Yet another wheel bearing packing question

[blkdodge]

I repacked by hand all bearings and replaced all seals. My question is, with the EZ LUBE system after packing the bearings should I then pump more grease through the zert fitting until it comes out like the videos show for re packing. It almost seems to me that by doing that you could blow out a seal, by having too much grease.

Thoughts
Thanks, David

 

[whp4262]

If you packed the bearings by hand you could put regular dust caps on in place of the EZ Lube caps and you would be fine. So to answer your question no you don't have to do both.


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[JanAndBill]

I repacked by hand all bearings and replaced all seals. My question is, with the EZ LUBE system after packing the bearings should I then pump more grease through the zert fitting until it comes out like the videos show for re packing. It almost seems to me that by doing that you could blow out a seal, by having too much grease.

Thoughts
Thanks, David

Initially I tried pumping grease through the zert fitting. After pumping for what seemed an eternity, I never saw any grease come out the front bearing. I pulled all the hubs to repack by hand and found that the only grease in the hubs was what was packed in the bearings. The center of the hub was left empty. Since on the EZ Lube hub, you're putting grease in between the seal and the back bearing, that means it would take a tremendous amount of grease to have any work it's way through the outer bearing. When I repacked mine I filled the center of the hub before I installed the outer bearing, now when I add grease it only takes a couple of pumps on the grease gun, before I start to see working it's way through the outer bearing. I'll probably still repack by hand every 12 to 18 months, just to check for wear and tear.

 

[Jim.Allison]

It is not likely that you can blow a seal in an ez-lube system. Seals are blown when industrial air operated lube machines are used to grease the ez-lube system. This is pointed out in the Dexter owners manual. The grease cannot move past the bearings and into the hub at the rate the grease is delivered with one of those machines.

You should have a alemite or lincoln grease gun with a pistol grip. You will note that a 7500 psi grease gun will have a 33 strokes per one ounce delivery. So it might seem like you are pumping for ever.

Now that you hand packed, just give your rig a squirt here an there before, during and after a trip. You will start seeing it purge soon enough.

 

[dbbls59]

No need to do both. In fact you are better off just forgetting about the zert in the end of the axle.

 

[GOTTOYS]

It's a Zerk not a Zert if anyone cares. I don't use them and prefer to hand pack my wheel bearings the old fashioned way. Mine had all 4 seals blown out when I checked them the first year I had it. I had never done anything with them so it was either the dealer or the factory that overloaded them. I had mine checked by a very reputable RV chassis shop that I use last Fall. They siad they were still just fine and didn't need service. How often do you pack the front wheel bearings on a 2wd truck? Certainly not every year...Don

 

[Bob&Patty]

Don, most trucks and cars have front wheel sealed bearings now. No greasing required...but you knew that.

 

[wdk450]

Don, most trucks and cars have front wheel sealed bearings now. No greasing required...but you knew that.

Why can't trailer axles have sealed bearings, too? Do semi truck trailers use them?

 

[whp4262]

Why can't trailer axles have sealed bearings, too? Do semi truck trailers use them?

Semi trailers usually have oil bath bearings. The hub has oil in it and it lubes the bearings. The real axle bearings on a dually, or SRW with a full floating axle are lubed with gear oil from the differential.


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[JanAndBill]

Over the years all of our trailers ran oil bath hubs. I can tell you they were a PITA. Cracked sight glass in the end cap, seals leaking, they were a constant maintenance item. If a DOT inspector saw ANY oil dampness on the seals, chances were you'd get an out of service violation. The oil hub was the only thing that would handle the weight and heat to my knowledge.

 

[Titanguy]

On all 7k & 8k, Titan and Kodiak disc brake conversion kits you can convert to oil bath. Both use a double lip seal. There is no bearing difference and both use a screw on oil bath cap.

 

[jmgratz]

Why can't trailer axles have sealed bearings, too? Do semi truck trailers use them?

We do have sealed bearing on our fifth wheel. They are called "never-lube" bearings and they were installed by Mor-Ryde when we got the IS installed.

 

[JanAndBill]

We do have sealed bearing on our fifth wheel. They are called "never-lube" bearings and they were installed by Mor-Ryde when we got the IS installed.

My first run on information didn't turn up anything negative on these.
The cutaway looks like they might use a different drum http://www.dexteraxle.com/nev_r_lube_bearings. I am assuming they took into consideration that by replacing two bearings with a single double taper, they changed the stress on the spindle. The disclaimer did say that they shouldn't be immersed in water, which I doubt that any of us would "intentionally" do. Using the double taper design would eliminate much of the problem with preload adjustment. I think if I had to change the drum to use the sealed bearing, i'd go to disk brakes at the same time.

 

[lwmcguir]

The EZ lube is all we use on all trailers unless they are oil bath. 10K axles and up are almost all oil bath. Jack up the tire and spin it slowly while adding grease. If it is the first time it will take about a tube of grease for all four wheels. If you keep the wheel spinning you will never loose any through the seal. This is from experience since the time EZ lube came out. Best darn thing there is and we have it on the boat trailer as well.

 

[porthole]

As per MOR/ryde when I had my IS done, never lube's were not recommended for heavy trailers.

You either get Kodiak brakes with conventional bearings, or Dexter's with the never lube.

For me, I went with Kodiak - conventional bearings.

Cost, was slightly more for the never lubes
Kodiak uses standard GM brake pads, a big plus.

At install time, MOR/ryde had a pallet crate full of failed never lube bearing assemblies, that was good enough for me to pass. Personally, for a heavy trailer I would prefer the bearings being spaced apart like they are on conventional types.

And I don't understand why the oil bath bearings seem problematic on RV trailers. The oil baths on our fire engines and trucks seem to be one of the few items we do not have maintenance issues with.

And if you have the Kodiak hubs, I would recommend carrying a couple extra bearing caps. They are plastic and can easily be cracked if you get a little rammy R&R'ing the wheels.

 

[Jim.Allison]

The Never Lube bearing is susceptible to being damaged by using any rim other than a 0 offset. The NL is designed for vertical load and less so for overhung load.

The EZ-L is designed for both vertical and overhung load component. There is an enormous difference in the capabilities/versatility of the two systems.

 

[jmgratz]

As per MOR/ryde when I had my IS done, never lube's were not recommended for heavy trailers.

You either get Kodiak brakes with conventional bearings, or Dexter's with the never lube.

For me, I went with Kodiak - conventional bearings.

Cost, was slightly more for the never lubes
Kodiak uses standard GM brake pads, a big plus.

At install time, MOR/ryde had a pallet crate full of failed never lube bearing assemblies, that was good enough for me to pass. Personally, for a heavy trailer I would prefer the bearings being spaced apart like they are on conventional types.

And I don't understand why the oil bath bearings seem problematic on RV trailers. The oil baths on our fire engines and trucks seem to be one of the few items we do not have maintenance issues with.

And if you have the Kodiak hubs, I would recommend carrying a couple extra bearing caps. They are plastic and can easily be cracked if you get a little rammy R&R'ing the wheels.

Hmmm...that is strange because when we got our Mor-Ryde 8000 lbs IS, with disc brakes there was no issue with putting on the never lube bearings. Our weight is 16500.

 

[jnbhobe]

There was a pallet of bad never-lube hubs there when we were there overnite last fall.