Repacking the wheel bearings - Montana Owners Club

stiles watson · 10-19-2011, 03:39 PM

Will be making a trip to Grain Valley, MO and then to North Carolina next week. Soooooo, time to repack the wheel bearings. Found a tire shop that would wash the hubs and bearings, then repack the bearings for $10.00 a wheel. So I removed the hubs one at a time and took them to him. When he finished, took the hub back and installed it, then brought him another. All went well until the last wheel.

The factory installed castle nut or spindle nut was very hard to get off. I found that they had cross threaded it. The spindle needs to be re-threaded, but I don't have a die big enough. I wrestled it all back together, but will have it reworked when at the dealer in Grain Valley. This could have easily been fixed at the Dexter factory before shipping to Keystone.

sailer · 10-19-2011, 03:51 PM

Stiles ;They put it on with a gun and never knew or cared if it was cross threaded. They somtimes don't start the nut by hand but put it in the gun and its on . sailer

mlh · 10-19-2011, 04:11 PM

Stiles if you know what size it is I may have one. If I do I will send it to you to use. Call me ask for Lynwood 540 380 2683. It may be too hard to re thread.
Lynwood

Art-n-Marge · 10-19-2011, 04:28 PM

I was taught to never use a tool on that nut (probably because of this reason). It gets put on by hand until it makes snug contact as you rotate the tire, then a 1/4 turn with a wrench, then back off to line up the cotter pin. This has been on every instruction I've ever read for wheel bearings and what most service personnel follow.

I guess when in manufacturing, it's about speed and not quality and all rules are compromised.

Gee, Stiles, while you had a die but not the right size, I don't have any! I hope you get this taken care of soon.

stiles watson · 10-19-2011, 08:46 PM

Thanks for the offer, Lynwood, but we are leaving in a couple of days. A 7000 lb Dexter axle takes about a 1" course thread. My largest die is about a 5/8".

Rather than a cotter pin, this spindle has a flat side. A clip fits over the end of the castle nut and slides into the the flat area. It serves the same purpose as a cotter pin, but is easier to work with.

I bought a package of two new castle nuts. Clips and washers were included also. The clips are reusable where often the cotter pins are not. The point is that when I get the spindle re-threaded, I will have another new nut to use. Cost of the package was $12.00.

Having someone machine pack the bearings is sure easier than the old hand packing I used to do. The price was close to the same. A gallon can of bearing cleaner runs $30.00 plus $3.50 for a can of packing grease. So I was very happy to pay $6.50 more to have someone do it for me.

CORattler · 10-20-2011, 08:55 AM

Ouch!!

I'll bet if they were paying 60-70 grand for the RV they would be more careful.

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sailer

Stiles ;They put it on with a gun and never knew or cared if it was cross threaded. They somtimes don't start the nut by hand but put it in the gun and its on . sailer

TLightning · 10-23-2011, 09:38 AM

Maybe I'm pushing my luck, but I don't have the bearings repacked. My logic, maybe incorrect, is that I haven't had any vehicle bearings repacked in decades and they've been fine for many many miles...if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

mhs4771 · 10-23-2011, 04:43 PM

Tom, there may be some truth in that. Only bearing I've ever lost was a few weeks after it had been repacked during the annual New York State Inspection.

TLightning · 10-24-2011, 02:51 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by mhs4771

Tom, there may be some truth in that. Only bearing I've ever lost was a few weeks after it had been repacked during the annual New York State Inspection.

I rest my case, Your Honor!

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