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Old 09-05-2018, 09:44 AM   #1
Lesherp
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Question When to replace wheel bearings.

After looking at this post http://trailmanorowners.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=19329 I thought I would post something about the conversation I had with a CW repair shop.

I have been considering having my wheel bearings changed. I have been using the easy lube regularly but have wondered if I shouldn’t just have them replaced as they are rather old. I talked to someone at CW and they told me that that isn’t really necessary. They recommended repacking them and replace if needed after inspection. They told me that they recommended this every other year. When I told them about the easy lube system he told me he had been in the business for 10 years and never heard of such a thing on RV’s; that that was something only used only on boat trailers.

The part about only replacing bearing when needed rang true. I was only applying an ounce of prevention better than a pound of cure when considering replacing them. The part about easy lube totally baffled me. I am interested in what members might think about how often to replace or check bearing and CW comments about easy lube.
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Old 09-05-2018, 10:35 AM   #2
Texastrailerguy
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Default bearing replacement

My wife and I have owned a lot of different trailers. We have never replaced bearings just for being old, worn out /bad yes. We do run "bearing buddies" on our two TM's(3023 and 2720). Have had them on other trailers also. Always a good idea to check them at least a couple of years or if your trailer stays on the road alot.
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Old 09-05-2018, 10:43 AM   #3
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I used to subscribe to the "change your bearings when repacking" club, but not any more. I have replaced the OEM bearings though, which are Chinese, and have replaced them with domestically-made Timken bearings. I check the bearings every 2-3 years: I clean them down to the bear metal, inspect them for discoloration (evidence of excessive heat), pitting, rust, deformation, etc., and if none are present (and they never have), I simply repack them and reinstall. Then I don't touch them -- including not adding more grease via the EZ Lube system -- for another 2-3 years when I inspect them again.

I've had my TM for ~11 years, and have been doing this for the last 7-8 years. So far, so good.

Dave
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Old 09-05-2018, 11:07 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lesherp View Post
I talked to someone at CW ... When I told them about the easy lube system he told me he had been in the business for 10 years and never heard of such a thing on RV’s; that that was something only used only on boat trailers.
I don't know where this "only for boat trailers" myth came from, but it has come up for years. The Dexter Axle web site says this:

"EZ LUBE OVERVIEW: A trailer running gear lubrication system that's simple to maintain and completely submersible with no disassembly required. Ideal for most towable axles including boat trailer applications. Dexter's E-Z Lube, bearing lubrication made quick and easy."

In other words, it is suitable for boat trailers, but not limited to boat trailers. I suspect that the myth comes from the fact that EZ-Lube spindle is more expensive than simple hand-lube assemblies (on etrailer.com, an EZ lube spindle is about twice the cost of a standard spindle). Therefore it is rarely found on trailers where selling price is paramount. At any rate, I'm a little distrustful of mechanics who repeat the myth as gospel.

Bill
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Old 09-05-2018, 12:36 PM   #5
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Part of the confusion may be that there are 2 commonly used lubrication technologies in play here that have different roles.

One, is the EZ Lube system used in Trailmanors. Grease is pumped through a zerk fitting, goes through tubing, and then exits on the other side (and inside) the hub, where it is forced outward (towards the grease gun) through the bearings. Once you remove the grease gun, the system is no longer in play -- it simply works like a "normal" bearing/hub system. The sole purpose is to infuse grease into the bearings.

The second system is called "Bearing Buddy", and in my experience at least, commonly used on boat trailers. It works differently. Wheel bearings on any trailer get warm/hot as the trailer runs down the road. Unless the heat is excessive, that is normally not a problem, and they cool back down after the trailer stops. However, the problem with boat trailers is that, while the bearings are still warm/hot, the trailer gets backed into the water. This creates vacuum pressure in the hub, such that water can get sucked into the hub. Obviously, that's a problem, as it can/will cause the bearings and hub to rust, which ultimately will lead to untimely bearing failure.

The Bearing Buddy is an attempt to fix this problem. It is simply a cylinder that can be fitted onto the outer end of any "normal" hub, and inside is a piston with a zerk fitting on the outside, and a spring on the inside. The idea is that you pump grease through the zerk fitting until the piston floats; at this point, the spring is compressing against a pad of grease you just pumped in, thereby creating positive pressure inside the hub. This positive pressure prevents a vacuum from being created when the hot hub is backed into the water, preventing water from getting sucked in.

With Bearing Buddies at least, one can pump too much grease in, which causes the seal to blow on the inside of the hub (under the boat). This causes grease to be thrown everywhere as the trailer goes down the road (including the underside of the boat), and also thereafter negates any benefit derived from the Bearing Buddies until the seal is replaced.

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Old 09-05-2018, 01:29 PM   #6
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Dave,

I think the guy at Camping World was thinking about Bearing Buddy as he told me if I used the EZ lube I would contaminate my brakes. I had forgotten he told me that. He said that they would only be used on trailers without brakes, like a boat trailer. It seems strange someone with years of experience would not be familiar with EZ lube. Concerns me as to how reliable their service people are. I was looking at a post about Wolf Pup by Forest River the other day and saw they have them so they are not just on TM.

In 50 years of doing my own car repair I have only had a bearing go out once so I am not overly concerned. I repacked them by hand a couple of years ago, when I replace my brakes, and they looked fine. But given the inconvenient and possible consequences of a failure on the road was considering just replacing them. I have always carried a set of bearings for the TM just in case I had a problem in a rural area. Anyone can replace them but they may not be available where you break down.

Thanks for the information. At least now I have some idea what the guy at CW was probably talking about.

Roger
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TM:2006 2720SL
TV: 2010 Tundra w/ tow pac.

Dealer Options:swing tongue, sink cabinet, awning, air conditioning, tile

Modification: 15“ tires & monitor system, WDH, Prodigy B.C., 2-6 V. batteries & clipper monitor, LED's. Additional modifications can be seen in albums.
Pictures of campsites and places we visited can be seen at https://www.flickr.com/photos/101899116@N06/sets/.


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Old 09-05-2018, 07:22 PM   #7
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Dave -

Thanks for the explanation of the two systems. It is the first I have seen that made sense to me.

Bill
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Old 09-07-2018, 05:44 PM   #8
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I owned 6 different trailers in 30 plus years. Never changed bearings. If maintained they will out live you. Each time you repack them you should clean and inspect the bearings.

These bearings are the same ones you would find on front of axles of cars from the late 80's and before. They lasted well past 100k miles.
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Old 06-30-2021, 12:27 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito View Post
I used to subscribe to the "change your bearings when repacking" club, but not any more. I have replaced the OEM bearings though, which are Chinese, and have replaced them with domestically-made Timken bearings. I check the bearings every 2-3 years: I clean them down to the bear metal, inspect them for discoloration (evidence of excessive heat), pitting, rust, deformation, etc., and if none are present (and they never have), I simply repack them and reinstall. Then I don't touch them -- including not adding more grease via the EZ Lube system -- for another 2-3 years when I inspect them again.

I've had my TM for ~11 years, and have been doing this for the last 7-8 years. So far, so good.

Dave
Do you happen to have the bearing part numbers?

I want to go back with timken, just for solid peace of mind.
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Old 06-30-2021, 06:11 AM   #10
Shane826
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Watch your step about Timken/Made in ‘Murica. I’ve read on other forums that they have shut down plants in Columbus and Ashland, Ohio. They also have plants in China, India, Romania, and Taiwan along with their remaining plants in USA. And I know first hand their automotive bearings aren’t always Made in America. Not to mention, “Made in America” can also mean final assembly was done here with components made in not America.
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