy. As suggested - put it in the freezer. Leave the wheel hub out in the sun. Move it rapidly into place and seat with block of wood or soft hammer. Regular hammer can damage or deform the BB. Block of wood and big hammer also works.

I’d make a few rounds in the hub lip with a Dremel to clean it up

If it just needs to be cleaned, a touch with a wire brush should be enough. They need to fit dang tight or it will fly out on the high way or leak. If OP is absolutely caliper measured sure that he has the right size, wood block and a solid hit with a heavy hammer/small sledge should do it.

Thanks guys, Yes it is the right unit. No I could not get on. Had to use the trailer so was able to get a regular hub cap on so i could use.

The freezer thing is interesting. I will have to try that. Thanks All. Will report back if I am successful. Thanks guys.

There's only about three options for your problem. 1, you aren't hitting it hard enough. 2, there is something inside the hub preventing it from going on (burrs, etc.), or 3, you measured wrong and it's too large.

Get it fixed?

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Freeze it, put it in the freezer for oh a hour or two, that will shrink it ever so slightly and then press/hammer it into the hub. Should go right in.

If it’s a a press fit, this should help. May let it stay in overnight. We used to do this with die pins before slipping into a bushing, albeit at -40*C.

Bearings should be pressed in whenever feasible (i.e., you have access to a floor press). Hammering puts load or stress on the rolling elements that they were not designed for, in the form of putting little dents in them (aka "brinelling"). This will shorten the life of the bearing.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
I’d make a few rounds in the hub lip with a Dremel to clean it up

You would then put metal grinding debris directly in to the bearing grease in the hub. That is a very bad idea.

What I have always done was take a piece of PVC pipe of the correct ID to slide over the cap and use a block of wood and a 2 lbs. hammer to smack it in place. The purpose of the PVC is to apply the force to the rim of the cap and insure you don't cock the cap when hammering it in place. Best way to find the correct size PVC is to go to Home Depot or your local hardware store with the bearing buddy in hand and do some test fitting of the sizes available.

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Originally posted by absolut18:

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Freeze it, put it in the freezer for oh a hour or two, that will shrink it ever so slightly and then press/hammer it into the hub. Should go right in.

If it’s a a press fit, this should help. May let it stay in overnight. We used to do this with die pins before slipping into a bushing, albeit at -40*C.

I assume the Bearing Buddy is a 'Line-Line' fit (NOT a Press Fit!), where the OD of the Bearing Buddy is the same as the ID of the Hub. Freezing the Bearing Buddy will shrink it a bit, and make installation MUCH easier, 'almost' effortless in fact. You'll might still need to drive it in, but it 'should be' smooth as 'a knife through butter' when doing so.

For the record, the bearings are NOT affected at all here. They would already be coated w/ grease and properly installed before the Bearing Buddy goes on.

It has to be dead nuts square on the hub, put a 2x4" block flat over it and hit the 2x4 one time with a big f'ing hammer........

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Originally posted by jimmy123x:
It has to be dead nuts square on the hub, put a 2x4" block flat over it and hit the 2x4 one time with a big f'ing hammer........

Great minds think alike. I keep a 2 lbs Engineer's Hammer in my tool box. Of course I am a bit of a tool junky so I also have combination wrenches from 1/4 inch to 2 1/2 inches in/on my tool box with the 4 largest hanging off the side.