Wheel Bearings

I have about 6000 on my 2009 Bighorn. How long before I should consider getting the bearings repacked?

I'm not sure about the mileage, but I think it is 12,000 miles, could be less, or once per year, which ever comes first. For me, I would just jack it up and repack, with new seals. It is a good time to inspect the brakes and magnets for wear and check that you don't have a leaky seal. It is worth the effort.

Peace
Dave

The axle user manual will be the proper instructions:
http://manuals.heartlandowners.org/Suspension/Axle/Lippert/Trailer_Axle_Operation_Service_Manual.pdf

http://i.b5z.net/i/u/1080235/f/6-8K_Service_Manual_3-08/Maintenance_Schedule_2-08.pdf

http://www.lci1.com/OwnersManuals/Trailer-Axle/Trailer%20Axle%20Lube%20ADD-Web.pdf

That is very helpful. Thank you.

12 months or 12,000 miles. Lacking a place to do it (and the desire), I had them repacked by the dealer at 12 months while in for some other maintenance, even though it sat on a seasonal site for the summer and had less than 1000 road miles on it. $200 is cheap insurance and there'll be no claims of "owner error" should a problem arise.

I learned the hard way that even though a trailer sits and does not get a lot of road use, the grease will eventually dry out and you get major problems. Our pontoon trailer is only used during the winter and spring to pull it out of the water and store it at the marina, and back into the water. Last summer, I used it to pull the pontoon out and haul it to the campground four miles away for some work I wanted to do. Ended up having to replace one hub and all bearings by the time I got it back to the marina.

This is probably a stupid question but what do you do it yourself guys use to jack your trailers up. What kind of jack do you use and do you use jack stands etc? I do a lot of work on my vehicles but I sure don't have anything big enough to lift my Bighorn.

Rick

Most everyone uses a 12 ton hydralic jack with blocking to jack up from the frame.Not the axels. Make sure to chock the wheels. JON

A Bottle Jack with a load capacity that can handle lifting the side of your RV.

I have several Wood Cribbing blocks. They should be rectangular type, such as 6" X 8", there will be less a chance they will tip over when you use the bottle jack to lift the RV.

I think I will take it to the dealer. I am at Lake Conroe, NE Houston. Does anyone know a good Bighorn dealer in that area? I would like to get it done before I head back to Colorado this Spring.

Is there anything else other than tires and magnets on the electric brakes that I should have looked over by the dealer?

Bearings is bearings. You don't need an RV dealer, much less a Bighorn dealer, to do this work. My local tire shop does mine. The price is much better, and I don't have the scheduling issues and lead time typical of RV service departments.

I was watching the Bearing Maintenace video by an othe SOB, trailer company and there it was the floor jack under the axles. Be carefull where the jack goes.

I simply welded up a short little bridge to spanned across the axle. (just a little handy tool) So the force is transferred to the spring saddle. Then it is a simple process of placing the jack under the axle centerline and lift only one wheel at a time. It should be a standard tool provided with each coach. Make the job of jacking an easy task.

We need a picture Jim !!!!!! At least I do JON

I go against the grain all the way here. If my axles are to light to support the stress of putting a jack under the u-bolts then I am going to get heavier axles. Jack up every trailer we have that way. It would be interesting to jack up the side of a stock trailer carrying 20 1400 pound cows by the frame. Better have a heck of a timber between the frame and jack or you will have a bend in the frame where the jack contacts it. Jack goes under the axle with the flat and we are on our way in a few minutes. I am well aware the folks don't recommend this, however if you think about it, the jack puts stress on one axle and the weight is equalized between the other axles on that side just like it is going down the road. Only difference would be a flimsy little axle that cant stand having stress put on the u-bolt that wraps around. Like I stated if my axles are that light they are to light for safety in any situation. Jacking as the poster with the jig stated is very similar to what we do only we put the stress in one spot, same as you do on the frame. My frame on the Augusta is pretty darn light material. It is just way to dangerous for me to have all the weight on one side of my camper or any other trailer sitting on a 1 1/2 inch round top of a hydraulic jack. I don't carry a 30 ton floor jack with me.

I agree with you Iwmcguir.
But there are people that will surely place the jack way in on the axle.
In this situation you are asking for trouble, so the manufacturer has to protect itself from people not doing proper lifting procedure.
I to have lifted my RV by the axles for the last 17 years and use blocking to backup my jack. But its under the springs.
The previous trailer had underhung springs, and the newer units have overhung springs that cause a problem of being directly on the axle tube.
The old method of backing up on a ramp surely is a no, no, to these heavy units.

Axle Jacking

I was under the impression that the axles used on our rigs have THIN tubing surrounding the axles not able to take the weight of the rig, unlike the differential housing or front end parts that the jack is applied to in motorized vehicles.

Axles? I dont think there is anything inside that tube Bill.

In the past I have used leveling blocks to raise a wheel off of the ground. This past year I purchased a Trailer - Aid from Camping World which will this an easier process to raise a wheel in the future.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/trailer-aid/10867

I have used the EZ Jack for years on cattle trailers and RV's. Works great and doesn't settle into the ground like a bottle jack.

We have used teh EZ-jacks for the past 50 years or so and they are the way to go. Howeve you are supposed to jack up the frame on a HL product and not put any pressue on the axles. We use it anyway and have had no problems. Only used it to check the grease in the wheel bearings but sure beats haveing your camper jacked up with a bottle jack resting on that little I beam rail.