Blown Axle Seals

[bdreinv]

Our 2016 Eagle 321 RSTS is in for two warranty axle replacements both our Lipperts. Also all four axle seals were blown.LCI stepped up and covered the labor and seal replacement.All the brakes were covered with grease!LCI indicated they up graded the axle in late 2016 to correct that problem.Just wonder how many axles are out there with this what seems a serious defect? Thanks

THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS YESTERDAY
"US Navy Seals"

[theracqueteer]

We had two of six seals blow on our 2017 Seismic. They apparently over packed the grease. Seals and brakes were replaced under warranty.

[onebigtrk]

Own a 2117 North Point 387 found all 4 seals blown only one brake shoe covered with grease. Had a mobil repair person redo all hoping for a reimbursment

[Lake Huron]

Sounds like they over packed them because they didn't do it right to begin with. A lot of these fools just take the outer cap off, throw the gun on it and start ramming grease in there. You are supposed to get the wheels off the ground and spin them while pumping grease in there. AND don't use an air powered or battery-powered gun. Supposed to use a hand pump gun. The air and battery powered guns shoot the grease in there with a pretty good force. Hand pumping is less pressure.

[John7349]

Originally Posted by bdreinv

Our 2016 Eagle 321 RSTS is in for two warranty axle replacements both our Lipperts. Also all four axle seals were blown.LCI stepped up and covered the labor and seal replacement.All the brakes were covered with grease!LCI indicated they up graded the axle in late 2016 to correct that problem.Just wonder how many axles are out there with this what seems a serious defect? Thanks

THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS YESTERDAY
"US Navy Seals"

I have a 2017 321RSTS that did the same thing. Did you contact Jayco first or Lippert?

[klassic]

Happened to me. All brakes and drums replaced. Expect no less

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

Sounds like they over packed them because they didn't do it right to begin with. A lot of these fools just take the outer cap off, throw the gun on it and start ramming grease in there. You are supposed to get the wheels off the ground and spin them while pumping grease in there. AND don't use an air powered or battery-powered gun. Supposed to use a hand pump gun. The air and battery powered guns shoot the grease in there with a pretty good force. Hand pumping is less pressure.

X2

[norty1]

X-3
Mine were Dexters.

[PlayersZ28]

So was this an issue with all years prior to 2016? Did the seals fail without added grease or due to filling the spindle through the grease nipple? When I tore mine down the first time the bearings were greased but there wouldn't be enough there to put much out past the seal.

[shadester]

You said "LCI indicated they up graded the axle in late 2016 to correct that problem" (also two warranty axle replacements). All I've heard about has been Seal, Bearing & Brake replacement. There isn't anything wrong with the axle itself is there?

[Ela1948]

The issue is operator error!! To much grease is pumped in and the grease is forced out past the seal. It seems like a great idea to be able to grease the bearings without drum removal. But in reality, it causes far more problems then existed before the greasable bearing was introduced. If the bearings were properly greased in the first place, no more greasing is needed until the next time the brakes and bearings need checking. Think about front wheel bearings on rear wheel drive cars!! It's not uncommon for vehicles go 100,000 miles and never have the bearings repacked. If the axle is under water a lot like boat trailers, then that is a different story. Those axles need additional grease to force out any water. Travel trailers properly packed really don't need additional grease.

[curver900]

Originally Posted by Ela1948

The issue is operator error!! To much grease is pumped in and the grease is forced out past the seal. It seems like a great idea to be able to grease the bearings without drum removal. But in reality, it causes far more problems then existed before the greasable bearing was introduced. If the bearings were properly greased in the first place, no more greasing is needed until the next time the brakes and bearings need checking. Think about front wheel bearings on rear wheel drive cars!! It's not uncommon for vehicles go 100,000 miles and never have the bearings repacked. If the axle is under water a lot like boat trailers, then that is a different story. Those axles need additional grease to force out any water. Travel trailers properly packed really don't need additional grease.

All modern cars and trucks have sealed bearings in front that is why you can get up to 100k or more.. just like zirkless joints... if they put sealed bearings on trailers then yes 100k could be possible... the cars I owned with bearings that were not sealed were checked and repacked every other year...

Some boat trailers went to oil bath for a while.. that seems to thankfully gone the way of the dodo bird... but boat trailers and RV trailers and others need to have regular inspections of grease bearings... just the nature of owning things...

[Rock]

Still say it is those stupid self adjusting brakes that run hot when your drum is just a bit out of round. Drums warp all the time and these adjust all the time. You hardly heard of blown seals with the old non adjust style. Even the manufacture will tell you the drum must be true or they will overheat.
Rock

[bdreinv]

Never added a drop of grease in 2 1/2 years. Lippert tried to blame me for adding to much grease.Suppose ably they use a red colored grease.The idea on the brake drums make since!Thanks

[Ela1948]

I was talking 60’s thru the 80’s cars and trucks. We have a farm and a farm shop. We checked for bearing play when we replaced brakes on the front. It was rare that we ever repacked a front bearing. Not telling you that was the way it should have been done. But quality bearings that have clean high quality grease rarely ever fail under normal circumstances. Especially true if the bearings are washed and repacked ever couple years.

[Rock]

Ya and ur brakes were not self adjusting every time u applied them. Back than self adjusters only worked when backing up. These stupid things adjust everytime u apply the brakes. And any drum will go out of round within a year. So not these things will try and keep adjusting as u drive than melting the crap rubber seal and than coating ur brakes. Mine have been changed twice under warranty and next time I will replace them with non adjusters and I will bet that solves hot wheels and leaking grease
Rock

[troutslayer]

Originally Posted by Rock

Ya and ur brakes were not self adjusting every time u applied them. Back than self adjusters only worked when backing up. These stupid things adjust everytime u apply the brakes. And any drum will go out of round within a year. So not these things will try and keep adjusting as u drive than melting the crap rubber seal and than coating ur brakes. Mine have been changed twice under warranty and next time I will replace them with non adjusters and I will bet that solves hot wheels and leaking grease
Rock

If you use a Lazer IR Temp Gun (cheap) you will be able to tell if the axles are heating up or if it's something else.

[DavidSD]

We are getting ready to buy the Eagle 321RSTS. Any suggestions on preventing the problem before it happens

[Rock]

I do use an IR gun at every stop on drums and tires. With all the boat trailers I have had with drum brakes, or disc and center lube hubs never had seals leak. Jacked and spun wheels while filling the first time since it would take almost a tube to fill hub. Than I always added grease every use to keep out water without jacking. Just pumped real slow a few time till grease pushed out. Hubs were always 100% full. It is these stupid always adjusting brakes that put heat all the time on the seals when drums are just alittle out of round.

[troutslayer]

Originally Posted by Rock

I do use an IR gun at every stop on drums and tires. With all the boat trailers I have had with drum brakes, or disc and center lube hubs never had seals leak. Jacked and spun wheels while filling the first time since it would take almost a tube to fill hub. Than I always added grease every use to keep out water without jacking. Just pumped real slow a few time till grease pushed out. Hubs were always 100% full. It is these stupid always adjusting brakes that put heat all the time on the seals when drums are just alittle out of round.

So you must have had over heated axles indicated when using the IR gun right? Cuz that would indicate brake shoes dragging (or bad bearings). I always hand pack my bearings and never pump grease into the fittings cuz i don't trust that system...just my way of doin things.