Jacking, Bearing & Brake Session

[slaytop]

There are a number of inquiries on the forum regarding jacking correctly and servicing bearings and brakes.

I am happy to inform members that Lippert technicians will be leading an outdoor session during the rally, using a display unit, to demonstrate how to properly jack a unit, remove a wheel and service bearings and brakes. I have asked them to use tools we all should have on board .

I hope we have good weather and that this session will be usefull for all rally guests.

 

[mrcomer]

That sounds awesome. Thank you slaytop for setting that up for us.

 

[BigBlue]

Since I am not able to attend the rally, can someone ask for any special techniques to us for the Monticello with three axles?

 

[slaytop]

The session was performed by a Lippert technician on a Bighorn with a standard axle. Here are some highlights that I can comment on briefly.

Jacking.
Place the trailer on a level surface.
Don't try to lift the entire side of the trailer by jacking one wheel or by driving one wheel on a ramp so the other wheel comes off the ground. This overloads the axle, tire & wheel and can cause damage.

Lift the side of a trailer by placing a jack under the frame behind the rear spring hanger. Use wood blocks under the jack to permit it to reach a height that will lift the wheels off the ground.

It is OK to lift a single wheel if only to support that axle while changing a tire or doing service work. If the spring is beneath the axle, lift the axle by placing the jack under the spring plate. If the spring is over the axle, place the jack under the spring just forward of the axle. Only lift high enough to raise the tire off the ground.

Bearings.
Do this once each year.
Remove wheel. Remove bearing cap, bend tab washer back to permit the removal of the axle nut. Remove tab washer and discard. Pull wheel off making sure the outer bearing does not drop to the ground into the dirt. Remove outer bearing from wheel and set aside. Remove rear seal and discard. Remove inner bearing. Clean and repack bearings. Inspect bearing surfaces for heat and other damage. Replace if any damage is noticed. Inspect brake components and drum for damage or replacement. If the bearings are repacked correctly there is no need to load up the axle with extra grease. Reassemble using a new rear seal and tab washer. Tighten nut firmly while rotating wheel so everything seats well then back off. Then back off nut and tighten by hand. Bend tab of washer to keep nut in final position. Reinstall axle cap and wheel.
The use of the zerk fitting on the standard axle is ineffective and should not be relied on to grease the bearings.

Brakes.
Clean brake assembly while drum is off and check the pads and actuator for wear. Remove the upper and lower springs (not the center springs on the shoe frame). Lightly lubricate with grease the flat bosses on the brake plate where the shoes rub. Remove the brake adjuster to clean and lubricate. Reassemble making sure the star adjusting wheel is lined up with the hole in the brake plate. Remove the plug in the hole to adjust the brakes.

Adjusting brakes.
When the wheel assembly is completely assembled, rotate the wheel and tighten the brakes by placing a tool in the plug hole against the star wheel. It should tighten when the tool is pushed downward outside. Tighten until the wheel can't be rotated then loosen the brakes 5 clicks of the star wheel.
Replace the plug and make the same adjustment to the other brakes.

Other members may add more to this because it is more complex than a short summary.

 

[Forrest Fetherolf]

slaytop,

You did good posting up Lippert's suggestions for tire removal, bearings, and brakes.

I agree with the information except for two items:

1) Jacking up a single wheel, when the spring is over the axle. The spring curves up on both ends from the axle, placing the jack on the curved spring can cause the jack to slip off. I would consider this method very dangerous. I place the jack under one of the u-bolts to raise the wheel "just" off the ground. The total weight lifted will be no more than the weight normally on the axle because of the equalizer action. I you are lifting both wheels off at the same time, use two jacks, one under each axle or the frame jacking method.

2) Repacking the bearings once a year. Repacking bearings on regular vehicles is based on mileage, not time. How ofter do you repack the bearings on car or truck, just about next to never. Using proper bearing grease is the secret, make sure the seals are not leaking onto the brake drum or wheel and add small amounts of grease via the grease zerk to expand the internal plunger.

Forrest

 

[slaytop]

Forrest,
I agree with your comments and I did not add my own opinion to the posting because I wanted to report what was said at the session. I think the technician did state a mileage figure or once per year but I couldn't remember if it was 6,000 or 12,000 miles. I have jacked up my own axles under the "U" bolts without any difficulty but he didn't like that method. Perhaps the springs flatten out when lifting if the jack is placed just forward of the axle. I've never tried it that way.

I am bothered by the placement of the jack stands in your photo. Do you take a chance of the ears of the spring hangers bending one way or the other or just simply placing too much stress on the parts? It seems to me that the stands should be against the frame. Can you explain your rational of using the hangers?
Larry

 

[Forrest Fetherolf]

slaytop,

Try placing the jack on the spring next to the axle, you should discover an uncomfortable feeling as I would. You just don't place a jack on a curved surface and expect it to stay there. I cannot understand why anyone with reasonable common sense would suggest this method, they are just asking for trouble. If jacking up the axle under the u-bolt crushes or bends the axle, you have the wrong axles under the rig.

As for the jack stand location on the spring hangers, the front and rear spring hangers, carries 1/2 the load on each axles, the center hanger carries the other 1/2 of the load on both axles. I placed the jack stands, as pictured, to minimize the height of the jack stands and blocks needed to support the rig with the tires removed. If the hangers bend or move in any direction under a this stationary dead load condition, imagine what they will do when you add a live load (G-Force) of bouncing down the highway. Either jacks under the hangers or frame will work fine. The higher you stack blocks and further you extend a jack, the more unstable things become.

I was a little shaky when the TA tire exploded two weeks ago and I had to change the tire 6' off the side of the highway with all the big trucks roaring by. I used a ramp under the good tire and a bottle jack under the blown tire for ground clearance. The situation would have been much worse by jacking up the frame high enough for ground clearance to remove the blown tire. If I am so unlucky to blow one of my new Goodyears, I will not use the Camping World ramp, only the bottle jack under the spring u-bolt.

Forrest

 

[slaytop]

Forrest,
Thanks for your reply.
There was a short discussion of how a person would jack up the axle of the flat tire if it was too low to position a jack underneath. I didn't take any notes of that discussion. Is there anyone who can give suggestions for a situation like that?
Larry

 

[Pulltab]

I am not comfortable with the amount of wood required to raise the jack high enough to reach the frame myself. When I put the goodyears on my trailer I used a 2x6 long enough to place under both axles and then used the jack to jack right under the ubolts on which ever axle I was working on. This gave the jack stability and spread the load over 2 axles.

 

[Forrest Fetherolf]

slaytop,

I use a 6 ton (12000 lbs) bottle jack to lift an axle. The jack is short enough to fit under the axle when the tire is flat. I also carry Lynx plastic leveling blocks should I need to block up the jack. I will only be lifting 1/4 of the total weight on all trailer axles, or less than 3200lbs.

I would not recommend jacking the up the trailer at the equalized, as someone stated. Damage could occur to MorRyde or Trailair suspension and/or the single bolt attaching the equalizer to the frame hanger. This method is loading a single bolt with 1/2 the weight of the total weight an both axles.

I try to carry "what will do the job" the easiest, quickest, smallest and lightest. My 3600RL has a weight problem just like everyone else.
Sometimes "bigger is better" really isn't.

Forrest