Brake hubs and grease

[Action]

Originally Posted by Boxite

+3

It is indeed true that this is a subjective matter... OVER packing with grease can escape and ruin brakes... so certainly don't do that. But I add a generous amount of grease to the inner axle area as I've described.

(Think about this: if a generous amount of extra grease in the inner axle area is harmful.... then why don't "bearing buddies" and similar products fail regularly?)

In my opinion generous amounts of extra grease in a hub that never sees water isn't necessarily a harmful situation. Wasteful is a more accurate and messy. Harmful not necessarily unless it attracts foreign debris during the re-packing process.

4X4 trucks and boat trailers that the hubs can get dunked into water have extra grease in the hub because the hub can get rapidly cooled from the exposure to water. This creates a situation that water can be sucked into a hub because of contraction of the metal and grease. A properly installed "Bearing Buddy" allows for expansion and contraction of the grease in a sealed environment. With a dust cover the expansion and contraction of the grease occurs outside of the hub either through a vent hole in the cap or through the dust cover mating surface which is not air tight.

Travel trailers don't need that type of protection from water because they never see a water immersion situation.

The extra grease in a hub, doesn't harm nor is there any benefit, in my opinion. If there was a benefit (axle) manufactures would fill the hub of a sealed bearing with lots of grease. Even the few hubs that are serviceable are not filled by the original manufacturer at initial assembly.

>>>>>>>>>Action

[Boxite]

Just to add confusion to this subject (and also to cast dispersion upon my own former posting)....
...My Dexter Axle Manual provides instructions for repacking wheel bearings on their axles.
In summary, they recommend filling the bearing with grease (their method is the blob-in-the-palm-crammed-sideways-into-the-bearing-cone-method) with nothing mentioned about excess grease in the hubcap or axle-cavity.... BUT... they also specify to install the wheel/hub on the axle while tightening the spindle-nut to 50 lbs torque...THEN to back the nut off and re-tighten it HAND-tight WITHOUT spinning the wheel.... Finally to back the nut up to the first available cotter-pin hole. (THey also do not mention synthetic grease but only specify NLG #2)

I did my own per my own previous posting and have now run the trailer over 5K miles without any issues, but I thought Dexter's instructs should be posted for fairness and clarification.

Hope this helps.

[Action]

Originally Posted by Boxite

... they also specify to install the wheel/hub on the axle while tightening the spindle-nut to 50 lbs torque...THEN to back the nut off and re-tighten it HAND-tight WITHOUT spinning the wheel....

50 foot pounds or 50 inch pounds?

>>>>>>>Action

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by bwoodtx

Is there any justifiable reason to pack the center cavity full of grease when doing a repack and brake job.

Seems like a waste to me.

Just spent better part of day helping friend repair his missing wheel and hub on a tandem axle, #10k trailer.

From the looks of it, I'm guessing the outer bearing failed, and ground thru the stop washer... letting the whole wheel, and still lugged hub to freewheel off into a bean field somewhere. He had no idea how long he was riding on three-wheels.

He said it had been serviced (cleaned, replaced) about three years prior.
It's a Dexter with a zerk on the end of the spindle that he recently pumped copious amounts of grease into. The whole hub and dust cap was packed with grease.

I could see grease had escaped thru the inner bearing seal, and coated the magnet and shoes. Coincidentally, he mentioned very poor braking performance, of late.

The spindle where the outer race and bearing had ground down was scored, so I sanded it down, packed the new bearings full, lightly greased the whole spindle, cleaned all the surfaces and magnet (including magnet surface on hub) with lots of brake cleaner, then reassembled. Torquing the nut to 50 ft-lb, then backing off and finger tight.

[boondockdad]

http://www.airforums.com/photos/show...iginal=1&c=508

Here's the spindle that lost wheel.

It was the other three assemblies that showed signs of heavy grease (in the hub) and contaminated surfaces.

Reason for failure? I'm guessing cheap bearing.
But, IMHO over-greasing causes problems.

[r carl]

From the horses mouth.

http://www.timken.com/en-us/products...riveAxles.aspx

[KWN306]

OK fellows, I'm confused.

I purchased a 2015 23 FB in Jan of 2015. We used the unit 5 times in 2015, towing it about 1500 miles. Because of work, life, grandchildren and other stuff the wife and I did not use the trailer again until this last weekend. We had a terrible 4 days because the A/C took a dump. I towed the unit home and dropped it off at my AS dealer to get the A/C fixed and they tell me my wheel bearings need to be repacked, some type of refrigerator service needs to be done and an AS lubrication needs to be done to all the window seals, hinges, etc.

Now AS claims never lube axles.............why do we have to repack the bearings at less than 2000 miles on the trailer? The dealer wants $325.00 to repack the bearings.

What is a refrigerator service and an AS lubrication service?

I've owned many an RV and traveled many a thousand miles and never repacked the bearings, they all had Dexter Axles with grease fittings. A couple of pumps with the grease gun once a month while in use and I never had a failure.

Goodyear tires on the other hand.................

[PKI]

2015 FC23FB - Have one too. The maintenance you reference is the annual service recommendation, well kind of.

Window seals need to be cleaned and dressed to keep them from sticking to window. You should do this on a regular basis. No reason the dealer should need to do it unless you can't change a light bulb.

The 23 does not have never lube axles. Believe the 25 and bigger do. However, unless the Virginia weather is considerably humid and the grease absorbs a lot of water, a repack probably is not required on an annual basis. Our dealer told me no. I kept asking and when it was time to check the brake status at 23K he said go for it. It is a lot dryer in California. You folks have Hurricanes. So, have a face to face conversation with the service manager to get the full story. Developing a good relationship with your dealer service department folks is in your best interest.

The refrigerator service is a cleaning of the coils and seals, as well as a check of the propane refrigeration circuit. Not been recommended by our dealer. They do offer it.

Will be interesting to hear what you decide and how it works out. FYI - There are a few more miles on the trailer than what you have rolled. Trailers are often delivered from factory to dealer on their own wheels.

Good luck with your research. Pat