Steve;
I'll try out the "drag" thing you suggested. Seems my brakes are adjusted just about right the other day,did not notice much if any drag,but today going to install new brake switch box in the truck.... What worry's me was the heat in the drums the other day.. I was testing things and used the brakes a lot,but the drums where hottttt,you could only hold your hand on them for a few seconds.....
My old brake box was only abut two years old at most,but as I found out today it was the type with the mercury inertia switch in it,the new ones and the one I bought today do away with this switch and I'm told they are much better and give more accurate and consistant braking,hope that is true....
The buddy bearings I have have the little hole drilled into the housing,the grease comes out of it when the spring is compressed no more than halfway,so it kinda acts as a safety measure not to put too much pressure on the rear seal.... They make them without the hole but I have never used those. I like the little hole types better cause I have seen people just pump and pump grease in and blow out the rear seal and keep pumping more grease,all they are doing is making a nice greasy spot on their driveway...
My primary concern using buddy bearings is to keep plenty of grease in and around the bearings on the braking axle for the heat factor when using a lot of brakes... Just my theory,but when using a lot of brakes the grease would heat up and perhaps thin out and possibly run out of the bearings to the center of the spindle between the bearings giving less lubrication to the bearings.... the non braking axle only gets warm even after 50 miles of towing...
I only use this red grease,JT or JP something or other,very good and almost water proof.... It will not really wash off your hands without some sort of hand cleaner,plain water just smears it worse...
When I repacked my bearing the other day,the original grease was real thin and very dark almost black,and the company that makes the axles and packs the bearings on assembly must not have a big budget for grease cause they packed the bearings with as little as possible amount of grease... My old buddy mechanic always told me to use plenty of grease and
oil depending on the application. His exact words are "grease is cheap,parts are high"....
Going to be towing to Nashville the forth of July weekend,approximately 675 miles one way with a 3100 lb. car on the trailer,95% will be on the interstate,do not want any surprises with the trailer on this trip... Besides, going I'll be alone with no one around to help out in case I have a problem,coming back we will be three trucks and trailers together for 95% of the trip...
David