Bearing repacking

[Macrosill]

Trailer is 2 years old. I ordered up some seals and cotter pins a few weeks ago and yesterday was the day to install them.

The drivers side went well but the seals were just starting to leak. The passengers side had 2 blown grease seals, not surprised based on the grease on the wheels. Not good. My axles were assemebled in April of 17. IIRC LCI changed some thing in assembly to prevent the seals leaking from the factory in May of 17. Yup, missed it by a month. I would have no luck if I did not have bad luck.

There was plenty of grease in the hubs, too much I would say but that is the byproduct of those easy lube axles, or whatever LCI calls them. The only issue besides the leaking seals was that the grease was very thin. I would guess it was an NLGI #0 or #1 at the most. NLGI #2 installed. Not much else to say but pictures are worth thousands of words.

The brakes were way out of adjustment also. Less than 2000 miles on this trailer so the brakes were not adjusted properly from the factory. No surprise there either.

No brakes were changed as the drivers side pads were dry. The pass side were a little contaminated but not too severly and I either had to put it back together or leave it in the driveway for at least a week until I could order up new pads and then find some time to install them.

I cleaned the wheels also so any new grease showing up will be indicative of a new problem.

[Chuck_S]

New brakes wear in pretty fast. 2000 miles is no surprise. Simple to adjust them with that $3 funny looking tool that I use for many other tasks. I need to put it back in the trailer tool box.

-- Chuck

[A32Deuce]

Get yourself a couple cans of Brake Clean for the next time you redo the bearings. Does great at getting a small amount of grease from pads or shoes.
Also good for removing brake dust.

[Macrosill]

Originally Posted by A32Deuce

Get yourself a couple cans of Brake Clean for the next time you redo the bearings. Does great at getting a small amount of grease from pads or shoes.
Also good for removing brake dust.

Went through 2.5 cans of it yesterday. LOL.
Advanceauto has a sale right now, buy one get one free of their wearever brand. I picked up 6 more cans.

[babock]

If there was grease on the shoes, they are ruined. Get new ones. I know it means pulling the wheels again but it is the only way you will have proper braking.

[myredracer]

Originally Posted by babock

If there was grease on the shoes, they are ruined. Get new ones. I know it means pulling the wheels again but it is the only way you will have proper braking.

Correct. ^^^

Blown seals could also be a result of the dealer pumping in grease during the PDI. BTDT on our current TT.

Our first TT had leaking seals from day one and it never braked properly. Dealer kept blaming our brake controller. Eventually we saw grease flung out radially from the center of the wheel. At a few days before the warranty expired, the dealer finally agreed to see what was going on. Turned out all seals were blown. They rebuilt everything including new drums because they were warped.

I have to believe the problem starts with the frame or axle manufacturer.

[babock]

Originally Posted by myredracer

Blown seals could also be a result of the dealer pumping in grease during the PDI.

Or anyone using that "feature". Just handpack and you will likely never have that issue.

[Moparman1230]

Same thing happened to me. Two years after bringing the trailer home from the dealer, I decided to do the bearings and check the brakes.

Ever since I brought the trailer home. I’ve had one hell of a time getting the trailer to brake “comfortably”. Always seemed to push me while braking. Eventually I got it to where it was good enough, not great but livable (somewhat). I drove tractor trailer for years and braking was very good, but figured that’s the difference between a truck/trailer fifth wheel combo properly designed to go together and a pick-up and travel trailer designed to be “good enough”.

Pulled the hubs off and there was grease EVERYWHERE on THREE of the four wheels. So, I essentially had one wheel braking. I replaced all four assemblies. New magnets, hardware, shoes, the works.

Took it out the following weekend, night and day difference. No longer white knuckling during braking maneuvers. Damn trailer will stop itself and the truck!

Everyone here preaches to pull the hubs and check as soon as you get home from the dealer. I thought I was immune, I thought, “Not brand new from the factory, they wouldn’t do that to me. It’s the factory!”

Lesson learned.

[Go West]

Originally Posted by Macrosill

I ordered up some seals and cotter pins a few weeks ago and yesterday was the day to install them.

How do you know which seals to order and where did you order them? Thanks

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Go West

How do you know which seals to order and where did you order them? Thanks

Here's as good an explanation as there is: https://www.etrailer.com/question.aspx?qid=143680
I've never had any luck finding the axle specs so I just pull a wheel and remove the seal and bearing and take it down to a local store that only sells seals and bearings and let them figure it out. Usually the parts will have a part number on them you can use if you want to order them yourself.

[Moparman1230]

Originally Posted by Go West

How do you know which seals to order and where did you order them? Thanks

We have Croft Trailer Supply stores here. I do exactly what NMWildcat does. Pull the part and take it to them. I can usually find the part in their parts bins myself.

[Macrosill]

Originally Posted by Go West

How do you know which seals to order and where did you order them? Thanks

I checked the lippert manual but there were two different size seals listed for my 5200lb axles. I sent an email to lippert with a picture of my axle tags. They confined the proper part number and size.

I ordered the seals from etrailer.

[myredracer]

I replaced the seals & bearings on our 5200 lb axles. The bearings have the numbers marked on them. The bearing number should be able to give the info. you need for selecting the seal size. When getting replacement bearings (Timken) I just gave them the numbers off the old bearings.

I have a spare set of seals and the number on them is "GS-2250DL and TRP and 2014 49". Maybe this will help. I remember the seal or bearing supplier saying that 5200 lb axles are an oddball size and it's 6000 lbs that's correct. Dunno for sure.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by Moparman1230

Same thing happened to me. Two years after bringing the trailer home from the dealer, I decided to do the bearings and check the brakes.

Pulled the hubs off and there was grease EVERYWHERE on THREE of the four wheels. So, I essentially had one wheel braking. I replaced all four assemblies. New magnets, hardware, shoes, the works.

Took it out the following weekend, night and day difference. No longer white knuckling during braking maneuvers. Damn trailer will stop itself and the truck!

Everyone here preaches to pull the hubs and check as soon as you get home from the dealer. I thought I was immune, I thought, “Not brand new from the factory, they wouldn’t do that to me. It’s the factory!”

Based on this and similar experiences, I decided to repack my bearings this weekend. I almost wish I hadn't. The bearings were nicely packed at the Dexter factory, and the grease was a nice purple. No excess grease in the hub; nobody had used the zerks. I could have gone another 2 years without touching the hubs.

Cleaned the nice purple grease out, hand-packed the bearings, put in new seals, set the nut, and torqued the wheel nuts. One of the grease caps had a tear in the rubber plug that is removed to access the zerk, so replaced the cap (one without a plug so I won't be tempted).

A couple of weeks ago, I discovered my Prodigy brake controller had been dialed down to minimum. Set the voltage at 6, and what a difference! Ended up at about 7V to get the trailer braking evenly with the minivan. I'll probably have to lower a that little as the brakes get broken in.

Anyway, in my case, Dexter did do things right at the factory. The A-frame has a Dexter axle, Dexter hubs, and Castle Rock tires. The Castle Rocks have a 4,040 lb load limit combined; 3,500lb axle; the A-frame has a max GVW of 3,350. We weigh about 3,080 with full water, full fridge, and camping gear. I had the Castle Rocks balanced while the wheel was pulled - 1.75ox on one tire, 2.25 oz on the other. I will watch the Castle Rocks, but expect they will go another 4 years (tires dated 0718).

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan

[Macrosill]

Originally Posted by pgandw

Based on this and similar experiences, I decided to repack my bearings this weekend. I almost wish I hadn't. The bearings were nicely packed at the Dexter factory, and the grease was a nice purple. No excess grease in the hub; nobody had used the zerks. I could have gone another 2 years without touching the hubs.

Cleaned the nice purple grease out, hand-packed the bearings, put in new seals, set the nut, and torqued the wheel nuts. One of the grease caps had a tear in the rubber plug that is removed to access the zerk, so replaced the cap (one without a plug so I won't be tempted).

A couple of weeks ago, I discovered my Prodigy brake controller had been dialed down to minimum. Set the voltage at 6, and what a difference! Ended up at about 7V to get the trailer braking evenly with the minivan. I'll probably have to lower a that little as the brakes get broken in.

Anyway, in my case, Dexter did do things right at the factory. The A-frame has a Dexter axle, Dexter hubs, and Castle Rock tires. The Castle Rocks have a 4,040 lb load limit combined; 3,500lb axle; the A-frame has a max GVW of 3,350. We weigh about 3,080 with full water, full fridge, and camping gear. I had the Castle Rocks balanced while the wheel was pulled - 1.75ox on one tire, 2.25 oz on the other. I will watch the Castle Rocks, but expect they will go another 4 years (tires dated 0718).

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan

Fred,
Piece of mind goes a long way when on the road.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Macrosill

Fred,
Piece of mind goes a long way when on the road.

Yep, I get grief all the time for repacking my bearings and inspecting my brakes/suspension once a year, every year. And I make the same reply I usually add that it's no skin off their nose, and my time/labor is free.

[A32Deuce]

X2!

[babock]

I go to the Dr every year for a physical. Thankfully, they find everything normal. I must have come out good from the factory. Should I keep on going? LOL

[A32Deuce]

X2!