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Old 04-08-2019, 07:45 PM   #1
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Lubing TT axles straight from factory

Anyone lube their TT axles straight from the factory? Couple thoughts on why. You already have about 500 miles on delivery to the dealership. Also I would rather check to make sure they are greased in full prior to taking on a season of adventure. Unnecessary, or dont leave anything to chance?
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Old 04-08-2019, 07:49 PM   #2
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Don't leave anything to chance. I'd do it.

Then you know it's done right.
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Old 04-08-2019, 08:01 PM   #3
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Don't leave anything to chance. I'd do it.

Then you know it's done right.
Thats what im thinking, then i can give my trailer-aid a test run.
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Old 04-08-2019, 08:08 PM   #4
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Yes..do it. The bearings on one of my wheels had very little grease in it. Hand pack them and don't use the EZ lube "feature" if you don't want your trailer brakes full of grease.

I also changed out my bearings to US made Timken bearings while I was at it.
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Old 04-08-2019, 09:00 PM   #5
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Yes..do it. The bearings on one of my wheels had very little grease in it. Hand pack them and don't use the EZ lube "feature" if you don't want your trailer brakes full of grease.

I also changed out my bearings to US made Timken bearings while I was at it.
Im going with easy lube through the zerk and spinning the tire while SLOWLY greasing. I also just want to see it begin to purge, any grease in there is not old so i dont need to see the new stuff coming out. Lippert wouldn't spend the money on engineering easy lube or spend it on mfg it either if it the design was defective, outliers aside. I have a hunch most people dont follow the lube instructions blowing out their rear seal.
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Old 04-08-2019, 09:20 PM   #6
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What Krabage said. Bought a new 5th wheel in 16' and headed to Alaska and back. Last season I jacked em up and pulled the tires for replacement. Spun the hub and gave em a few pumps of grease. The good Red stuff.
I worked in a large fleet operation for 22 years and we found that wheel bearing problems on towed equipment would start after some had worked on them. Not all mechanics really know how to pack and adjust wheel bearings.
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Old 04-09-2019, 08:53 AM   #7
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Im going with easy lube through the zerk and spinning the tire while SLOWLY greasing. I also just want to see it begin to purge, any grease in there is not old so i dont need to see the new stuff coming out. Lippert wouldn't spend the money on engineering easy lube or spend it on mfg it either if it the design was defective, outliers aside. I have a hunch most people dont follow the lube instructions blowing out their rear seal.
The only caveat to that is, what if some well meaning dealer decides to make sure that the bearings are greased and has some inexperienced tech go out and 'shoot' some grease in the zerks. And low and behold, they pump in new grease and blow the seals. If you just pump in more grease you won't know that the seals are compromised. I honestly believe that's what happened to our RV as the brakes were coated with grease when I pulled them.

That's why I always recommend that everyone pull the hubs the first time. That way they know what shape the brakes are in. From then on you can use the Easy-Lube correctly.
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Old 04-09-2019, 08:55 AM   #8
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Check out this thread about my experiences with these so called EZ lube axles.


http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ay-156264.html
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Old 04-09-2019, 09:18 AM   #9
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The only caveat to that is, what if some well meaning dealer decides to make sure that the bearings are greased and has some inexperienced tech go out and 'shoot' some grease in the zerks. And low and behold, they pump in new grease and blow the seals. If you just pump in more grease you won't know that the seals are compromised. I honestly believe that's what happened to our RV as the brakes were coated with grease when I pulled them.

That's why I always recommend that everyone pull the hubs the first time. That way they know what shape the brakes are in. From then on you can use the Easy-Lube correctly.

LOL, that would be a quite ambitious dealer!!
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Old 04-09-2019, 11:36 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Krabage View Post
Im going with easy lube through the zerk and spinning the tire while SLOWLY greasing. I also just want to see it begin to purge, any grease in there is not old so i dont need to see the new stuff coming out. Lippert wouldn't spend the money on engineering easy lube or spend it on mfg it either if it the design was defective, outliers aside. I have a hunch most people dont follow the lube instructions blowing out their rear seal.
Make sure you use the exact type base grease that is already in there. Of course, that is in the "instructions".
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Old 04-09-2019, 11:43 AM   #11
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I greased mine immediately after delivery and glad I did as they were marginal at best from the manufacturer.
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Old 04-09-2019, 12:11 PM   #12
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Make sure you use the exact type base grease that is already in there. Of course, that is in the "instructions".
The lippert manual lists 5 different brands with the same makeup to use. I already have the Valvoline ep (extreme pressure) lc(lithium complex) ngli #2 that matches the manual spec. There are also additives that are spec'd as well. Not big on using anything outside what the oe says since specific fluids/greases, etc. are engineered to handle different conditions. I spent hours researching this such as the lithium complex is a specific type of thickner. NGLI VS NGLI 2 and so on. Make sure your buying only what is called for, nothing more, nothing less. In the end the tube i bought matched all specs and cost me $3.71 on sale. It just so happens to be the same spec for my truck😉
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Old 04-09-2019, 12:34 PM   #13
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I spent hours researching this such as the lithium complex is a specific type of thickner. NGLI VS NGLI 2 and so on.
Lithium complex is the base the grease is made of. The NGLI is more a rating of the thickness of the grease somewhat similar to the viscosity for oil.
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Old 04-09-2019, 12:50 PM   #14
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Im going with easy lube through the zerk and spinning the tire while SLOWLY greasing. I also just want to see it begin to purge,

X2

Lippert wouldn't spend the money on engineering easy lube or spend it on mfg it either if it the design was defective, outliers aside. I have a hunch most people dont follow the lube instructions blowing out their rear seal.
X2 Again
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Old 04-09-2019, 12:52 PM   #15
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Lithium complex is the base the grease is made of. The NGLI is more a rating of the thickness of the grease somewhat similar to the viscosity for oil.
Great discussion guys just in time for the beginning of the season!

Please excuse my ignorance but how do I know which/what grease I’d use in my 2012 FR Flagstaff Shamrock? Hell I'm not even sure what axels I have to be honest...! I think they’re Lipperts.

I assume handpicked means having to take these out?

Thanks in advance everyone
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Old 04-09-2019, 12:56 PM   #16
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Great discussion guys just in time for the beginning of the season!

Please excuse my ignorance but how do I know which/what grease I’d use in my 2012 FR Flagstaff Shamrock? Hell I'm not even sure what axels I have to be honest...! I think they’re Lipperts.

I assume handpicked means having to take these out?

Thanks in advance everyone
If you've never done it to this trailer, it's best to pull the hub, remove the bearings, either clean and inspect them, or just replace bearings AND races.
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Old 04-09-2019, 02:18 PM   #17
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smoked wheel bearing

I learned the hard way to lube bearing when you buy a unit. I bought a new Puma 5th wheel - 13 months later the bearing burned out in the middle of no-where in Texas. 24 hours later I had it fixed. Forest River would not stand behind it because the warranty is 12 months. After checking the other bearings I found that Dexter saves a lot of money by putting the minimum amount of grease that makes it go down the road. Since then I bought a new Cedar Creek with Dexter axles and found again the bearings had just enough grease to get it home. I used a full tube of grease for both axles. Unlike years gone by when bearings were made in the USA when you could go years before repacking the bearings the cheaper made foreign bearings need lots of lubrication.
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Old 04-09-2019, 02:29 PM   #18
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What Krabage said. Bought a new 5th wheel in 16' and headed to Alaska and back. Last season I jacked em up and pulled the tires for replacement. Spun the hub and gave em a few pumps of grease. The good Red stuff.
I worked in a large fleet operation for 22 years and we found that wheel bearing problems on towed equipment would start after some had worked on them. Not all mechanics really know how to pack and adjust wheel bearings.

When you say "the good Red stuff, are you referring to Sta-Plex extreme pressure premium red grease, by any chance?
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Old 04-09-2019, 02:46 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by Chazman View Post
When you say "the good Red stuff, are you referring to Sta-Plex extreme pressure premium red grease, by any chance?
"The good red stuff" means something different to many.

For me it means Mystik JT-6 Hi-Temp Grease #2 and is on Dexter's list of approved greases.

For others it means Lucas Red N Tacky or Lithoplex Red MP #2.

Here is Dexter's recommendations...

Recommended Wheel Bearing
Lubrication Specifications
Grease
Thickener Type Lithium Complex
Dropping Point 215°C (419°F) Minimum
Consistency NLGI No. 2
Additives EP, Corrosion & Oxidation Inhibitors
Viscosity Index 80 Minimum
Approved Grease Sources
Chem Arrow Arrow 2282
Chevron Texaco Chevron Ulti-Plex Grease EP #2
Texaco Starplex Moly MPGM #2
Citgo Lithoplex MP #2
Lithoplex CM #2
Mystik JT-6 Hi-Temp Grease #2
ConocoPhillips/
76 Lubricants/Kendall
Multiplex RED #2
L427 Super Blu Grease
Dexter Company Lithoplex Red MP #2
Exxon/Mobil Company Ronex, MP
Mobilith AW 2
Mobil I Synthetic Grease
Fuchs Renolit Uniwrl 2
Great Plains Lubricants Lithium Complex EP #2
Oil Center Research
of Oklahoma
Liquid-O-Ring No, 167L
Pennzoil-Quaker State
Company
Synthetic Red Grease
Royal Mfg. Company Royal 98 Lithium Complex EP #2
Shell Gadus S3 V220C
Gadus S5 V220
Rotella Heavy Duty Lithium
Complex #2
Valvoline Valvoline Multi-Purpose GM
Valvoline DuraBlend
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Old 04-09-2019, 02:58 PM   #20
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Red grease

Quote:
Originally Posted by 5picker View Post
"The good red stuff" means something different to many.

For me it means Mystik JT-6 Hi-Temp Grease #2 and is on Dexter's list of approved greases.

For others it means Lucas Red N Tacky or Lithoplex Red MP #2.

Here is Dexter's recommendations...

Recommended Wheel Bearing
Lubrication Specifications
Grease
Thickener Type Lithium Complex
Dropping Point 215°C (419°F) Minimum
Consistency NLGI No. 2
Additives EP, Corrosion & Oxidation Inhibitors
Viscosity Index 80 Minimum
Approved Grease Sources
Chem Arrow Arrow 2282
Chevron Texaco Chevron Ulti-Plex Grease EP #2
Texaco Starplex Moly MPGM #2
Citgo Lithoplex MP #2
Lithoplex CM #2
Mystik JT-6 Hi-Temp Grease #2
ConocoPhillips/
76 Lubricants/Kendall
Multiplex RED #2
L427 Super Blu Grease
Dexter Company Lithoplex Red MP #2
Exxon/Mobil Company Ronex, MP
Mobilith AW 2
Mobil I Synthetic Grease
Fuchs Renolit Uniwrl 2
Great Plains Lubricants Lithium Complex EP #2
Oil Center Research
of Oklahoma
Liquid-O-Ring No, 167L
Pennzoil-Quaker State
Company
Synthetic Red Grease
Royal Mfg. Company Royal 98 Lithium Complex EP #2
Shell Gadus S3 V220C
Gadus S5 V220
Rotella Heavy Duty Lithium
Complex #2
Valvoline Valvoline Multi-Purpose GM
Valvoline DuraBlend

WOW! Thank you so much for taking the time to post all of this excellent information. As soon as it warms up a little more I'll be doing mine for the first time.
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