Axel Lubrication

[nscaler2]

We took delivery of our new 3055RL last Friday the 14th. We ordered it with the regular steel wheels. Anyway, after reading all the manuals I can't find anything about how often to lubricate the axels or how to remove the chrome caps that cover the end of the axels. Any help here would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[BigBlue]

Are you referring to the wheel bearings? I don't have the info handy on that at the momemt. I'll try and look it up.

On the chrome cap, you have to take the wheel off. So you have to jack up the unit, loosen the wheel lug nuts and pull the wheel and then you can get the chrome cap off.

 

[timk]

Hey guys,
On our unit there is a small center in the chrome cap that just pops off. Got to look twice.
TimK

 

[BluegrassMan]

Hi All:

I can tell ya first hand how things go with this. After popping off the chrome OR Black cap, there is the dust cap that covers the spindle,nut,bearing etc. Pop out the rubber cap and there is a fitting to shoot the grease in. DON'T USE REGULAR CHASSIS GREASE !I had mine apart this past week,(because a Lippert employee didn't do his job right)! The grease is bluish ( appeare to be CASTROL ) WHEEL BEARING grease. It is High temperature grease for packing wheel bearings. I guess it can come in a tube for a grease gun. It might have to be an AIR powered gun because the grease is thick and I don't know if ya'll can pump a hand gun with that in it. I HAND packed my bearings on my last trailer.( the drums have to come off and seals pulled out and replaced after packing the bearings. ( There is a special way to do this by hand, You mechanics or car nuts will know how ).

 

[fireflipper]

Fireflipper

Hi Nscaler2
Bluegrass man is right on the money on this one. But one word of caution, do not mix the grease. If the factory used a wax base grease and you squirt another type in the hub, the two will not mix and yo will not only have a mess but probably some fryed bearings. The best solution I can suggest is to either have the bearings repacked when the time comes or do it yourself if you can and stay with the same grease. Valvoline makes a high temp grease that comes in a can for repacking and a tube for using a grease gun once and awhile. The bearings should be repacked about once a year, because sitting for the winter is harder on the grease than rolling down the road. I will say from experience that having a bearing failure while doing 65 or 70 miles an hour is no fun, and getting that part of the axle is not always easy either.

 

[Ken Washington]

Could someone from the factory please tell us what type of grease to use on the wheel bearings. The fittings are there for a reason, all that we need to know is what type to buy. I assume that regular chassis grease is ok for the Mor/Ryde fittings.
Ken

 

[BluegrassMan]

Hi Ken:
They might not know at the factory. The chassis,axles,etc. are vendored in. This grease looks exactly like Castrol High Temp wheel bearing packing grease that I bought at NAPA. Same color same consistancy. That is my educated guess. Chassis grease is fine to squirt in the zerk fittings on springs etc.

 

[Ken Washington]

Thanks BluegrassMan, Were you able to get it in a tube to fit a grease gun? I sure hope so, will be easy to pump in!

 

[BluegrassMan]

Ken:
As of yet, I probably have only about 1000 miles on the GC. No need to grease anything, yet. The Castrol wheelbearing grease that I got at NAPA was in a can not in a tube. I haven't checked to see if it can be purchased that way yet. My last 5ver, I installed NEW brake linings, hand repacked the wheelbearings, and 1 new magnet. I'm not sure on injecting the grease in as of yet.

 

[Chulinw]

In the manuel it will tell you to use bearing grease NLGI Grade 2 to put in the bearings. If you pull the bearings out and do like the other people are telling you it is the best way to repack the bearings. It takes me about two hours to do the four that I have on my Bighorn RL3400.