Wheel bearings

[bcmorr]

I have a 2014 eagle fifth wheel with ez lube axles. Have heard mixed reviews on how these work. I have only towed 1,000 miles with this trailer. Adding a few shots of grease couldn't hurt, but I don't want to risk blowing out a seal either. I'm guessing they're ok, but being its new I really don't know where I'm at with them grease-wise. Any suggestions?

[eldermike]

I would not add grease to the hubs unless I was following the instructions for the ez lube axles to the letter.

I actually use the ez lube feature but I follow the instructions. The wheel needs to be off the ground and you need to spin it while adding grease. You don't just add a few shots, you actually change the grease.

Some people say they blew out a seal with this feature. I have no idea how they did that unless they were using an air grease gun with the wheel sitting on the ground. With a hand pump and a free spinning wheel you can pump the grease out the front end like the instructions explain.

Dexter has the instruction on their website.

[bcmorr]

Dexter has a good how-to video about it, looks simple enough. I really should try them just to be sure they work like they are supposed to.

[namusmc65]

Hey bcmorr, since I have the same unit, let me know how it works out. I probably have put closer to 2,000 miles on our unit this past year and have not lubed the axles. Maybe I should look at the video too!

[norty1]

I pay someone to pull mine every other year and manually re-lube them Cost is $30 per wheel. Best $120 I ever spent.
My brake shoes were ruined on my new rig from the factory and all were replaced under warranty. Someone pumped them full of grease for some reason. I never put a grease gun on it.

[chrisb]

I had the easy lube on my pop up and plan to add them to my 184. As stated above get the tire off the ground and while the wheel is turning pump the grease in, I always went slow and you will see the old grease come out. Never a problem. Just don't pump while tire is not spinning

[Panhead]

If you do as the instructions state you will pump a full tube of grease through each hub by the time you see the new grease come out the front of the wheel. I wouldn't do it more than every couple of years or so. If you are not driving in a lot of wet weather there is really no reason to do it more that every 10 to 15K miles towing. Think about it, the factory recommends 100k on the front axle bearings on a 2 WD truck. YMMV

Steve

[3330]

Originally Posted by Panhead

If you do as the instructions state you will pump a full tube of grease through each hub by the time you see the new grease come out the front of the wheel. I wouldn't do it more than every couple of years or so. If you are not driving in a lot of wet weather there is really no reason to do it more that every 10 to 15K miles towing. Think about it, the factory recommends 100k on the front axle bearings on a 2 WD truck. YMMV

Steve

Great point! I'll bet the oil companies love selling all that grease

[Seann45]

I "think" that the people that have blown out the seal have had bearing buddies installed not the dexter easylube axle. with those it is very easy to blow out the rear seal and flood the brake drum with grease.

[eldermike]

The bearing buddy is a constant pressure system, works well on boat trailers to keep water out of the bearing. When the bearing buddy is filled a spring is compressed in the front cap. If you bottom that spring out you will blow out the back seal. The E-Z lube axle is not designed to build pressure or hold pressure as the front end is open.

[ALJO]

Ez-Lube hubs using grease; Grease Lubrication System; 2 roller cone bearings with seal in the back.

Ez-Lube hubs using oil; Oil bath Lubrication System; 2 roller cone bearings with double lip seal in the back.

Never-R-Lube hubs uses grease in sealed bearings; 2 sealed double roller cone bearings.

Use the Axle Mfg's maintenance instructions specified in their 'Operating Maintenance Service Manual". If you have Dexter Axle's go to their website and download.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Panhead

If you do as the instructions state you will pump a full tube of grease through each hub by the time you see the new grease come out the front of the wheel. I wouldn't do it more than every couple of years or so. If you are not driving in a lot of wet weather there is really no reason to do it more that every 10 to 15K miles towing. Think about it, the factory recommends 100k on the front axle bearings on a 2 WD truck. YMMV

Steve

But isn't the difference here that the bearings on passenger vehicle axles are sealed, maintenance free (by design) bearings? Bearings on trailer axles are not designed to be "maintenance free" or sealed, and thus the grease needs to be maintained periodically... ? That was my understanding anyway...