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04-19-2016, 05:44 PM
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#21
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tootall1
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Elko
Posts: 30
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bearing maintenance
see trailer life mag, mar 2016, pg 109
tootall1
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04-19-2016, 06:08 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Henderson, KY
Posts: 104
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All greases are not compatible. So before you can use the EZ Lube you need to know what kind of grease is in there. That is done by doing the deed then you know what is in there.
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2014 Coachman Clipper 17FQ
2011 Ford Ranger 4X4
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04-19-2016, 07:35 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 840
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Agree with all suggestions above. Also, it is even more important to regularly inspect the condition of brakes on your TT. We neglected to do that one year on a 12,500 mile cross-country trip, and almost lost control of our rig (7400 pound TT) on a long, steep, downhill plunge into Salt Lake City. Never skimp on tires, wheel bearings, or brakes.
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04-19-2016, 07:41 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: bensenville IL
Posts: 399
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Do they make sealed bearings for my tt?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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04-20-2016, 09:31 AM
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#25
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StlClay
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 126
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Additional considerations
If you have any extended warranty program, you must meet manufacture's requirements or risk voiding the warranty. I also make sure brakes and tires are checked at same time. While I don't like spending the money, it goes a long way toward peace of mind
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2014 MiniLite with
Nissan Frontier
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04-20-2016, 09:37 AM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: in my new 29hfsxlr
Posts: 1,658
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrpep
Since I have a double axle and large 15" rims and a tt that weighs 4500 lbs. I wonder if I need bearings repacked. It's kind of like a car and who packs car bearings? What do you all think ??
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doesn't matter weight bearings need yearly maintenance . lots of modern autos have sealed bearing now not the case with your axles . of course you can just keep hauling and wait for them to seize before you do your maintenance
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04-20-2016, 11:23 AM
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#27
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Conroe Tx
Posts: 65
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I think the answer to the question is akin to the advice my dentist gave me; you only hafta floss between those teeth want to keep.
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04-20-2016, 12:00 PM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Missouri
Posts: 441
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stlcaly
If you have any extended warranty program, you must meet manufacture's requirements or risk voiding the warranty. I also make sure brakes and tires are checked at same time. While I don't like spending the money, it goes a long way toward peace of mind
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Totally Agree. I like to sleep of a night. Regarding brakes, one of the first warranty jobs we did was to check the brakes and found the rears weren't hooked up!! Haven't had a problem since.
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04-20-2016, 09:24 PM
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#29
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 78
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrpep
Since I have a double axle and large 15" rims and a tt that weighs 4500 lbs. I wonder if I need bearings repacked. It's kind of like a car and who packs car bearings? What do you all think ??
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Should be checked yearly I use to repack mine every two years. it all depend on the usage.
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04-20-2016, 09:48 PM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Western AZ
Posts: 2,404
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This is trolling to the fullest. I'm out.
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04-20-2016, 10:12 PM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 205
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I have found the difference is that most trailers/RVs sit still a great deal. Cars of yesteryear (I was a mechanic then) did not. Trailer bearings often develop corrosion from moisture.
Inspecting/repacking bearings is cheap insurance compared to possibly ruining a trip due to a bearing failure.
Also, those old cars had wheels pulled for new brakes about every two years and the bearing were always repacked.
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04-21-2016, 06:28 AM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 1,222
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Check the temperature
I've had trailers here in NM for 20 years without packing the bearings. The best solution I've heard is to use a temperature sensor and check the temp of your bearings at every stop. I usually just use my hand to see if they are getting hot. Boat bearings are a different story. I did have a wheel fall off on the ramp when the bearing collapsed. Lots of people still change their oil every 3000 miles, even though modern lubricants are 10 times better than what we had when I was a kid. I change my synthetic oil once a year whether it needs it or not.
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04-21-2016, 10:15 PM
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#33
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RetiredRVer
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 264
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrpep
Since I have a double axle and large 15" rims and a tt that weighs 4500 lbs. I wonder if I need bearings repacked. It's kind of like a car and who packs car bearings? What do you all think ??
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Frankly, I'm more concerned about my electric/drum brakes, then the wheel bearings. More rust and corrosion problems from sitting unused on your brakes then you will ever see on your bearings. I check my brakes every spring, and have never found a problem with the bearings....but have found brake issues more then once. I repack every other year, just because I have the drums off. Better look at the brakes each camping season to be safe!
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04-22-2016, 07:36 AM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: New York
Posts: 323
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If only they were like a "CAR", yes you do need to check and repack all the bearings on any trailer at least once per year, and of course if you are traveling fulltime in your coach, you may need to do it more often than once per year.
The bearings in any trailer that have grease type bearing throw and burnout the grease very fast, yes today cars never seem to need this done anymore, but it was the same with the front wheels for many years, but most cars today with ft wheel drive use a different type of bearing and grease, which is why they are sealed. But do not get lulled into thinking that car bearing do not fail, they do very often still fail, so yes you do need to clean and repack your trailer bearings.
Hope this helps and Happy camping
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B.Smith
2010 Cedar Creek Silverback 35ts
2001 GMC 2500HD w/ Allison & 8.1
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04-24-2016, 01:59 PM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 151
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This thread has been interesting. As a newbie trailer owner, I wanted to at least inspect my bearings (plus learn the process of getting the trailer jacked, the cap off, etc.).
So when people say inspect them, what are we looking for? I know they shouldn't be dry but beyond that, what do you look at? I popped the dust cap off of one of my wheels and it looks like the attached pic. Does that seem okay? Do I actually have to pull them out to inspect? At that point it's a re-pack though so it doesn't seem like I should.
The wheel seemed to rotate freely although there was some noise that I attributed that to the magnet rubbing the hub. There was no play in the hub. The trailer is only a year old.
If I *do* want to repack for some reason, can I just use a grease gun on the fitting and inject more grease or do I have to pack by hand? I know I have to use compatible grease. Is there no way to know what's in there unless you take it all out and pack it yourself?
__________________
2015 268RKS Vibe Xtreme Lite
2012 F-150 EcoSCREW Max Tow
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04-24-2016, 02:19 PM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 426
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tmhudg
This thread has been interesting. As a newbie trailer owner, I wanted to at least inspect my bearings (plus learn the process of getting the trailer jacked, the cap off, etc.).
So when people say inspect them, what are we looking for? I know they shouldn't be dry but beyond that, what do you look at? I popped the dust cap off of one of my wheels and it looks like the attached pic. Does that seem okay? Do I actually have to pull them out to inspect? At that point it's a re-pack though so it doesn't seem like I should.
The wheel seemed to rotate freely although there was some noise that I attributed that to the magnet rubbing the hub. There was no play in the hub. The trailer is only a year old.
If I *do* want to repack for some reason, can I just use a grease gun on the fitting and inject more grease or do I have to pack by hand? I know I have to use compatible grease. Is there no way to know what's in there unless you take it all out and pack it yourself?
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At this point you might as well pull them all the way out and check the bearings, plus the bearing races. If they pass inspection, clean up the bearings and races and pack with new grease.
I have to say I disagree with those that say you have to pack your bearings every year. In my mind and experience, when to repack bearings depend on a number of factors, not just time.
__________________
2016 Nike Take Down Wrestling Shoes
42 ft square Dollamur high school wrestling mat
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04-24-2016, 02:43 PM
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#37
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: White Rock BC
Posts: 415
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I like to pull the wheels once a year, either at the end or beginning of the season and , clean off the excess grease, look for any pitting on the rollers or the race, signs of water, rust etc. Then I hand pack them and put in new seals. I do it every season or about 10000 miles. Call it insurance. In 30 years of trailering I've never had a wheel end pack up on the side of the road.
As far as using the grease fitting to load your bearings. Be very careful because you can over pressurize them and push the rear seal out, letting grease seep out onto your brakes.
__________________
Floyd & Carolyn
2012 F150 S/crew 4X4 6.2L 6Spd Tow Max Firestone airbags. 2011 28RKS Wildcat. Yamaha 3000iseb Gen.
2014 57 nights.2015 116 nights .2016 96 nights .2017 72 nights. 2018 157 nights. 2019 52nights.2020/21 118 nights. 2022 115nights
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04-24-2016, 04:22 PM
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#38
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 1,222
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Probably good
There are four ways to know if your bearings are going bad.
1) If you hear a slight grinding when the wheel spins,
2) If the bearing is heating up after driving a ways,
3) By cleaning them and looking closely at bearings and the surface they ride on (race) for tiny pits.
4) When it fails completely on the side of the road.
With today's improved lubricants, as long as there is plenty of grease, and no visible contaminants, I wouldn't worry about your bearings for a while.
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04-24-2016, 04:36 PM
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#39
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 813
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Thousands of RV people will tell you YES you should grease and pack your bearings and check your lug nuts often. If one is inclined not to do that I would like to for them to let me know how that went and how much it cost you after a year of so of pulling. In fact one of our most experienced RVers here on the forum can tell you even after checking and insuring everything was good had a failure on his way home form Goshen last year. It not a matter of will it happen its a matter of when it will happen.
__________________
Roger & Mary Forbes
WB4FSN
Little Lady (Dog)
2014 F350 / 2015 CC 36 CKTS
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04-25-2016, 12:04 AM
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#40
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RetiredRVer
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 264
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I would like someone to tell me what makes TT bearings so much more susceptible to failure then any other wheel bearing. I pulled my first TT for 15 years, and only repacked the bearings three times....each time because I was replacing brake linings and associated parts. My current trailer is now two years old. I looked at the bearings before I put it in winter storage, and they were fine. Most of us drove cars with rear wheel drive at some point in our lives.....how many times did most of you pull your front wheels and repack the bearings on those cars? Those front wheels that did 75% of the braking, and 100% of the steering. Again, for me, it was when I did a brake job. IMHO, I really think this bearing subject is overdone...repacking your bearings every year is a waste of your valuable time.
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