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Old 09-24-2012, 02:26 PM   #1
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Angry Greasing the Hubs

Ok so I'm telling my self never wait agan. On the way back home (Chicago) with my 2011 5th wheel Flagstaff, I blew the center cap out on the left rear hubcap. After reviewing the procedures and before disassembling, additional inspection revealed the metal dust boot is gone and a rubber boot? Yes thiers black grease all over the chrome wheel and maybe enough in the hub. It looks like (hopefully) a bearing or two, and additional accessories. I'm beating myself because I leave for Phoenix next month (Full timer) and was planning on a complete shakedown maintenance. I had been told the greased hubs were good for 3-5 years. NOT SO!!! And it is so easy to grease these hubs too... :-(
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Old 09-24-2012, 02:34 PM   #2
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A couple of photos would be good so we can see exactly what you are missing. Both the wheel with the missing parts and a wheel with all of the parts in place.
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Old 09-25-2012, 04:55 PM   #3
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Unhappy This was a close one

Got lucky when this happend. Only a few miles from home when the center of the wheel blew. At first we thought we blew a tire. The inner bearing still had grease and no bearings scord the spindle. Local RV says new parts and pressing the races is about $100.00 Next time we will stop and give a good look.

Happy Trails.
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Old 09-25-2012, 06:45 PM   #4
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Had the same thing happen to me on my old TT. I had to replace the axle.
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Old 09-25-2012, 07:01 PM   #5
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You are very lucky that didn't cost you much more than 100 bux.

Those bearings are made in China and are very cheaply made. I had mine apart and cleaned and packed them the right way (By hand and not that stupid easy lube thing) the bearings are very poorly made I will say again and I am replacing them all in the spring with good old timkens or equalivent, cheap insurance.
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Old 09-25-2012, 07:39 PM   #6
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It is concerning that the bearings on a 2011 would be failing.
dona, how many times did you take it south, and how many miles do you think might be on the camper? Did you ever grease the bearings, or was that just on the factory lube?
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Old 09-25-2012, 08:57 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by TheSasks View Post
You are very lucky that didn't cost you much more than 100 bux.

Those bearings are made in China and are very cheaply made. I had mine apart and cleaned and packed them the right way (By hand and not that stupid easy lube thing) the bearings are very poorly made I will say again and I am replacing them all in the spring with good old timkens or equalivent, cheap insurance.
With six plants in China you could still have bearings made in China and still be Timken.
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Old 09-25-2012, 09:01 PM   #8
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Yep, factory lube. We have been to Arizona once tow years ago. Were full timers traveling both Illinois and Iowa sides of the Mississippi river. I'm greasing the other three hubs tomorrow, by grease zert. But I will review the Timkens while down in Phoenix this winter.
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Old 09-25-2012, 09:50 PM   #9
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You are lucky it is only a $100 repair. My bearing let go while on a busy highway. Did not know and it got so hot that it burnt the brakes pads and cracked the the hubs. By the time I got the trailer out of the repair shop the total cast was almost $3000.
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Old 09-25-2012, 10:38 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by donanddona View Post
Yep, factory lube. We have been to Arizona once tow years ago. Were full timers traveling both Illinois and Iowa sides of the Mississippi river. I'm greasing the other three hubs tomorrow, by grease zert. But I will review the Timkens while down in Phoenix this winter.
It is quite possible that the factory only put a minimum amount of grease in the hub. When we picked up our new fifth, I didn't leave the lot before pumping the hubs full. Those 'easy-lube' grease zerks are there for a reason. I have seen claims that one doesn't have to add more than a stroke or two per year, but I have never had a bearing failure on any of my many pieces of equipment from over-greasing.
Sorry for your experience.
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Old 09-25-2012, 10:54 PM   #11
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Just finished greasing our TT - cut my index finger cleaning old grease out of it, right thru a paper towel. Where the rubber cap attaches.

The new grease gun's zerk connector I got at Tractor Supply had to be disconnected from the grease supply and wait about 20 minutes before it would release from the Zerk fitting. Happened on all four wheels?

You're supposed to add grease until it starts coming out (you can see it if you clean the old grease out from under the rubber cap first).

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Old 09-26-2012, 03:57 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by donanddona View Post
Ok so I'm telling my self never wait agan. On the way back home (Chicago) with my 2011 5th wheel Flagstaff, I blew the center cap out on the left rear hubcap. After reviewing the procedures and before disassembling, additional inspection revealed the metal dust boot is gone and a rubber boot? Yes thiers black grease all over the chrome wheel and maybe enough in the hub. It looks like (hopefully) a bearing or two, and additional accessories. I'm beating myself because I leave for Phoenix next month (Full timer) and was planning on a complete shakedown maintenance. I had been told the greased hubs were good for 3-5 years. NOT SO!!! And it is so easy to grease these hubs too... :-(
Sorry to hear of your problem, If I'm right your flagstaff came with AL-KO axles, just as my Rockwood did. Your AXLES, should still be under warranty. If you read the manual it will state 2 years and also 5 years on some parts. It is listed on page # 42. I would call AL-KO @ 574-294-6651. I would at least call them, but it seems to me they should cover the parts and labor from what I have read and your unit is less then 2 years old
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Old 09-26-2012, 05:43 AM   #13
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The new grease gun's zerk connector I got at Tractor Supply had to be disconnected from the grease supply and wait about 20 minutes before it would release from the Zerk fitting. Happened on all four wheels?
Mine grease gun seems to get "welded" to the zerks, also. Had to really pull hard to get the them separated. Didn't know this until I read it on the forum here, but you can screw out the grease gun tip some so it does not grab as much.
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Old 09-26-2012, 07:02 AM   #14
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Grease gun will not release---------

Been there, done that!

If you are having a problem with the grease gun not releasing from the ZERK fitting, you need to replace the fitting. I had the same problem with two of my grease fittings, would not release or was slow about taking grease.

I discovered the zerk fittings were missing a spring behind the sealing ball inside the ZERK fitting, another words a bad bunch of ZERK fittings were installed at the factory. Defective China made fittings. Go to your local auto supply store purchase new fittings, replace.
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Old 09-26-2012, 08:15 AM   #15
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Just finished greasing our TT - cut my index finger cleaning old grease out of it, right thru a paper towel. Where the rubber cap attaches.

.
I did the same thing when i did mine. It's amazing how sharp that lip really is.
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Old 09-26-2012, 08:23 AM   #16
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It is quite possible that the factory only put a minimum amount of grease in the hub. When we picked up our new fifth, I didn't leave the lot before pumping the hubs full. Those 'easy-lube' grease zerks are there for a reason. I have seen claims that one doesn't have to add more than a stroke or two per year, but I have never had a bearing failure on any of my many pieces of equipment from over-greasing.
Sorry for your experience.
When we picked up our new 5er in Feb this yr, I pulled it home about 15 miles and that was the first thing I did after unhooking was pull the hub caps and grease the hubs. Then did it again when I was putting the shocks on and had the hubs off.
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Old 09-26-2012, 08:28 PM   #17
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Red face

A big 10/4 on the minimum grease from the factory. I once read a thread on the amount of grease the hubs took when greasing the easy way, and, yes it's true. I used 2/3 of a tube on each hub and two rolls of paper towels before I was through with all four hubs. I could not believe the black mud that was comming out. Don't think about it just use the easy way today!!!! I was lucky, very very lucky!! Pay mre know or pay me later.....
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Old 09-26-2012, 09:42 PM   #18
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is adding the grease zert hub a good idea?
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Old 09-26-2012, 10:08 PM   #19
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Its part of the AL-KO spindle/axel not realy the hub. I just used the term to simplify.. lol
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Old 09-27-2012, 05:10 AM   #20
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You need to watch doing this because you can very easily blow the seal and the grease will be inside your hub.

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