Hub grease leak

[Zoso]

Before my first trip of the season, I removed the black rubber hub caps and pumped in fresh grease with the zerks under the caps. When I got to my campground I noticed grease all over my rims.

It looks like there is some cracking in the black rubber caps letting the grease out. I want to fix this before my next trip to the White Mountains and then to the Adirondacks.

Where can I find new black rubber caps? Should I just go with bearing buddies instead?

[B47]

Not sure about the source of your grease leak, but the second photo doesn't look quite right from what I'm seeing - the wheel center hole doesn't appear to be equally spaced around the axle or I'm just not seeing it correctly?

[Zoso]

I think that's just an artifact of the angle that the picture was taken. They look right in person.... But I will double check when I get home!!

[B47]

Originally Posted by Zoso

I think that's just an artifact of the angle that the picture was taken. They look right in person.... But I will double check when I get home!!

Yeah - a second look shows the top two nuts to be farther away from the wheel center hole than the others - got to be the angle.

[JoeR]

The first time I pumped new grease in my hubs, I had the same thing. The wheels heat up and the grease flows easily. It makes a real mess to clean up.

[mhartzel]

Each time I've put grease in my hubs, I make sure to wipe out anything in the cap under the rubber plug. At least gives you a fighting chance to catch it before it makes a mess.

[Chris1304]

Any farms shop or tractor supply or auto parts atone has black rubber caps that go over the whole hub assemble, I had the same problem befor I purchased them.. New bearing buddies would be the best move .. But not the cheapest .. You do have an issue . If you go with just caps make sure you keep an eye on the grease level in the bearings. As the caps are not a fix for the leak just a fix for the grease on the rims.

[bakken]

Bearing buddies are for boat trailers, to maintain pressure in the grease cavity to keep water out. You don't need them for your camper.
Ours leak as well, one from around the cheap metal cap.
I like the idea posted by Chris, putting the big rubber condoms over the whole thing.
As for the rubber caps, your camper dealer should have them, or try contacting Al-ko directly.

[08flagvlite]

My 08 just blew a bearing out while on a weeklong trip to Hanna Park here in Jacksonville. I had grease on the rims, and the plastic cap and the hub metal hammer-in cap were both GONE, and the bearing was offset on the nut from the hole. I had to replace the hub/drum assembly,49.95, and get a bearing repair kit(2 races,2 bearings, hub dust cap, new nut and cotter pin, 3 washers). Brought all of that to the campground, along with my 3 ton floor jack, and some rags and new grease, and fixed it there. WHEW!! I thought I was gonna need to have it flatbed towed home; glad I fixed it! Got wheel bearing kits for the other 3 to do now at home. Randy

[bakken]

Originally Posted by 08flagvlite

My 08 just blew a bearing out while on a weeklong trip to Hanna Park here in Jacksonville. I had grease on the rims, and the plastic cap and the hub metal hammer-in cap were both GONE, and the bearing was offset on the nut from the hole. I had to replace the hub/drum assembly,49.95, and get a bearing repair kit(2 races,2 bearings, hub dust cap, new nut and cotter pin, 3 washers). Brought all of that to the campground, along with my 3 ton floor jack, and some rags and new grease, and fixed it there. WHEW!! I thought I was gonna need to have it flatbed towed home; glad I fixed it! Got wheel bearing kits for the other 3 to do now at home. Randy

Just curious, do you have the Ezelub axles with the grease zerks in the ends, and thus do you routinely give them a few shots?
I carry bearing kits with me all the time, but sure hope I don't have to use them. That is not a fun job to do anywhere but in my shop. Can you imagine doing it on the side of the highway?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by bakken

As for the rubber caps, your camper dealer should have them, or try contacting Al-ko directly.

Al-Ko customer service sent me 4 gratis when I called.
Mine cracked the first year. If you are out of axle warranty, they are cheap.

[08flagvlite]

Yes, bakken, it does have the EZ lube axles with the grease fitting on the end, but I was under the impression that they were "maintenance free axles", as the literature stated, so no, I shamefully did NOT keep[ them greased. On mine, you still must remove a decorative plastic hub cover with one screw holding it on, then pry off the dust cap to see the grease fitting. I am now going to replace all 3 other hub/drum bearing sets and adjust the brakes and check the linings and the electric operation on all 4 tires while I am there. The Al Ko manual says how to do all of this. And no, it was definitely NOT something you would want to do on the road OR at a campground away from home! I am lucky that it happened the way it did, and where it did, because a few more miles and the whole tire/hub assembly probably would have came off, damaging a lot of things that I don't even want to think about!!! The trailer supply place where I got the parts said that those axles are pretty pricey as well. Randy

[bakken]

08flag, definitely a bad deal, but kindof lucky as you said.
When we picked our Flagstaff up at the dealer in Minneapolis, I made sure I had my grease gun along and filled all of the axles with grease, and it took a whole tube. It would seem that Al-ko only puts grease on the bearings when they install them, and don't fill the cavity. If you never added grease, that is probably why yours eventually failed. If Al-ko had filled them up, you may not have lost that bearing.
But, you will now have all new bearings, and that chance to check everything else out, and you will be good to go!

[lbrjet]

Spinning the tire as you are slowing pumping grease will insure the grease makes it way through the channel and into the bearings. You should see grease coming out when the process is completed. Wipe up the excess grease the best you can. When the hub heats up a little more may come out. What makes you think you lost a bearing?

[bakken]

Originally Posted by lbrjet

Spinning the tire as you are slowing pumping grease will insure the grease makes it way through the channel and into the bearings.

That really isn't necessary, but doesn't hurt.
What is important is too pump the grease in very slowly, and preferably when both the axle hubs and the grease gun are warm. That helps the grease move through the bearings toward the outside.
If the grease and axles are very cold, the grease is so stiff that it may push out the inner seal rather than go through the bearings. And we all know what happens next!

[lbrjet]

Spinning the tire is what ALKO recommends so I'm simply following directions. It is not my advice, it is their advice.

[OldCoot]

http://dutchmen.com/image/data/docum..._Procedure.pdf
Procedure for Lubricating the SuperLube R Hub
1. Remove rubber plug from grease cap.
2. Place nozzle of standard grease gun onto the grease fitting found behind plug. Nozzle must completely engage grease fitting.
3. Begin pumping new grease into fitting. The previously used grease will begin to seep from the cap at the nozzle of the grease gun.
4. To evenly coat the bearings, spin the hub during grease application.
5. As the new grease begins to seep from the fitting, the grease gun can be removed. Excess grease can then be cleaned up and the plug replaced in the grease cap. NOTE: If the SuperLube R hubs are separated from the axle assembly, seals MUST be replaced PRIOR to lubrication. Failure to replace the
seals before lubrication may result in contaminating the brake linings
with grease.

NOTE: Bearing should be visually inspected every 12,000 miles or annually,
whichever comes first. If water is present, grease appears old or
contaminated or if there is an insufficient amount of grease present, follow the procedure above.

[bakken]

Originally Posted by lbrjet

Spinning the tire is what ALKO recommends so I'm simply following directions. It is not my advice, it is their advice.

That is only necessary if you plan to push ALL of the old grease out.
I give mine a couple of shots before every trip, so I don't bother jacking the camper up just for that. It's kindof like a running grease change.
I will replace all of the grease with new when I do a major bearing and brake inspection.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by bakken

That is only necessary if you plan to push ALL of the old grease out.
I give mine a couple of shots before every trip, so I don't bother jacking the camper up just for that. It's kindof like a running grease change.
I will replace all of the grease with new when I do a major bearing and brake inspection.

This has also worked well for me.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by herk7769

This has also worked well for me.

I think I will continue to jack up the trailer and spin the wheels, only takes an extra few minutes to jack up between the axles and do both wheels and check for brake shoes dragging at the same time. Job to do tomorrow to get ready for Goshen.