Lippert Issue: Over-tightened and over-greased bearings lead to trouble

jheitman

Well-known member
I live in NH and we needed to obtain a safety inspection on our new Greystone. We failed the inspection. The inspector found that all the wheels had axel grease in the wheels and around the electric brakes. Apparently, too much grease was injected into the bearing areas on all four wheels and then the bearings were WAY over tightened. The mechanic had to use a large pair of vice grips and work really hard to loosen the nuts. They should have been basically finger tightened. I had them start to try to clean up one wheel and they found that the bearing were scored, must have been really tight alright. Both our axel serial numbers were sequential so they were probably worked by the same individual. Heartland connected me to the people at Lippert who are trying to work this out. The magnets were covered with grease and we are not sure they can be cleaned up adequately. If your Greystone brakes are not working to well, better have a wheel popped off and see if there is grease everywhere in the brake drum. jim
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Re: Axles were found defective

Jim, Thanks for this information. It's sad that it had to happen and I'm confident it will be made right. Keep us informed.
 

jheitman

Well-known member
Re: Axles were found defective

I have a 2011 Greystone, 32RE.

Back in the shop today and hopefully the photos will convince Lippert that things were really messed up and they will help with the expense of cleaning things up..
 

caissiel

Senior Member
On our trip south last fall, I had a problem with the wheels locking on my Big Country Camper. After removing the hub, I noticed that the grease had pushed the seal out and grease had dropped on the brake magnets and face of the drum. Brakes were not wet yet so I hammered the seal back in place, cleaned the drum and magnets. Then I repaired the 3 other wheels similarly.

I proceded on to Florida (2000 Miles) with no more incidence.

I then tried to grease the hubs by rotating the wheels and was very successfull in doing it properly with no grease flowing through the seals, or any seal damage.

My conclusion is that to many people grease these hubs by just pumping grease and not taking care of the pressure that can cause damage.

If you rotate the wheels the grease is pumped thru the bearings naturaly, and it hardly require any pressure to grease the hubs.

I found that if the wheel is not rotated the required pressure to grease the hub increases so the grease can easily push the seal out or damage it.
 

lwmcguir

Well-known member
Right on, been using easy lubes since they came out and never one single problem doing it as Laurent suggest.
 

jheitman

Well-known member
I'll have to give the easy lube function a try some day, so far I've never used them, nor has anyone else greased my axels.
 
Last edited:

jheitman

Well-known member
Re: Axles were found defective

I have a 2011 Greystone, 32RE.

Back in the shop today and hopefully the photos will convince Lippert that things were really messed up and they will help with the expense of cleaning things up..

Lippert did agree to cover all my expenses associated with repacking my bearings and cleaning up all the grease in the brake drums. They were very prompt in responding to my claim and I appreciate their help.

jim
 
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