Inspect Brakes and Repack Bearings in an EZLube: Yearly?

P25ct · 08-01-2015, 12:15 PM

Have a 2014 Seismic 5er. Seeing somewhere that the hubs should be inspected with brakes and bearings re packed yearly. We don't do a ton of travel with it, sits mostly.

What's the recommended interval of these? We've got easylube hubs, however I've see so much talk about not bothering with the EZLube and having them inspected and re packed yearly. My MO is when I do travel, sometimes across a few states in hot summer, to have the safest and most reliable travel experience I can when moving the 44' coach, so in these areas I don't skimp.

From what I read if you grease an EZ lube, good chances of you don't know what your doing, and maybe even if you do, you will blow grease out of the seals onto the brake shoes.

Thoughts? What are you paying per axle for this inspection/service?

motorbreath · 08-01-2015, 09:01 PM

My friend is a mechanic and he takes care of my trailers for me. I have a car hauler and a Jay Flight 28BHBE, both with EZ-lube axles. I put about 3000mi on each every season, so he repacks them every year.

He will never use the grease fitting, he says that he has never been able to get them to work consistently. If there is a problem, the mess that is made is terrible. If you are 100% that you have a compatible grease, a few pumps here and there won't hurt, but I would get them repacked the old fashioned way. I am not sure how much it would cost, my friend does not charge me much ($100 for both axles).

BrentB · 08-01-2015, 10:20 PM

Dexter recommends every 12 months. Mine cost me $276 for 2 axles.

Chuck Hovonick · 08-02-2015, 04:54 AM

$300 in my area, tax included. Once a year, that's relatively cheap insurance.

CH

Bassdogs · 08-02-2015, 06:49 AM

Every year is in my opinion excessive and not necessary unless you put 10,000 or more miles on you're RV annually. Most owners do only 2 or 3k miles so every 3 years is more than adequate. Have followed this schecule with current [2014] and all previous TT's and have not had any issues with the bearings. Boat trailers require more frequent service since they are drowned frequently when launching and recovering boats. RV's spend 95% of their lives sitting on a site or in storage.

Do you still change the oil in your car every 3000 miles? If yes, read your manual as most manufacturers are now recommending 10 to 15 k between service. Most quick change service centers still put a 3-5 k reminder sticker on your windshield They need the business and your $$'s I guess.

Tip: Before and after each drive with the RV check the hubs for anysign of grease leaking. On each trip I stop after 25 - 50 miles and put a palm on each hub to check for any heat build up. Warm is good, too hot to hold your hand on the hub is bad.

Tunce the traveler · 08-02-2015, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Every year is in my opinion excessive and not necessary unless you put 10,000 or more miles on you're RV annually. Most owners do only 2 or 3k miles so every 3 years is more than adequate.

Tip: Before and after each drive with the RV check the hubs for anysign of grease leaking. On each trip I stop after 25 - 50 miles and put a palm on each hub to check for any heat build up. Warm is good, too hot to hold your hand on the hub is bad.

X2

jamaddox · 08-02-2015, 07:56 AM

My service plan/extended warranty from the dealer (the jay plus warranty) had something in there saying you needed to have your wheel bearings re packed every year. This was part of the wheel rider so if it does not get done it should not void anything. When I asked about this and he said that realistically that was designed for people who put a lot of mileage on their trailers and he would recommend for light usage to do it every other year. For next years summarization will be my time and he will do it.

motorbreath · 08-02-2015, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Every year is in my opinion excessive and not necessary unless you put 10,000 or more miles on you're RV annually. Most owners do only 2 or 3k miles so every 3 years is more than adequate. Have followed this schecule with current [2014] and all previous TT's and have not had any issues with the bearings. Boat trailers require more frequent service since they are drowned frequently when launching and recovering boats. RV's spend 95% of their lives sitting on a site or in storage.

Do you still change the oil in your car every 3000 miles? If yes, read your manual as most manufacturers are now recommending 10 to 15 k between service. Most quick change service centers still put a 3-5 k reminder sticker on your windshield They need the business and your $$'s I guess.

Tip: Before and after each drive with the RV check the hubs for anysign of grease leaking. On each trip I stop after 25 - 50 miles and put a palm on each hub to check for any heat build up. Warm is good, too hot to hold your hand on the hub is bad.

You are totally right, but you need to get your drum brakes inspected and adjusted at least every year. Many people are not mechanically inclined and they need to have their vehicles inspected regularly, else they will miss the minor symptoms and get stuck on the road somewhere.

Since you are going through all of the trouble and expense to take your RV for service, or doing it yourself, the extra expense to repack the bearings is a little more tolerable. Either way, the hand on the hub trick is new to me, thanks for the tip!

P25ct · 08-02-2015, 12:27 PM

Thanks all. Going to have them done this year when I have new wheels and tires mounted. Might as well. Also, the TMS systems monitor temperature as well as pressure at each tire, so not only can you see which side is heavier (which I found interesting) by temperatures of the tires, but you can see a spike over average of other on that side or the rig and will get the raise of the eyebrow and maybe a look or at least keep monitoring. I think these are a must have if your going any appreciable distance (40-50 miles or so).

I'm also going to stay away from EZ lube. Seems the risk is not worth the small reward.

Thanks all

Bearles · 08-04-2015, 06:20 PM

I have a 2010 with EZ-Lube, I inspect and add a little new grease annually, trick is being able to spin the wheel as you slowly add grease to ensure it spreads around the entire bearing evenly. Without spinning the wheel you are likely to blow out the bearing.
Slow is better and don't use air powered grease guns, hand pressure only. No problems with any wheel in 5 years.

Tigger1 · 08-04-2015, 06:36 PM

Here is a previous thread on the subject that might help.

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...ngs-28197.html

skylarkva · 08-04-2015, 11:03 PM

I carry a cheap infared thermometer, and at every gas stop do a quick lap around the trailer checking tire and hub temperatures. Anomalies there can be a good indicator of air pressure, brake or hub problems.

Macrosill · 08-05-2015, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skylarkva

I carry a cheap infared thermometer, and at every gas stop do a quick lap around the trailer checking tire and hub temperatures. Anomalies there can be a good indicator of air pressure, brake or hub problems.

I just recently started doing the same! I keep the ir thermometer in the glove box.

P25ct · 08-16-2015, 11:07 AM

Follow up as OP for this thread: had bearings re packed the old fashioned way and brakes inspected etc. all was healthy and good for another year. Thanks to those who contributed to the good best practices. If you've followed my other posts since then, picked up rig and the landing gear failed. It's down and vacation cancelled. But the hubs are good!!! Haha

MOCamper · 08-16-2015, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearles

I have a 2010 with EZ-Lube, I inspect and add a little new grease annually, trick is being able to spin the wheel as you slowly add grease to ensure it spreads around the entire bearing evenly. Without spinning the wheel you are likely to blow out the bearing.
Slow is better and don't use air powered grease guns, hand pressure only. No problems with any wheel in 5 years.

I agree with you. Spinning the wheel is the trick as you slowly add.

DAD · 10-20-2015, 08:48 AM

I have a 36 FBTS. I put 9000 miles on it this summer. Within 400 miles I could see the tires were separating already. Had Ranier junk on it . Replaced them and Jayco paid for them. The shop I used to own had a 1 year old trailer with 7000 lb Lippert axles that all 4 outer wheel bearings where bad. The rv came in because he lost a entire wheel tire hub assy due to outer bearing failure. After hearing this I felt I should check my bearings, because I was about to drive another 9000 miles or more. My bearings were perfect, but the brakes have auto adjust mechanisms that fell apart and were rolling around inside drum. The auto adjuster had completley come apart on RF and the adjuster was behind the secondary brake shoe on LR. So I had 2 brakes that were not working. I recommend having hubs inspected annually for this reason. I don't use lube axles because I see over greasing often. I removed auto adjusters because the adjust lever was so far below the star wheel that they could not possibly auto adjust. I will manually adjust as I have with past trailers I recommend you have your hubs inspected right away.

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