Wheelbearing Maintenance - Montana Owners Club

Ronnelly · 10-02-2005, 03:24 PM

What type of grease do we need to use for the grease gun to grease the wheel bearings on the Monatana???

jsmitfl · 10-02-2005, 03:34 PM

I had the service dept tell me to use Valvoline grease because it don't break down from the heat like others do.. He said he has been using it for years in his race car also because of this.

lightningjack11 · 10-02-2005, 05:18 PM

Page 8-14 of the owners manual states: "Use a NLGI Grade 2 product with a minimum dropping point of 440F."

High Temp grease will probably have the Dropping Point listed on the tube. The one I use is above 440F and I get it at Autozone.

sreigle · 10-03-2005, 11:47 AM

That minimum dropping point is important. The packages for the grease should tell you the dropping point. I don't remember where I got ours.

OntMont · 10-03-2005, 12:03 PM

I use John Deere Multi-purpose, SD Polyurea grease. Part # CXTY 6341.

This comes in a grease gun cartridge and is marked NLGI Grade 2, Dropping Point 500 F.

This is the only clearly labeled grease that meets the specs that I was able to find around our rural community. I know city dwellers won't have JD farm equipment dealers on the corner, but I'll bet you don't have to go far out of town to find one.

Ronnelly · 10-03-2005, 03:08 PM

Thanks for the info. We have our Montana stored for the winter, but will need to grease those wheel bearings before heading to Florida in January.

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by jsmitfl

I had the service dept tell me to use Valvoline grease because it don't break down from the heat like others do.. He said he has been using it for years in his race car also because of this.

tweir · 10-04-2005, 05:23 AM

Most if not all Hi-Temp disc brake grease meets the NLGI Grade 2 specs with drop points of 400 and better and Timken OK Load rating of 40 pounds and good water resistance. Sta-Lube and Valvoline products are very good.

jerryb · 10-04-2005, 02:28 PM

I saw a warning on a can of grease that said not to mix soap types, I know there is polyurea but don't know about other types so I removed all the old grease and also the grease in the gun for the bearing buddies, which are not really bearing buddies, the axles are bored out to the inside to distribute the grease, the cotter pin for the axle nut goes at an angle to bypass the bore.

virgil47 · 10-05-2005, 01:23 AM

I get the part about using high temp grease but I did an MOC search on "wheel bearings" and found a previous thread where some of you talked about "only two squirts a year" in the grease cups behind the rubber seal in the easy lube axles.

My question may be common sense to some of you but to a non-mechanical type, it doesn't compute. Does "two squirts a year" replace packing the bearings or are the "two squirts" in addition to packing?

ols1932 · 10-05-2005, 03:28 AM

I talked to a Dexter representative and he told me that Dexter doesn't recommend those "self greasing" fittings I bought with my Montana in 2000. The reason is because we either use too little grease or too much grease. In my case, I used too much and the grease ended up on the brake linings. You all know the old saying, "If a little is good, a lot must be better." I ended up having to have my brake linings all replaced and new seals in the drums.
Dexter also said we should grease the wheel bearings every 12,000 miles or once each year. Guess what I do: I pull the wheels once each year, clean everything up, regrease the bearings and reinstall. I also use the "high temp" grease.

lightningjack11 · 10-05-2005, 04:33 AM

A lot of people have problems with the greese fittings and get greese all over there linings.

I never have had a problem with them. I do keep fresh greese on my axles and never let the burnt greese stay in there. This is contrary to what is recommended since one recommended squirt won't do it. But my methods don't work for other people. Most of the people have problems with these fittings.

foggyb · 10-05-2005, 05:40 AM

For anyone having trouble finding the correct grease, lubrimatic wheel bearing grease is nlgi #2 with a 550 dropping point. It should be available at most marine stores. Dan

kdeiss · 10-05-2005, 10:40 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by OntMont

I use John Deere Multi-purpose, SD Polyurea grease. Part # CXTY 6341.

This comes in a grease gun cartridge and is marked NLGI Grade 2, Dropping Point 500 F.

This is the only clearly labeled grease that meets the specs that I was able to find around our rural community. I know city dwellers won't have JD farm equipment dealers on the corner, but I'll bet you don't have to go far out of town to find one.

Caution: Polyurea base grease and lithium base (the soap} are not capatable. Polyurea is excelent choice for Electric motor etc (Ball Bearing) but not for automotive wheel bearings

OntMont · 10-05-2005, 12:09 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by kdeiss
Caution: Polyurea base grease and lithium base (the soap} are not capatable. Polyurea is excelent choice for Electric motor etc (Ball Bearing) but not for automotive wheel bearings

I believe there are two types of Polyurea grease, one is compatible with lithium, one is not. According to JD, the SD is rcommended for wheel bearings, and is compatible with "most other types of grease".

Anyway, to be on the safe side, I notice that JD sell a lithium soap grease that also meets the NLGI grade 2 spec with a dropping point of 500F.

I guess my main point really is that John Deere dealers are fairly easy to locate, and their greases are well labeled with specs. Knowing something of the cost and compexity of modern farm equipment, I just have a lot of faith in the quality of John Deere's lubricant selections.

If Dexter prefer the use of Lithium grease, then that would seem to be the best way to go.

sreigle · 10-10-2005, 06:17 PM

Virgil, my dealer is the one who told me 2 squirts per year even if fulltiming around the country. This is supposedly enough with no need to repack the bearings. I tend to err to the side of caution and repack the bearings, or have them done, when the hubs are pulled to check or replace the brake linings. But two squirts per year. I figured the dealer meant that's enough when weekending and vacationing and that the miles we put on as fulltimers would require more. So I did two squirts twice in a year. When he checked my brakes he told me I put in too much and reiterated two squirts per year even when we put 20k miles or more per year on the rig. So that's what I do.

ols1932 · 10-11-2005, 04:13 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Virgil, my dealer is the one who told me 2 squirts per year even if fulltiming around the country. This is supposedly enough with no need to repack the bearings. I tend to err to the side of caution and repack the bearings, or have them done, when the hubs are pulled to check or replace the brake linings. But two squirts per year. I figured the dealer meant that's enough when weekending and vacationing and that the miles we put on as fulltimers would require more. So I did two squirts twice in a year. When he checked my brakes he told me I put in too much and reiterated two squirts per year even when we put 20k miles or more per year on the rig. So that's what I do.

Steve, I used to do the same thing with mine. I'd put in a couple squirts a year and it turned out that it forced grease on the linings. When I changed to Mor/rhyde axles, I asked about putting the bearing buddies on the new axles. A Dexter rep, who happened to be at Mor/rhyde at the time, said that Dexter did not recommend them. When I asked why the RV manufacturers put them on the rigs, he said that the customer was talked into them by the RV dealer. I tend to lean toward repacking my wheel bearings once a year. Gives me a chance to examine brake linings, drums, etc.

Karl · 10-11-2005, 02:44 PM

I guess I'm the lazy one here. The $65 that it costs for my dealer (I go to a dealer who sells big cargo trailers) to repack my bearings annually is less than the cost of a small tank of fuel. That also gives the opportunity for him/her to inspect the brakes, and I have them adjust the brakes as well.

I know I could do this myself, but for $65, I guess I'll keep paying.

ols1932 · 10-11-2005, 03:15 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Karl

I guess I'm the lazy one here. The $65 that it costs for my dealer (I go to a dealer who sells big cargo trailers) to repack my bearings annually is less than the cost of a small tank of fuel. That also gives the opportunity for him/her to inspect the brakes, and I have them adjust the brakes as well.

I know I could do this myself, but for $65, I guess I'll keep paying.

If I could find it done for $65, I wouldn't do it myself. The last time I had it done it cost me $200 ($50 per wheel). Who is your dealer?

Montana_3598 · 10-23-2005, 07:04 PM

I too have mine repacked at the beginning of every season, and my dealer charges me $65/axle plus materials (another few bucks plus whatever I've broken over the last year!). I had a seal failure this year, and since the dealer had been doing all the work, the extended warranty actually paid for the seals and repack, so I guess that part paid for itself.

I like to have the unit checked out by a dealer at least once a year, and since I'm lucky enough to have a good dealer here in Grand Rapids, MI (American RV) I let them do it. I can't even imagine the fun ya'll must go thru that have inadequate or bad dealers to muck around with.

Montana_2194 · 10-24-2005, 11:14 AM

I've been puzzled about wheel greasing, and talked to Glen Cox in Belleville Ontario (owner of Terry RV dealership) about "the two squirt thing". He told me that you must jack-up the trailer, and rotate the wheel as you inject the grease. When the new grease is coming out into the outside socket, you know you've done the job. It takes as much as a third of a tube if the bearing is dry, but seems to work.

If you don't rotate the wheel while injecting, the seals will be compromised, and hence the problems with brakes etc. I think he's right. Worked for me!

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