repacking bearings

[tmownerfriend]

Hi,

I have a trailmanor 3326 with the bearing buddy by drexel system.

I am having problems removing the drum to repack the bearing. I tried pushing the "tang" towards the spindle and I tried to bend it out away from the spindle. How do you get the drum off???

thank you for your help.

andy

[Bill]

Andy -

Are you sure you really mean Bearing Buddy by Drexel?

If so, there was a discussion on the Open Roads forum about the dangers of Bearing Buddies on trailers with brakes. Basically, Bearing Buddies are intended for boat trailers - they keep the charge of grease under constant pressure, which keeps water out of the bearings. And if the pressure makes a little bit of grease leak out, it's OK. But on a trailer with brakes, the "little bit of grease that leaks out" can get into the brakes, making them useless. The discussion is at

http://www.woodalls.com/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/876883/gotomsg/878969.cfm

Most TrailManors have Dexter Axles, and EZ-Lube hubs. Perhaps this is what you meant when you said "Drexel" and "Bearing Buddy"? If so, the instruction book from Dexter says:

HUB REMOVAL
1. Elevate the trailer.
2. Remove the wheel.
3. Remove the grease cap by prying progressively around the flange of the cap.
4. In the case of the EZ-Lube hub, bend the locking tang to the free position.
5. Unscrew the spindle nut.
6. Remove the hub.

Sounds simple, but unfortunately there is no picture with the instructions. I presume that the "free position" referred to in step 4 means the postion that allows the spindle nut to be turned. You might check the Dexter Axle web site to see if there is anything more.

Bill

[ddnavar]

It is easy to get grease on the brakes, especially if it is not a easy lube dexter axle. If the grease zerk is on the outside of the bearing cap, you have to take the brake drums off to repack the bearings. If there is a rubber plug on the bearing cap and a grease zerk behind it, It is an easy lube system.http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3844&highlight=grease+bearings