Look what I found.

[rahewett]

My wife and I just spent 5 days in Charleston SC over the 4th. As we got ready to leave we discovered a flat tire. So I drag out the jack and proceed to change the tire out for the spare. As it starts to clear the ground, I check to see if it will roll only to discover a loose wheel bearing. I don't have the tools I need to tighten it up with me and it wasn't loose enough that I couldn't make it home. So today I decide to check all of the bearings today and what do I discover?

. The retainer for the bearing nut is missing. This is on time I was glad to have a flat tire. Had we not found this when we did it for sure would have led to something I don't want to think about. I will be calling Heartland on Monday to try and get a retainer for the nut. Lack of quality control at the axle manufacturer I guess.

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[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

That could of been all bad.!!!

 

[rxbristol]

Good find.

 

[rahewett]

Yep, that's what I thought when I saw it this morning. I was puzzled when I took the dust cover off the axle and didn't see a castle nut and cotter pin. Then when I took the next one off I figured it out. Now we're stuck at home till I get the part.

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[jnbhobe]

Any shop should have that retainer, I have a couple in my spare parts.

 

[danemayer]

Since Heartland buys assembled axles, they may or may not have axle parts. You might do better to call Dexter. I'd also call around locally. Probably be a lot faster.

 

[jbeletti]

Good and timely catch. As others mentioned, Dexter sends us over their axles with the springs, brakes and hubs all assembled. It's doubtful Heartland will have the missing part but perhaps worth the call to find out (877-262-8032). As Jon mentions, finding the part locally will be the fast way to get back in business.

I suggest you check the other 3 and have Dexter send you what you need. Hold onto any extras as ready spares in case you or another RVer needs them down the road.

 

[rahewett]

I have checked all the others and they have the retainers. The second pic is of the axle in front of the one that doesn't have one. This was on the off door side. I can try calling Dexter but I also want to call Heartland so they know I found. I feel this is a safety issue. Maybe no other units have this problem but odds are if one has had it happen others are likely.

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[Mattman]

On a fishing trip to Canada, one of the guys swore he greased the hubs on his boat trailer. Well just before the bridge to Canada we where putting new hubs on his trailer. Bearing was busted and wearing into the axle. Not sure how long it went like that. Of course talking a 1000 pound boat and trailer verse a 5er. But that too was a bad good find. Didn't get stuck in the middle of Canada of worse.on the logging road we took in miles from no where...

 

[SNOKING]

You sure it is not inside the dust cover buried in the grease? Chris

 

[JohnD]

We had a wheel bearing burnout while passing through Phoenix last year with our old 2013 Heartland Trail Runner with less than 4000 miles on it.

It wasn't pretty . . . and we were close to the trailer catching on fire before someone flagged us down and pointed at the trailer.

But at least we got to spend a little quality time in Phoenix while getting the repair done.

I had noticed that the hubcap was missing and stopped at the Camping World in Flagstaff, AZ to buy another one (both shots below at CW in Flagstaff).






When the service manager came out to look at it, I wish he would have told me that the bearing cover was missing (probably what blew off the hub cap when it blew off), but instead all he did was sell me a new plastic hub cap.

We then went up to the Grand Canyon for two days, then headed to the AZ HOC Rally in Brenda (Quartsite).

Anyway, it was an expensive band aid repair to get us through the rest of our trip and then home.

And an even more expensive final repair after we got home . . . not to mention that the experience made us decide to trade it in and move on to something else (2015 Heartland Prowler).

 

[rahewett]

Not inside the cover as they were clean. The bearing had grease but I added quite a bit more with a gun. It just wasn't there. The others are tight in place.

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[jnbhobe]

Be careful adding grease with a gun, you can do more damage than good

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[nfa1eab]

By doing what?

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[SNOKING]

By doing what?

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Pumping grease in blindly without knowing where it is going is considered a mistake. It can get past or blow out the rear seal, which greases down the brakes and drum. Much better to repack and inspect the bearings every two or three years. Chris

 

[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

Be careful adding grease because to much will blow the rear seal out then all that grease goes into your brakes. Causing that brake to fail and possibly catch on fire if your getting them real hot going down a mountain.
DON'T OVER GREASE.
been there done that

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[danemayer]

Dexter has some instructions for adding grease through the EZ-Lube zerk fittings, including rotating the wheel while adding grease. But as others have noted, many people have concerns about using this method. Visual inspection and hand packing of the bearings is what many experienced owners recommend.

 

[jnbhobe]

Good responses guys, When I had EZ-lube axels I took out the grease fittings, Always hand pack the bearings then you know it's done right.

 

[JohnD]

If these EZ lube grease fittings don't work . . . then why do they continue to make them?

Doesn't make sense to me . . .

Although I wonder if maybe that could be why we had the wheel bearing burnout on our Trail Runner as I know the hubs were greased when I had the tires rotated and balanced at a Big O tire store.

 

[SNOKING]

If these EZ lube grease fittings don't work . . . then why do they continue to make them?

Doesn't make sense to me . . .

Although I wonder if maybe that could be why we had the wheel bearing burnout on our Trail Runner as I know the hubs were greased when I had the tires rotated and balanced at a Big O tire store.

They have them because people have become lazy . Origin was with boat trailers that were backed in lakes and the oceans.

Not needed on RV trailers.

Bearings will have early signs of failure (pitting and discoloration), if one never looks at them, then they will not see the signs. Chris