ALBE
Kelowna B.C.
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Joined: 08/30/2006
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I pulled all the wheels on our 07 Cypress at approx 12000 miles,EZ LUBE ,the bearings and grease looked great,but how do you know what was done at the factory.Found one of the brake wires inside the hub had wore bare,another reason to pull the wheels,just a bit of preventative maintenance.
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up2nogood
Utah
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Joined: 02/20/2008
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SlickWillie wrote:up2nogood wrote:Anyone that has packed a wheel bearing knows that pumping grease into a cavity is not going to force grease into a bearing, it will coat the outside, but not the inside, but by all means keep pumping.
I could care less how everyone maintains their wheel bearings, but I don't understand that statement. The only route the grease has to the outside is through both bearings, and if you rotate the hub as recommended, it will distribute the grease through out the bearing. We have the EZ-lube hubs on the Mountaineer, but I've never used them. Neither have I disassembled the hubs and hand packed either. I had them on a cargo trailer I bought used, and not knowing it's history, I used the zerks to replace the grease. They worked just like advertised.
You win it packs them great, and you know that because ??? Keep pumping. I have EZ -Lube hubs. I will still tear them down and inspect bearings hand pack and check the brakes.I will still ask the same as others when is it enough or not enough when filling those hubs full of grease. Also where does all that grease go after a period time, you keep pumping ,and you will find out.
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rbell
Mi
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Joined: 06/24/2006
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A little explanation will help here.
The bearing buddy is a spring loaded cap that goes into the end of the hub. You pump grease untill the inner part with the zerk pushes on the spring and holds pressure against the seal. Too much will push the seal out in the rear. They are used mostly for boat & snowmobile trailers. The pressure helps keep water out. I've never seen them on an RV trailer, but I've not looked at that many.
The EZlub hub has a cap with a rubber plug you remove to uncover a zerk fitting. It has a hole bored in the axle and the grease comes out between the rear bearing and seal. Then it goes thru the rear bearing and comes out the front bearing filling the space in the cap. The grease that comes out needs to be removed with a rag. Idealy there is very little pressure as it's open to the atmosphere in the front. They also have a double lip seal with a longer outer lip to hold them in. One lip keeps the junk out & the other should keep the grease in. You stop pumping when you see enough grease come out to make you happy or get clean grease. Also don't use too much pressure as the grease comes out slowly between the front washer and the bearing.
Newer boat & snowmobile trailers use a hub like semi trailers that uses 90 weight gear oil. They have a clear cap and you can see whats going on. When it gets nasty something is wrong. Also if you don't see gear oil something is wrong. Seems like a good deal for travel trailers, but it cost more. So you know what that means!!!!
Now my feeling is nothing beats a good inspection & hand packing. Also I pumped grease thru my Ezlub hubs with everything off and 3 worked OK. One had the hole that goes to the center drilled a bit crooked and the grease came out very slow and it pumped hard. It was redrilled and is fine now, it's an easy check. Plus you'll see how it works.
Dick
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xthread
Central Ca Coast
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Joined: 03/13/2006
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I repacked my e-zlube bearings today. I removed the wheels, drums, and hand packed. I have over 12k miles on it. The right rear drum had no brake dust,like ALBE, the magnet wires had worn through. The machine marks were still in the brake drum. 12k on 3 brakes, thats why the wheels have to be pulled. Do I do a Pull test, yes almost every time, wheel slide test, no but I'll try from now on. The Dexter booklet does say to use a sealant on the seals when they are installed. That must help hold them in when the grease gun builds pressure Bill
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SlickWillie
Coastal Bend Texas
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Joined: 12/01/2006
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cwit wrote:Slick I have one question for you and that is how do you know when to stop pumping that gun?
You can easily tell when the new grease comes out, due to the difference in color.
Will
2009 Chevy CC D/A 2500HD 4X4
2006 Montana Mountaineer 303RLD
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SlickWillie
Coastal Bend Texas
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up2nogood wrote:SlickWillie wrote:up2nogood wrote:Anyone that has packed a wheel bearing knows that pumping grease into a cavity is not going to force grease into a bearing, it will coat the outside, but not the inside, but by all means keep pumping.
I could care less how everyone maintains their wheel bearings, but I don't understand that statement. The only route the grease has to the outside is through both bearings, and if you rotate the hub as recommended, it will distribute the grease through out the bearing. We have the EZ-lube hubs on the Mountaineer, but I've never used them. Neither have I disassembled the hubs and hand packed either. I had them on a cargo trailer I bought used, and not knowing it's history, I used the zerks to replace the grease. They worked just like advertised.
You win it packs them great, and you know that because ??? Keep pumping. I have EZ -Lube hubs. I will still tear them down and inspect bearings hand pack and check the brakes.I will still ask the same as others when is it enough or not enough when filling those hubs full of grease. Also where does all that grease go after a period time, you keep pumping ,and you will find out.
Have you ever even looked to see how the EZ lube hub is designed? As someone else explained, there is an opening around the zerk that the old grease comes out of. If you pump grease as Dexter instructs, and it goes out the seal, you have a bad seal anyway.
There is nothing wrong with hand packing wheel bearings; I've done quite a few in my time. I may hand pack the ones on our unit one day, but I would feel equally comfortable purging the old grease with a hand grease gun. Like they say, different strokes for different folks; by all means do what you are comfortable with.
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mowermech
Billings, MT
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Joined: 06/28/2003
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I have hand packed tapered roller bearings and ball bearings, from little ones with 1/2 inch bore to bigger ones with 6 inch bore, on everything from lawn mowers to Cessna aircraft to large fire bombers to Terex scrapers.
I have also used the screw together bearing packers.
How many people know the PROPER way to clean and inspect bearings? I think not many do, they just wash the bearing in gasoline, with the wind blowing dust around, then stuff fresh grease (probably from a can that has been sitting in the garage or shop since their grandfather was a boy) into it and reinstall it.
Yeah, that will work fine, once or twice.
Many bearing companies (Timken, SKF, etc.) have brochures which give detailed instructions for bearing care. There are also military manuals available. I suggest if you are going to maintain bearings, you get GOOD information about how to do it properly.
Like I said previously, READ the instructions, and FOLLOW the instructions
CM1, USN (RET)
'94 Dodge 3500 4X2 CTD, 5 speed, 4.10 LS diff., Jacobs Rambrake, 274,000 Miles
'99 Monaco McKenzie 32' triple slide
'95 Tioga 29H Ford-based Class C
Daily driver: '08 Subaru Outback
Towed: '06 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited/Load Trail 16' flatbed
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Gunpilot77
Killeen, Tx
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Joined: 10/06/2000
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SlickWillie wrote:
Have you ever even looked to see how the EZ lube hub is designed? As someone else explained, there is an opening around the zerk that the old grease comes out of. If you pump grease as Dexter instructs, and it goes out the seal, you have a bad seal anyway.
And how do you determine a seal is bad without removing the hub, BEFORE you end up with grease inside the hub? When you have a brake shoe backing plate you can not see the seal. I've looked at the design and by the way, it is not new. My 1986 Ranger boat trailer has EZ Lube spindles. 23 years ago I determined that pumping grease into the zerk until new grease came out the front was a waste of grease and almost as messy as doing the job right. After a few trips there was as much grease inside my wheels as there were on the previous boat trailer that came with Bearing Buddies. It is not IF the inner seal will leak, it is WHEN?
Fifth wheel pulled with a pick-up
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SlickWillie
Coastal Bend Texas
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My reference to design was in response to the comment that pumping grease would only lube the outside of the bearing. I also know the design is not new.
I've had bearing buddies on boat trailers for years; never had a seal go out. I did purchase a used boat last year, and one seal on the trailer axle was blown completely out when I got it. One must remember that even with a hand pump, pressure is only limited by force exerted on the handle and the components of the grease gun.
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skipper
Louisville KY USA
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Joined: 05/19/2001
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,,,,,,,,Bearing buddy device is for boat trailers to keep water out of the hub . Easy lube is a diffrent set up by Dexter to lube the axle on trailers ,fifth wheel ,pull ,and other large trailers not used to be submerged in water fresh or salt. Skipper entry level over fiftysix years.
99 DCTD 3500 5spd quad line-x Pac-brake. boost,egt,fuel gauges /26ft 95 American star 5thwheel w/1slide
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