Where to get wheel bearings repacked?

[dandt]

Would You take it to a Montana dealer or could I trust a tire dealer? I have A Les Schwab I was thinking of using. Thanks for your input. Dave

[Countryfolks]

I've been taking ours to the dealer.

[ols1932]

quote:Originally posted by dandt

Would You take it to a Montana dealer or could I trust a tire dealer? I have A Les Schwab I was thinking of using. Thanks for your input. Dave

Dave,
If you know the tire dealer, take it to him. I have a special one in mind that our rig is going to go to later this year. I see no reason to take it to an RV dealer because wheel bearings are wheel bearings.

Orv

[jjackflash]

I take ours to a trailer shop that specializes in trailer componets.
Their also an authorized Dexter dealer.
Jack

[Tom S.]

If they are like the ones on our 06, you don't need to repack them. There is a rubber cover on the outside of the hub that when removed has a grease fitting (called a zerk) behind it. Stick a grease gun on it and pump until you see the grease coming out. The hub is set up so the grease travels through a hole in the center of the hub to the back bearings. It is forced through the back bearings into the hub and out to the front bearings, where it is forced though until you can see it squishing (technical term?) out. The hubs come from the factory with only the bearings greased, so the first time you use the zerk and a grease gun, you will pump a lot of grease in there to fill up the void. Mine ended taking about one and a half tubes. For what it's worth, I used synthetic grease, but that's just a personal preference.

[ols1932]

One and one half tubes of grease is a lot of grease. I never used anywhere near that amount and I overgreased mine. That's the one drawback of self greasers.

Orv

[jimcol]

I either do my own or take it to a trailer repair shop. They are very reasonable and I trust them. I have read many stories on this form about people over greasing with the EZ Lube bearings that Tom S. refers to in his post. Lots of seals have been blown and grease ends up on the brakes. For that reason I don't use them.

[BirdingRVer]

quote:Originally posted by dandt

Would You take it to a Montana dealer or could I trust a tire dealer? I have A Les Schwab I was thinking of using. Thanks for your input. Dave

Dave,
If your travels are going to take you near north Texas. Stop by MOC member LonnieB in Farwell. His crew has experience and know what they are doing. It is worth the visit just to meet Lonnie.

Safe Travels
Grant

PS Did you leave Rafter Js early?

[billhoover]

I know my dealer's techs...and would not take it there for any kind of non warranty service.

[bob n pam]

Bill, be careful of using the zerk fittings. We overlubed ours; i.e., squirting enough lube until it oozes out, and the seal broke and covered the brake pads. After that we had them serviced by a reputable RV shop. If you're near Middlebury, IN go to Fox's RV Repair.

[kdeiss]

I was told 1 pump and only 1 pump in the zerk's
These are not bearing buddies used on a boat

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by kdeiss

I was told 1 pump and only 1 pump in the zerk's
These are not bearing buddies used on a boat

Whoever told you that is wrong. I've had mine apart, so I know. The hole from the zerk fitting goes through the axle and comes out between the back of the rear bearing and the rear seal. From there, the grease passes through the bearing, over the axle to the back of the front bearing. Then it goes through the front bearing and comes out near the zerk. Until the gap between the rear and front bearing is filled, putting one pump into the zerk will only put grease on the rear bearing. Prove it to yourself. Remove a wheel and the bearing cap. Put the grease gun on the zerk and pump it until you see grease coming out the front bearing. I guarantee one pump will NOT do it.

To those who have had problems with the seal, I suspect the seal was bad to begin with. While you can develop a lot of pressure with a grease gun, there should be no pressure using this system other than moving the grease from the back bearings to the front bearings, where there is no seal, and it just oozes out from between the bearings. Which brings up another point I mentioned in another thread: make sure that rubber cap is not cracked, as there is no front grease seal to keep out dirt!

[blarkman]

Les Schwab can do the job fine for at a lot less time and money. The discussion on how to grease the Easy-lube way can take pages. Save the money , if you put too much grease in it end up on the pads and it onlys cost you about $500 to fix(I KNOW FROM FIRST HAND) Some books say jack up wheel, spin wheel and give one pump AT MOST, others say pump away. For me one was enoughh for me, now I will have Schwab do it.
bob

[8.1al]

I have had 2 trailers with the EZ-Lube. I figured if a person was careful with the greas gun that this was a great feature. Careful as I was I had to replace the brakes on both of them due to grease on the brake shoes so now as much as I hate to I do it the hard way and hand pack the bearings.

[kdeiss]

quote:Originally posted by Tom S.

Whoever told you that is wrong. I've had mine apart, so I know. The hole from the zerk fitting goes through the axle and comes out between the back of the rear bearing and the rear seal. From there, the grease passes through the bearing, over the axle to the back of the front bearing. Then it goes through the front bearing and comes out near the zerk. Until the gap between the rear and front bearing is filled, putting one pump into the zerk will only put grease on the rear bearing. Prove it to yourself. Remove a wheel and the bearing cap. Put the grease gun on the zerk and pump it until you see grease coming out the front bearing. I guarantee one pump will NOT do it.

To those who have had problems with the seal, I suspect the seal was bad to begin with. While you can develop a lot of pressure with a grease gun, there should be no pressure using this system other than moving the grease from the back bearings to the front bearings, where there is no seal, and it just oozes out from between the bearings. Which brings up another point I mentioned in another thread: make sure that rubber cap is not cracked, as there is no front grease seal to keep out dirt!

Both my Montana Dealer and My Rv Tech servicing trailers for over 40 years. I have repacked once in 6 years
Both said caution one pump!

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by kdeiss

Both my Montana Dealer and My Rv Tech servicing trailers for over 40 years. I have repacked once in 6 years
Both said caution one pump!

Neither of whom designed or manufactured this set up, and who I might add, will be happy to charge you plenty when your front bearings wear out from lack of grease. Like I said, I have had mine apart and know how they work. For a picture of this system, go here: http://www.dexteraxle.com/e_z_lube_system Better yet, give the link to your RV tech so he can see what he's been missing and stop giving out bad info. Have give your axle one squeeze and see if grease comes out the front bearing or not. Mine didn't because there was no grease between the rear and front bearing. I'll bet yours is the same. So while the one shot may be helping the rear bearing, it's doing nothing for the front.

[Devildog]

Good diagram! I too, have only been two or three pumping it. Looks like it needs some more.

[TLightning]

I jack up each wheel separately, give it a shot of grease, spin it, give it a second shot of grease, spin it...done. Been okay for three plus years.

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by Devildog

Good diagram! I too, have only been two or three pumping it. Looks like it needs some more.

Yup - until you see it coming out from between the front bearings, it isn't getting there!

[HamRad]

The information below was taken directly from the E-Z Lube site.


"E-Z LUBE - What is the E-Z Lube option?
The E-Z Lube option was designed specifically for the marine application where the axles are constantly being immersed in water. This feature provides a convenient method for purging the water from the hub cavity without having to pull the hub every time. The hubs should be removed every 12 months or 12,000 miles to inspect the bearings and it is imperative to replace the seal at this time to assure that the grease does not leak out the back onto the brake linings rendering the brakes non-functional."

I found the above on the link provided by Tom S. So it would appear that one should actually inspect the bearings at least once each year. Inspecting the bearings would then require repacking. So it is nice to see that even the folks who make the EZ Lube Hub require the bearings be inspected annually or 12K miles whichever comes first.

Please note that the hub was designed specifically for a marine environment. Where the hub would be submerged in water on a regular basis.

HamRad
Edit: to add info about repacking after inspection and that hubs were originally designed for marine use.