Trailer bearing maintenance

[Mark Burkholz]

We bought a Mini lite 2109 late last summer and now have approximately 8000 miles on it. Manual calls for repacking every 12,000 or one year. Can I get away with waiting until the end of the year for this?

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Mark Burkholz

We bought a Mini lite 2109 late last summer and now have approximately 8000 miles on it. Manual calls for repacking every 12,000 or one year. Can I get away with waiting until the end of the year for this?

You don't know if they have ever been serviced unless you did it yourself. I wouldn't gamble on it. Better check and be sure.

[geotex1]

I read it as you bought it new, and I've never been too thrilled with the grease or packing on a new axle. Me, I'd do it.

[Flybob]

I would service now. My experience is that unlike automobiles, RV bearings do not come from the factory with the best grease jobs. This is why on ezlube axles the first service takes almost a tube of grease per wheel.

[Gee Whiz]

If your warranty says service every 12K miles, I would follow with service. I waited two months past 12K miles and I found some problems that I believe came from the factory, Lippert would not honor and warranty service, not to surprised with their response after reading other RV owners problems with Lippert. I told the lady from lippert that I would handle the problem myself for her not to worry,,,,,,,....

[markb5900]

Can only speak for my Salem, there was barely enough grease in them from the factory to get it to the dealer.
Service them and just have the piece of mind that they are done.

[Ddubya]

Checked my bearings today. I have less than 2k miles and had one rear seal leaking and two of the nuts were too loose.


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[Lefty59]

I agree, it's probably best to do the maintenance than to deal with the possible consequences.

However, I don't understand why trailer bearings can't be more like car bearings. When was the last time you had to repack the wheel bearings on your car?

Anybody know why trailer bearings are different?

[Ddubya]

They should not be as much trouble as we seem to hear about. Possibly because they are not assembled properly in the beginning or because of inferior parts. Excessive weight on the axel also plays a part. Properly installed quality bearing components should not require frequent maintenance on trailers provided the trailer does not sit unused for long periods which can result in corrosion due to moisture from condensation.
I think some relate RV's to boat trailers which are subjected to much harsher conditions and do require frequent maintenance.


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[OldCoot]

Also, the automotive industry manufactures to closer tolerances and uses higher quality materials in every part. Bearings are also larger. Manufacturing processes are, in quality lingo, much more "repeatable". Bottom line, the quality is just flat BETTER!

[schrederman]

Something else that struck me is that RV bearings are like the tires... they are so close to the top of their operating limits that not servicing = being on the side of the road with a smoking bearing = not fun = busted vacation. I service mine every 2 years, meaning I replace everything. In between I do squirt a little fresh grease in with the zerk fittings. The old grease can tell you a lot. If it comes out with metal... you can bet it's bad bearings. If it doesn't come out the front... STOP... and pull the hub. You'll probably find a bad seal that's either about to, or has already greased your brakes.


Good maintenance = good trips...

[rblack22]

I pump grease in before every trip which average 5-6 hundred miles. They usually only take 2-3 pumps to push grease out.

[Brother Les]

No one should trust with your life the axle bearings coming out of the factory of Lippert and sold to Forest River. Service them after your first trip, if not before. They are lightly greased by Lippert when they are sent to Forest River and no grease is put in the spindles if you have zerks. The spindle nuts are put on very loose and allows the bearings and hubs to move back and forth and create a lot of heat. No one should take another trip in your unit until you fully removed and inspected and re greased or better yet replaced your bearings. I can not stress this enough. If you have not had issues and have never pulled your bearing, you are running on borrowed time.