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01-10-2008, 02:05 PM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Arroyo Grande
Posts: 504
M.O.C. #6460
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Wheel Bearing maint.
While giving my wheel bearings a small shot of grease today, I found 3 of the 4 rubber dust caps with small tears in them, In their condition, they may keep dust out but I really don't think it would keep water out. Check carefully, if they are cracked, they come apart. I'll call Dexter for new ones tomorrow. Bill
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01-11-2008, 01:57 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Napanee
Posts: 3,440
M.O.C. #1493
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For info. A service area that does some work for Keystone and SOB does not recommend greasing the bearings via the grease nipple He told me I would be better off having the wheels pulled every 20,000 miles and having them inspected and re-greased. The brakes can be checked and adjusted at the same time.
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01-11-2008, 06:04 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: cedar rapids
Posts: 703
M.O.C. #4962
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Bill has gotten very good info. This has been discussed before here. Remove the hubs and hand pack the bearings and replace the seals when doing this. Do not grease the Zerk's. I realize that others will say that have had no problems and they grease the bearings that way. All I say is the way that I do mine[hand pack] is the way that I think is the way to do this.
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01-11-2008, 09:48 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Arroyo Grande
Posts: 504
M.O.C. #6460
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I agree the best way to grease the bearings is the hand pack method. My post is to inform others that the dust cap has deterioated to the point that it is not water-proof. I have one wheel that I don't feel comfortable with the way it took grease, that wheel is coming off tomorrow. Maybe if ever they went to a retainer on the seals,this problem will too be elimated. Bill
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01-11-2008, 02:25 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Olahoma City
Posts: 1,219
M.O.C. #6054
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I made it a point ot ask the dealer about this when I took Delivery 2 months ago. He told me to stay away from the zerks. He said hand packing and replacing the seals every 20,000 miles is the only way to go.
Phil
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01-12-2008, 03:51 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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I used to have the zerks and I "greased" mine myself until I over greased. You know the old saying we had on the farm, "If one squirt works, then two squirts work better." Well, that's not true here. If by chance you happen to get one squirt too many you may over grease and get grease on the brake linings, not to mention break the seal. I did away with the zerks when I had new axles put on by MOR/ryde because the Dexter representative didn't recommend them. I asked him why did they then install them. His answer was, "Because you will buy them." Some other post mentioned "snake oil salesman." That applies to almost anything the consumer will buy.
We travel full time and I have my wheel bearings repacked once a year by my dealer.
Orv
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01-12-2008, 04:03 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Layton
Posts: 1,048
M.O.C. #666
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I use the zerk to grease the wheel bearings. I usually do it at a stop after towing for awhile so there is a heat factor to help move the grease along. I use only one pump per wheel. I think that many can overgrease by doing it too often or too much grease at a time.
As to the grease covers on the outside, I too had some tear. I found that pulling on them is not good, I now use a screwdriver or something similar to remove the rubber dust caps.
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01-12-2008, 03:14 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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I shoot a small amount of grease (just one pump) in each, about once per year. Every other year I have the dealer pull the hubs, check the brakes, and repack the bearings.
The zerks are fine to use to keep grease in there but there is a tendency to overdo it. Our dealer's service manager has told me repeatedly to put in just one pump per year, even when we are fulltiming. That still doesn't negate the need to repack bearings and check the brakes, though.
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01-13-2008, 12:10 PM
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#9
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Grand Junction
Posts: 246
M.O.C. #4854
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The rubber caps don't last very long. I repaced mine a year ago & already one has a hole in it. I agree with others on the zerks. I did the one too many pumps and caused a seal to leak.
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