Bearing Grease Maintenance

[gymracer]

50s cars had ball bearings for wheel bearings and they didn't last as long and had rawhide seals. Your trailers and cars from late 50s had tapered roller bearings. One of the reasons for the bearing packing fear is people working on them that over tighten the bearing nut which will over heat and kill the bearings.

[Cincinnati Kid]

Also- There is a difference in grease SEAL quality.

See the photos below.
On the left is a generic seal- TCM 22333TBN
On the right is a genuine Dexter seal- 01-036-00

At first glance, there doesn't seem to be a difference, the inside and outside dimensions are identical.

But if you look closer, you will see that the generic has more steel, so thinner rubber.
The Dexter has smaller steel, and a larger diameter of rubber. Also, the Dexter rubber is wider, and noticeably more pliable.

I think this will make a difference in sealing the grease. As we know, we don't fully tighten the bearings, leaving a slight amount of play or "wobble". I like the idea of having thicker, wider, more flexible rubber seal that can keep constant contact as the drum wobbles on the axle.

These Genuine Dexters just cost me $8 something apiece on Amazon. They are now $7 something.

Note: My last set of genuine Dexters had Tri-tec - Dexter stamped in the steel. This new set has Dexter and the part # embossed in tiny letters on the side of the rubber seal.

Also- I still will not use the EZ Lube , I'll pull the wheels to inspect everything.

[SmokerBill]

It looks like those are both double lip seals, too, which I prefer. There's a coil spring wrapped around the inner lip to help provide a positive seal against the spindle.

[Cincinnati Kid]

Originally Posted by SmokerBill

It looks like those are both double lip seals, too, which I prefer. There's a coil spring wrapped around the inner lip to help provide a positive seal against the spindle.

Yes, both the genuine and generic have springs and double lips.

[ARoamer]

Just pulled all 4 hubs for the first time on my 2020 Pinnacle at about 9k miles. I used the EZ lube last fall. Right rear had grease go past the seal lip and of course greased the brakes. All were done with same procedure, jack and spin while pumping. 3 were fine, but I need ALL of my brakes functional. Not happening again, it's gonna be hand packs from now on. The greased drum was considerably cooler than the other 3 after a hour drive home from the dealer. After sitting at dealer for over 2 months I was hoping it was the last time at the dealer, but nope. Didn't pull out of their lot without checking the crap repairs and totally not looking at slide issue. - 5 angry faces for their poor service department.

[Learjet]

Originally Posted by ARoamer

Just pulled all 4 hubs for the first time on my 2020 Pinnacle at about 9k miles. I used the EZ lube last fall. Right rear had grease go past the seal lip and of course greased the brakes. All were done with same procedure, jack and spin while pumping. 3 were fine, but I need ALL of my brakes functional. Not happening again, it's gonna be hand packs from now on.

Yep, I try to tell people...been there and done that! Once it happens to you ...you become a believer in hand packing. Now with Disc brakes and being able to see the seal....I'm a little tempted but will resist.

[ARoamer]

Originally Posted by Learjet

Now with Disc brakes and being able to see the seal....I'm a little tempted but will resist.

Disc brakes! Oh if I had them I'd be spotter, I'd get a designated greaser and let em' have it!

[Bill Johnson]

Back in the old days how often did you grease your front wheel bearings. I had a 69 charger and went over 140 mph many times and just passing people I was doing 130 mph. I sold it with the original wheel bearings in 1985. This repacking bearings every year doesn't make sense with the grease we have now or then

[Learjet]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

Back in the old days how often did you grease your front wheel bearings. I had a 69 charger and went over 140 mph many times and just passing people I was doing 130 mph. I sold it with the original wheel bearings in 1985. This repacking bearings every year doesn't make sense with the grease we have now or then

Bearing are made in China...unless you upgrade them...big difference.

Cars built with more pride and better manufacturing than the RV components.

Found this on my first repack...this was on my old 2006 KZ Trailer with 18,000 miles since new and 2-3 years old:


Click For Full-Size Image.


Click For Full-Size Image.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Learjet

Bearing are made in China...unless you upgrade them...big difference.

Cars built with more pride and better manufacturing than the RV components.

Found this on my first repack...this was on my old 2006 KZ Trailer with 18,000 miles since new and 2-3 years old:


Click For Full-Size Image.


Click For Full-Size Image.

Everything is made in China and we keep denouncing them but just like Japan they usually build things better than us now. We gave them our technology, our big corporations showed them how to build everything. We keep going with the country that will build at the lowest-priced.

[Learjet]

my last trailer I replaced them with USA made Timkens...that was the point I was trying to make.

[Cincinnati Kid]

Do your own scientific study. As you drive the highways, notice the ratio of regular vehicles to trailers. (Hint- there are many, many more motor vehicles than trailers)
The take note of how many and which kind of vehicles you see pulled over with the driver staring at the axles scratching their heads?
I'll give you a hint-
It trailers.
The axles and bearings are garbage. You have to baby them, clean and grease them, inspect them, properly torque them, monitor the temps, watch your mirrors for smoke, and never trust them.
And if you have drum brakes, never use easylube.

[dannyabear]

China is much better at stealing our technology than we are at giving it to them...

[ARoamer]

Originally Posted by Learjet

Bearing are made in China...unless you upgrade them...big difference.

Cars built with more pride and better manufacturing than the RV components.

Found this on my first repack...this was on my old 2006 KZ Trailer with 18,000 miles since new and 2-3 years old:


Click For Full-Size Image.


Click For Full-Size Image.

Your first pic seems to show discoloration from heat. I can't see the second one well. Did you notice any lack of grease, or that bearing set being over tightened?
My Chinese bearings look like new.. so far!

[jetlag]

We converted to disk brakes last fall and watched the man and wife team do their thing. It was pretty impressive to say the least. He mentioned I was good to go for a good while, and gave me a list of all the materials used, brand names, etc. All easily obtained at our local parts store he said. They travel the country doing this, and he mentioned that if I wanted the bearings repacked in a few years, contact him, and when in this part of the country, he would repack them for $300. That works for me lol. So far, we have put about 2200 miles on them.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Learjet

Bearing are made in China...unless you upgrade them...big difference.

Cars built with more pride and better manufacturing than the RV components.

Found this on my first repack...this was on my old 2006 KZ Trailer with 18,000 miles since new and 2-3 years old:


Click For Full-Size Image.


Click For Full-Size Image.

Timken SKF every bearing I see seems to be made everywhere but here. On the Timken site it shows those bearings were damaged by dirt and other contaminants, not the bearing

[Learjet]

This was the first repack since new...second picture bearing is pitted.

[gymracer]

Why are you packing bearings on a 2020 RV? I wouldn't think about it under 50k if then. In my 50+ years I've seen more bearing damaged from people thinking they could repack and screw them up from not doing it correctly and I over tightenings the spindle nut. The older cars would run 80-100k without people messing with them.

[BuddyRay]

The problem isn't "cheap CHINESE" bearings.
It's "CHEAP Chinese" bearings.
In other words, Lippert and other axel suppliers to the RV industry made a choice to save a few cents per axel and buy the lowest cost bearing they could - which just happen to come from China.
I honestly think that about 2020 they learned their lesson and newer towables have gotten better since then.
But I've replaced my bearings with Timkens after one failed (it was well greased - in fact there was grease everywhere when it came apart).

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by BuddyRay

The problem isn't "cheap CHINESE" bearings.
It's "CHEAP Chinese" bearings.
In other words, Lippert and other axel suppliers to the RV industry made a choice to save a few cents per axel and buy the lowest cost bearing they could - which just happen to come from China.
I honestly think that about 2020 they learned their lesson and newer towables have gotten better since then.
But I've replaced my bearings with Timkens after one failed (it was well greased - in fact there was grease everywhere when it came apart).

I looked up Timkens and they have bearings made all over the world including China and Mexico