Dexter Axles ?

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

Better hope that thermal expansion doesn't increase the pressure enough under that soft rubber cap to blow the inside seal out and spread grease into the hub and you lose your brakes! [/sarcasm]

LOL. Not THAT worried about the brakes. I've upgraded to discs. If I do blow the seal, it'll only get one side. I'll probably still have better braking than with the OEM drums.

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

Better hope that thermal expansion doesn't increase the pressure enough under that soft rubber cap to blow the inside seal out and spread grease into the hub and you lose your brakes! [/sarcasm]

What does happen from my experience with the snowmobile trailer you get lazy so you just give it more grease after 2-3 years yet that oil seal never gets changed just worn, so now you'll get grease thrown out from both inside and outside. To answer your other question yes the grease comes out the same place but sadly I'm not catching it with a rag as the wheel spins at 65 MPH.

[CentralMePistol]

I appreciate the feedback and thoughts. And I definitely agree that we will likely keep debating this into old age... just like many things.

So for what its worth to you guys here's my thoughts/ plans;
I had the bearing pulled and repacked last year in anticipation of a long haul- Maine to Florida. COVID changed those plans and did around / no more than 1,000 miles total much more locally.

This year we are planning to try the Maine to Florida again... So I will use the EZ lube this year- carefully, slowly, and with quality bearing grease.

Next year I will have the bearings pulled and repacked again.

I also realized its time to update the signature with my new tow vehicle and last year's stats!

Cheers to our healthy debates!

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

Well....if I pump grease into an EZ lube fitting and old grease comes out around the outer bearing like it is supposed too....when the grease expands as it heats up why won't it just come out the same place it did when I pumped in the new grease?

It will. So much misinformation regarding E-Z Lube system.

Grease seals in these hubs, if the proper seal was installed to begin with, take a great deal of effort to remove and by design they will withstand several hundred pounds of pressure. Fail point of most grease seals today is up around 500 Psi. and by it's design there's no way that much pressure can be created at the rear seal w/o using an air powered grease gun.

The hub is not a sealed environment. The rubber cap on the outside is flexible and will accommodate any expansion of the grease inside. When replacing the plug just you should be bleeding any air out so the plug is not bulging out with the protruding "nipple". It will move in or out as heat builds.

EZ-Lube Hubs are of a different design than hubs of old that could hold a handful of grease. EZ-Lube hubs have a minimal clearance in the area between bearings and around the spindle with a huge reduction of grease in this area than in hubs of old.

The #1 cause of seal failure is improper bearing adjustment. The more lash in the bearing (spec is for .000-.005") the more the seal is flexed and failure to seal is often the result.

Many mechanics will claim the seals were "blown" because of EZ-Lube system but did they bother to check the bearing adjustment BEFORE removing the hub. Or did they just see grease in the drum and assume the lube system was to blame.

FWIW, a sheet of copy paper is .004" thick. Near the upper end of bearing clearance when properly adjusted.

If you jack up a wheel, grasp at 3 O'clock and 9 O'Clock, then alternately push in and out at each point, you should only feel a very small amount of movement. So little in fact that you should barely feel this movement. The wheel should also turn freely.

Remember how thin that sheet of paper is and judge accordingly.


Rather than blame the EZ-Lube itself, perhaps poor wheel bearing adjustment is the cause of leaking grease and seal failure. Leaking seals have always been an indicator of bearing issues on automotive rear axles and engine parts.

Then of course there is also the issue of using air powered grease guns.

FWIW, I've used the EZ-Lube system on my TT I purchased in 2017 and when I did a full brake inspection last summer there was ZERO grease on the outside of the seals.

Follow the instructions for use as well as adjusting bearings properly and there's no reason to fear EZ-Lube.

Those that want to "get greasy", fine by me. It's your trailer.

[14apex]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

It will. So much misinformation regarding E-Z Lube system.

Grease seals in these hubs, if the proper seal was installed to begin with, take a great deal of effort to remove and by design they will withstand several hundred pounds of pressure. Fail point of most grease seals today is up around 500 Psi. and by it's design there's no way that much pressure can be created at the rear seal w/o using an air powered grease gun.

The hub is not a sealed environment. The rubber cap on the outside is flexible and will accommodate any expansion of the grease inside. When replacing the plug just you should be bleeding any air out so the plug is not bulging out with the protruding "nipple". It will move in or out as heat builds.

EZ-Lube Hubs are of a different design than hubs of old that could hold a handful of grease. EZ-Lube hubs have a minimal clearance in the area between bearings and around the spindle with a huge reduction of grease in this area than in hubs of old.

The #1 cause of seal failure is improper bearing adjustment. The more lash in the bearing (spec is for .000-.005") the more the seal is flexed and failure to seal is often the result.

Many mechanics will claim the seals were "blown" because of EZ-Lube system but did they bother to check the bearing adjustment BEFORE removing the hub. Or did they just see grease in the drum and assume the lube system was to blame.

FWIW, a sheet of copy paper is .004" thick. Near the upper end of bearing clearance when properly adjusted.

If you jack up a wheel, grasp at 3 O'clock and 9 O'Clock, then alternately push in and out at each point, you should only feel a very small amount of movement. So little in fact that you should barely feel this movement. The wheel should also turn freely.

Remember how thin that sheet of paper is and judge accordingly.


Rather than blame the EZ-Lube itself, perhaps poor wheel bearing adjustment is the cause of leaking grease and seal failure. Leaking seals have always been an indicator of bearing issues on automotive rear axles and engine parts.

Then of course there is also the issue of using air powered grease guns.

FWIW, I've used the EZ-Lube system on my TT I purchased in 2017 and when I did a full brake inspection last summer there was ZERO grease on the outside of the seals.

Follow the instructions for use as well as adjusting bearings properly and there's no reason to fear EZ-Lube.

Those that want to "get greasy", fine by me. It's your trailer.

Clearly(!) one of the best and up-to-date explanations of the true differences 'twixt EZ-lube & the old "bearing buddy types". And, importantly, added assurance that we aren't pumping in a LOT of grease to fill a big hub cavity as with "yesterday's" hubs. Finally, the experience-sharing "endorsement" of the improved, double-lip seals brings it all together. Yep, overall proper maintenance seems the key to successful utilization...to include to-specs bearing adjustment, and following the recommended procedure(s) for grease application (no air "guns"!) as well as periodically pulling hubs to check brakes, bearings, install new seals & grease. Thanks for a great post! "We" can all still opine about how often to pull and check brakes (and, we will!)...but, you've explained well just how to achieve the intended & convenient use of an excellent, improved, "modern" design.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by 14apex

Clearly(!) one of the best and up-to-date explanations of the true differences 'twixt EZ-lube & the old "bearing buddy types". And, importantly, added assurance that we aren't pumping in a LOT of grease to fill a big hub cavity as with "yesterday's" hubs. Finally, the experience-sharing "endorsement" of the improved, double-lip seals brings it all together. Yep, overall proper maintenance seems the key to successful utilization...to include to-specs bearing adjustment, and following the recommended procedure(s) for grease application (no air "guns"!) as well as periodically pulling hubs to check brakes, bearings, install new seals & grease. Thanks for a great post! "We" can all still opine about how often to pull and check brakes (and, we will!)...but, you've explained well just how to achieve the intended & convenient use of an excellent, improved, "modern" design.

I even use the EZ-Lube system to "pack" my cleaned and inspected bearings.

At last inspection I cleaned bearings and removed the relatively small amount of grease in the hub. I merely smeared a small amount of grease on the race/cup, some on the rollers/cone, and assembled in hub with seal (with light film of grease on the seal lips.

When assembled I adjusted bearings and proceeded to hand pump grease into he EZ-Lube Xerk fitting until grease presented itself at the outer bearing.

No need for greasy hands or a separate bearing packer.

A note on the rubber plug. When finished adding grease it's a good idea to remove the excess that has been extruded from the outer bearing. I use my finger to wipe around the face of the bearing and outside of the hub extension. When inserting the rubber plug I press it in but then take a SMALL pocket screwdriver and lift one edge so the plug isn't creating any pressure or vacuum inside the hub extension. The center of the rubber plug then acts like a diaphragm, adjusting for any pressure that occurs when the hub warms or cools.

[14apex]

...still on subject, I'm consistently amazed at the inability of "local" auto parts stores to identify and access the proper "double lip" seals for trailers. I can find them quite easily online...even on Ebay, but unless you can provide the "counter person" with "specific automotive or truck specs", they're stymied to find...and, I know that they have'em on the shelf. At issue may be the inexperienced, untrained clerks at the stores, but you'd think that in 2021 most would have computer ability to easily "find".

[dieselguy]

I'll just make a parting statement and back away from this thread. I honestly applaud those of you who firmly stand in support of the EZ lube invention and have total peace of mind using it. I never indicated it doesn't work ... my problem is that in order for it to work you have to have lotsa patience and time to S L O W L Y turn the tire and pump grease into the zerk. Most owners and some dealer techs will never posses that trait and will more than likely continue to contribute to greased up brake shoes. My experience with this invention is such a small example of say all suspension techs in the mid-west, yet many of us feel the use of the zerk in the end of the spindle has too much of a failure rate no matter the root cause to dependably use it at our business. The issue of a dealership tech is he's usually on commission and will seldom be allowed say 45 minutes to an hour to S L O W LY rotate 4 tires while pumping grease. It was mentioned newer hubs are designed differently and hold less grease ... Most of my mechanic friends have always used almost a full tube of grease per wheel hub for the first fill of an EZ lube hub. As for loose wheel bearings ... a possibility, but "boy howdy" it would have to be considerably loose to be of issue. We many times chuckle that Dexter seems to want to put off any liability of greased up brakes by seldom filling the hub cavity at the factory and forcing that task to the dealership techs or end user. Another chuckle we have is the owner that simply doesn't understand how the EZ lube invention has to work and squirts 4-5 pumps into the zerk each Spring and Fall thinking they have really done something. Anyways ... I'm not dissing those of you successfully using the invention ... the time and patience needed to make it work when you can just pull a wheel hub (since it's has to be jacked up anyways) and while there have a look at the brakes an such doesn't balance out for alot of us in the field.

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

It will. So much misinformation regarding E-Z Lube system.



EZ-Lube Hubs are of a different design than hubs of old that could hold a handful of grease. EZ-Lube hubs have a minimal clearance in the area between bearings and around the spindle with a huge reduction of grease in this area than in hubs of old.

The inside diameter of the EZ lube hub really doesn't feel/look any smaller than your typical hub.
From an engineering standpoint I'd make the spindle oversized so the hubs are compatible for both EZ lube systems and conventional bearings.
But lets be honest neither of us work for Dexter so we're just guessing.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Mike134

The inside diameter of the EZ lube hub really doesn't feel/look any smaller than your typical hub.
From an engineering standpoint I'd make the spindle oversized so the hubs are compatible for both EZ lube systems and conventional bearings.
But lets be honest neither of us work for Dexter so we're just guessing.

This is what hubs used to look like before EZ-Lube on Dexter axles, front wheels on RWD vehicles (before the advent of replacable hubs with press on bearings).



The inside of these hubs were left in the as-cast finish with only the bearing recesses being machined.

This is what most "old school" mechanics and DIY'ers are used to.

Note the greatly reduced void. When I cleaned out the hubs on my drums I doubt there was 1/3 of a cup of grease in total collected from this area and the bearings.

Times have changed.

As for dieselguy's mention of Dexter leaving the hubs "unfilled" to kick the warranty can down the road, it is very common when installing bearings on an assembly line to merely have a tub of grease handy along with a kitchen spatula or putty knife. Hub is set on the workstation, grease smeared in cup and on cone, seal hammered in place, grease smeared on front cup, installed on spindle, grease smeared on cone, washer, nut and retainer installed. All in less time than it would take to PROPERLY add grease through a xerk fitting. I've personally watched assembly of various truck axles as well as bearings in machinery and about the only difference is the size of the bearings and type of grease.

I personally don't think the EZ-Lube system was designed for the assembly line or even line mechanics. It was for the end user to make it easier to at least keep grease in the bearings and to flush out water if a boat trailer.