codycarver
Founding Wyoming Chapter Leader-retired
I've bought them at my local NAPA for a few dollars each. Something sounds off. Maybe try a different counter guy or a new parts store.
Bearing Maintenance Urgency?
- Thread starter ericandalice
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I've bought them at my local NAPA for a few dollars each. Something sounds off. Maybe try a different counter guy or a new parts store.
ericandalice
Senior Question Asker
We're headed to a trailer store next. I'm keeping the expensive one until I can find a cheaper one. The brand is SKF and I went to see the names others recommended but there are so many random posts on this thread now and I'm on my phone without search capabilities.
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JanAndBill
Well-known member
Last ones I bought from a local parts house. They carried parts in stock for several RV dealers/repair shops in the area. They were actually stamped "Dexter" made in China. About $4 each tax.
ericandalice
Senior Question Asker
Guy at the trailer parts store explained that the one we bought from Napa was a triple seal, not a single like is currently on the rig. Wish the guy at Napa had known that. Explains my sticker shock. Trailer store seals were $4 each.
-Alice
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-Alice
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silver_2000_tj
Member
Looks like E-trailer has the seals for 3.90 a pair, for that price it makes sense to have a couple extra on hand.
https://www.etrailer.com/Seals-for-Trailer-Bearings/TruRyde/RG06-070.html
Has anyone used a product like bearing buddy?
https://www.etrailer.com/Seals-for-Trailer-Bearings/TruRyde/RG06-070.html
Has anyone used a product like bearing buddy?
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
Don't cheap out on a $3.40 seal. I dont see how a guy can say on one hand that he wants the best grease and bearings then on the other hand he wants a cheap seal. Buy good bearings, good seals and good grease. Then you will be in good shape. The CR is $4.95. NAPA sees people coming. I rarely use them anymore, they charge list price for everything. There is no way 4 seals can be $200, unless they were industrial bakery oven bearing seals, or steam engine seals. Even being triple lip seals, would not bring the price to $10.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
pegmikef
Well-known member
I have them on my boat trailer and like them because I can push out any water that might get in the hubs. I think these are a different type that the easy lubes on our trailers.
I'm new to BigHorn but in looking through the owners manual for my 2006 BigHorn 3600RL we just bought. It says the BigHorn is equipped with the Al-Ko Ultra lubricating system. A grease Zerk. There is no need for dis-assembly or removing The tires. You just squeeze the grease gun until grease oozes out and that indicates the hub is adequately greased. Am I missing something here?
Bob&Patty
Founders of SoCal Chapter
cbavier, the only way that your system works is rotate the wheels when adding grease. Which means you have the jack up the coach...NOT by the axles but by the frame with your coach hooked to your TV. You also have to be careful not pump in TOOOO much grease as you can blow out the seal. If the grease in the center of the hub is blocked/plugged, you will never get any grease to the bearings. Trust me...find someone that will hand pack the bearings, clean and adjust the brakes and install new seals. At the age of your coach (9-10 years old)...you need to look/inspect the bearings anyway.
Bob First thank you for your reply. I was thinking of having the bearings checked (packed) if necessary before I take it out. Our coach has been towed less than 600 miles. It was towed from Elkheart to a campground and has sat for the past nine years then towed back to the dealer I bought it from, another 35 or 40 miles. Then about 75 miles to my house So in it's life the Trailer has been towed less than 600 miles. I was also concerned about the MorRide if it needs to be greased. Why does the trailer have to be hooked to the TV? I get it now of course the Tow Vehicle. I kept thinking as I read all the posts the Television TV. Duh! of course so it won't slip or slide off the jack. That I know but some may not know.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]From the Dexter FAQ[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Dexter recommends that you do not jack up the trailer on the suspension components because there is always the potential for damage. Bent hangers, leaf springs, or axle tubes can cause bad axle alignment with bad tire wear resulting. Also, many trailer builders do not use Dexter hangers and we have no idea how strong these hangers may or may not be. Therefore, we take the conservative approach and recommend jacking up only on the trailer frame."[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]The Dexter statement, is a carefully crafted, catchall disclaimer, and by their own admission is the conservative approach.
IMHO it is impractical to lift one side of a 15,500 lb trailer, when you can lift one wheel by placing your tow vehicle jack directly under the spring and lifting that axle to a height needed to install a fully inflated tire and wheel assembly. In Fact I contend that your trailer frame is not designed to be raised to the height necessary to change a tire, and if you did, you would need 4 evenly spaced hydraulic jacks and the blocks necessary to do the job.
[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]While it is true that Dexter makes a statement concerning this topic, it is a carefully crafted, ambiguous, catch all phrase, and by Dexters own admission it is out of an abundance of caution, because they cannot rely on the spring assemblies used by the trailer OEM or their own hardware. To that I say; if you cannot rely on those springs and attachments to hold up to the raising of one axle, then it follows that you must take your rig to a spring shop and have hardware installed that can handle the normal and necessary functions of a suspension.
If you buy into this Dexter statement then you need to accumulate the 100 to 200 lbs of blocks and jacks that you will need, Because one day you will be on the side of the road, needing to service a single wheel. And you won't have the equipment available to do the job. Of course there is the cash in your pocket or a credit card that can get the whole side of the trailer lifted.
I will wager that not one person that has posted about their Towmax blowouts, jacked up their rig by the frame when they installed the spare. Infact I would bet that they used the 6 point which is another no-no.
The important thing is to place the jack as near to the wheel as possible, preferably under the spring, as opposed to further inboard on the axle tube. Some people have built an attachment on their bottle jacks that cradles the axle tube to prevent bending the axle tube wall. Others have chosen to carry a Blaylock EZ-Jack or similar creative device. I use my scissor jack that came with my TV. The max force required is a nominal 3100 lbs to raise that axle to a height where the wheel is one inch off the ground. What makes more sense? 3100 lbs or 7750 lbs of force and risk tweaking your trailer frame. Go look at your rig, where are the jacking pads located? There are none on mine. So I guess I'm supposed to use the I-beam flange? Thats an accident waiting to happen when the jack slips, bends the flange and drives the jack through the floor of my rig.
Like so many other things with our rigs, good judgement will go a long way toward "not inducing" unnecessary problems.
I am posting this in the spirit of debate, I do not intend to dispute anyones advice on the subject, as clearly Dexter has made this statement. But the practicality of it, is what I question. You must also take into consideration the wide audience they are addressing.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]"Dexter recommends that you do not jack up the trailer on the suspension components because there is always the potential for damage. Bent hangers, leaf springs, or axle tubes can cause bad axle alignment with bad tire wear resulting. Also, many trailer builders do not use Dexter hangers and we have no idea how strong these hangers may or may not be. Therefore, we take the conservative approach and recommend jacking up only on the trailer frame."[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]The Dexter statement, is a carefully crafted, catchall disclaimer, and by their own admission is the conservative approach.
IMHO it is impractical to lift one side of a 15,500 lb trailer, when you can lift one wheel by placing your tow vehicle jack directly under the spring and lifting that axle to a height needed to install a fully inflated tire and wheel assembly. In Fact I contend that your trailer frame is not designed to be raised to the height necessary to change a tire, and if you did, you would need 4 evenly spaced hydraulic jacks and the blocks necessary to do the job.
[/FONT][FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]While it is true that Dexter makes a statement concerning this topic, it is a carefully crafted, ambiguous, catch all phrase, and by Dexters own admission it is out of an abundance of caution, because they cannot rely on the spring assemblies used by the trailer OEM or their own hardware. To that I say; if you cannot rely on those springs and attachments to hold up to the raising of one axle, then it follows that you must take your rig to a spring shop and have hardware installed that can handle the normal and necessary functions of a suspension.
If you buy into this Dexter statement then you need to accumulate the 100 to 200 lbs of blocks and jacks that you will need, Because one day you will be on the side of the road, needing to service a single wheel. And you won't have the equipment available to do the job. Of course there is the cash in your pocket or a credit card that can get the whole side of the trailer lifted.
I will wager that not one person that has posted about their Towmax blowouts, jacked up their rig by the frame when they installed the spare. Infact I would bet that they used the 6 point which is another no-no.
The important thing is to place the jack as near to the wheel as possible, preferably under the spring, as opposed to further inboard on the axle tube. Some people have built an attachment on their bottle jacks that cradles the axle tube to prevent bending the axle tube wall. Others have chosen to carry a Blaylock EZ-Jack or similar creative device. I use my scissor jack that came with my TV. The max force required is a nominal 3100 lbs to raise that axle to a height where the wheel is one inch off the ground. What makes more sense? 3100 lbs or 7750 lbs of force and risk tweaking your trailer frame. Go look at your rig, where are the jacking pads located? There are none on mine. So I guess I'm supposed to use the I-beam flange? Thats an accident waiting to happen when the jack slips, bends the flange and drives the jack through the floor of my rig.
Like so many other things with our rigs, good judgement will go a long way toward "not inducing" unnecessary problems.
I am posting this in the spirit of debate, I do not intend to dispute anyones advice on the subject, as clearly Dexter has made this statement. But the practicality of it, is what I question. You must also take into consideration the wide audience they are addressing.
[/FONT]
ericandalice
Senior Question Asker
We were able to get non-$50 seals from a trailer store ($5) although they have no brand marking and the trailer store didn't know the brand. The look and feel identical to the manufacture ones. We re-packed the one wheel we took apart with new grease and one of these new seals (since we tore apart the old one). Took about 3 hours. I've decided for the remaining 3 wheels I am going to go with the e-z lube system as it seems to represent the least risk. I was originally going to hand pack all wheels but the ones I took apart show no wear and the grease is almost pristine (still bright pink). So I think taking apart and inspecting can wait for a professional when I get back home. Basically my thought is that there is less risk of a problem from the e-z lube system than from a novice trying to hand pack it.
But that leaves one question. The videos say not to mix grease. The grease we bought for the wheel we repacked was different than the original grease (gray in color instead of pink). It was one of the approved grease sources in the PDF Jim sent over, just not the same as the original. Since I am using the e-z lube system for the remaining wheels I would like to get the same grease as I assume a small amount of the old grease will remain. Does anybody know what specific grease is used by the factory?
But that leaves one question. The videos say not to mix grease. The grease we bought for the wheel we repacked was different than the original grease (gray in color instead of pink). It was one of the approved grease sources in the PDF Jim sent over, just not the same as the original. Since I am using the e-z lube system for the remaining wheels I would like to get the same grease as I assume a small amount of the old grease will remain. Does anybody know what specific grease is used by the factory?
MTPockets
Well-known member
. If it's a lithium based NLGI #2 Grease, that's all that is necessary. That's what the factory will use. Brand and color doesn't matter. Color is just dye and used for manufacturers to market and sell their grease.
justafordguy
Well-known member
I agree 100%, lifting the entire side of a 15500 lb trailer by the frame just to change a tire is ridiculous and dangerous. Jacking under the axle near the wheel is much safer.
I have a jack that will lift an 18000 lb trailer but it takes two people to lift the jack and not something I want to pack on a camping trip. So I also use a jack under the axle near the tire and lift it just enough to get the tire off the ground. Been doing this for years on many different trailers and have never bent an axle so it's either ok or I've been lucky.
JanAndBill
Well-known member
I have a couple of different caps that I fabricated for my hydraulic jack. One has a V shape welded to a section of tubing that drops over the ram, the other is the pad from an old floor jack pinned to a section of tubing. Axles have a slight bow designed into them, which is why you need to stay close to the spring pad. As long as you take precautions to prevent jack slippage, then I see nothing wrong with jacking up one tire.
If a jack makes you nervous take two 2x8's stacked on top of each other, one shorter than the other, taper the ends. Size them so you can pull one tire up on the blocks, leaving the other tire hanging. Should give you enough clearance.
If a jack makes you nervous take two 2x8's stacked on top of each other, one shorter than the other, taper the ends. Size them so you can pull one tire up on the blocks, leaving the other tire hanging. Should give you enough clearance.
