Easy Lube Axles On Jayco White Hawk

[thomasmnile]

Don't know how I let this slip by when we took delivery, but does anyone know if you have to actually remove the wheels to access the zerks on the Easy Lube axles? I didn't look closely, but the center "caps" on the aluminum wheels don't look like they are removable. Kinda silly if that's the case, takes the "Easy" out of Easy Lube...............

[rwilley]

There should be a removable cap in the center of center cap that you can pry off with a screw driver.

[dlfeather]

My axles did come with easy lube. The center caps had a center removable cover then you remove a rubber plug to get to the zerk. I personally do not use them. If the inner seal is not perfect the grease goes into the brakes. I just repack the bearings as usual, cleaning out old grease and repacking with new. I also use this time to get a good look at the brakes.

[Jagiven]

here is a link to Dexter Axle's Video Library to do the work, but it does not answer your question.

[OnTheGo]

You're doing it right, dlfeather. Dexter axle reps will tell you EZ Lube was never meant to be a substitute for repacking your bearings. They were designed to displace water that might have seeped in to a bearing that had been submerged, more likely a boat trailer.

I try and keep mine from becoming submerged. You never know what happens backing down too fast on a waterfront site after dark.

[thomasmnile]

Thanks to all who replied. I must have been hallucinating when I looked at the wheels.The center caps protrude from the wheel and have the removable plastic caps to access the zerks. Two more questions. Since the trailer is new, can I safely presume enough grease was packed in the bearing assembly during manufacture, or might it be advisable to give each bearing a shot or two of grease?

Regarding the brakes. The Dexter manual suggests adjustment of the linings at 200 miles. I jacked a wheel the other day and rotated it; could hear the linings lightly contacting the drum surface as they should. Should I wait a bit longer? I have logged over 200 miles. I located the access plugs on the backing plate (2, one each for lead and trailing lining I guess), but could not easily see the adjusters. Do I need a special tool or can this be done with a screwdriver? And, when adjusting, as I face the backing plate, which direction runs the lining out toward the drum, if that's what is needed?

Was more than two questions, wasn't it?

[RVhiker]

I don't know that you can assume anything about a trailer coming from the factory. That said, I think that Dexter supplies complete assembled axles to Jayco; probably your bearings are properly greased. I don't believe that a couple of squirts of grease will help much if they are not properly greased, but a couple of squirts probably won't hurt anything, either. If you decide to shoot a couple of squirts of grease, do use a hand operated grease gun, not an air or electric one.

You mentioned two slots at each backing plate. My trailer, which has self-adjusting brakes, has two slots at the bottom of the backing plate and I believe that those two slots are indicative of self adjusting brakes. Assuming that your brakes are working correctly and that you have self-adjusting brakes, you probably don't need to do anything to your brakes at this time. Checking the adjustment, as you have done, is definitely a good idea.

Be advised that the self-adjusting mechanism on one side of my trailer failed after about 16,000 miles towing. The brakes still worked, but I noticed they did not work as well as they should. My dealer removed the wheels and discovered the broken brake parts.

[thomasmnile]

Thanks Hiker. You're right about the axles. Apparently Jayco employs a "just in time" inventory control process that gets vendor product to them right when they need it. The labels Dexter placed on the axles shows model,serial #, capacity, mfg. date, and a "due date" for their shipment to Jayco. The two slots I found are on the lower portion of the backing plate with plastic plugs inserted in them. I haven't found anything in the documentation for the axles or the trailer that tells me if they are manually adjusted or self-adjusting. Reckon I can solve that riddle with a call to Dexter. This is my first experience with electric brakes. Our fifth wheel had electro-hydraulic disc brakes. Kinda miss them.............but the electric brakes seem to do a decent job with the "whoa" factor on this much lighter trailer.

[Raugustin]

Hi,

I had recently contacted Jayco to find out specifically if the White Hawk had self adjusting brakes....this was their response;
"Thank you for the inquiry. Brakes should be adjusted manually by you or at your local Jayco dealer after the first 200 miles of operation when the brake shoes and drums have seated, then at 3000 mile intervals."

Regards,

Ron

Originally Posted by thomasmnile

Thanks Hiker. You're right about the axles. Apparently Jayco employs a "just in time" inventory control process that gets vendor product to them right when they need it. The labels Dexter placed on the axles shows model,serial #, capacity, mfg. date, and a "due date" for their shipment to Jayco. The two slots I found are on the lower portion of the backing plate with plastic plugs inserted in them. I haven't found anything in the documentation for the axles or the trailer that tells me if they are manually adjusted or self-adjusting. Reckon I can solve that riddle with a call to Dexter. This is my first experience with electric brakes. Our fifth wheel had electro-hydraulic disc brakes. Kinda miss them.............but the electric brakes seem to do a decent job with the "whoa" factor on this much lighter trailer.

[RVhiker]

Originally Posted by Raugustin

Hi,

I had recently contacted Jayco to find out specifically if the White Hawk had self adjusting brakes....this was their response;
"Thank you for the inquiry. Brakes should be adjusted manually by you or at your local Jayco dealer after the first 200 miles of operation when the brake shoes and drums have seated, then at 3000 mile intervals."

Regards,

Ron

"I believe that those two slots are indicative of self adjusting brakes..... " Well, looks like maybe not always. Beats me. To add to the confusion I started, sometimes Jayco makes changes in the middle of a model year and does not update their website or brochures.

[Dirtfan]

If your dealer is farther than 200 miles this should be done during the PDI, but of course this won't happen as Jayco wouldn't cover it

Originally Posted by Raugustin

Brakes should be adjusted manually by you or at your local Jayco dealer after the first 200 miles of operation when the brake shoes and drums have seated, then at 3000 mile intervals."

Regards,

Ron