Caution, UltraLube on new axles may blow seals

[18caravel]

Backgrounder- Ultralube, EZLube have channels drilled through the spindle. The concept is good, these channels pump grease from a fitting on the end of the spindle, pump in the grease and it would feed both front and rear bearings without having to pull the brake drum and repack the bearings and reassemble.

2015-Bought a new AL-KO/AXIS (now Dexter) axle for the 71' Caravel before a big 3 month trip of a life-time. It came with 12"drum brakes already assembled. Installed the axle and pumped in grease until old grease was pushed out and set out and put on easily 10,000 miles.

Trailer sits for 5 years until 2020 when I'm prepping for another trip.
Pulled the wheel to check the brakes and found the drums and shoes covered with grease. Rear seals blew on both wheels...hmmm.

One of 3 things things happened, 1. The seals were defective. 2. Brakes were installed badly. Or the seals can't hold the grease pressure when they are pumped up per instructions. I repacked them, installed new rear seals and buttoned it up after a big cleanup. Just passing it along.
B.

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by 18caravel

Backgrounder- Ultralube, EZLube have channels drilled through the spindle. The concept is good, these channels pump grease from a fitting on the end of the spindle, pump in the grease and it would feed both front and rear bearings without having to pull the brake drum and repack the bearings and reassemble.

2015-Bought a new AL-KO/AXIS (now Dexter) axle for the 71' Caravel before a big 3 month trip of a life-time. It came with 12"drum brakes already assembled. Installed the axle and pumped in grease until old grease was pushed out and set out and put on easily 10,000 miles.

Trailer sits for 5 years until 2020 when I'm prepping for another trip.
Pulled the wheel to check the brakes and found the drums and shoes covered with grease. Rear seals blew on both wheels...hmmm.

One of 3 things things happened, 1. The seals were defective. 2. Brakes were installed badly. Or the seals can't hold the grease pressure when they are pumped up per instructions. I repacked them, installed new rear seals and buttoned it up after a big cleanup. Just passing it along.
B.

Don’t over grease

[18caravel]

This time I repacked by hand and didn't pump any more. The seal has two lips and a spring to sit in a seat milled in the spindle, both seals had these lips either broken off or completely ripped off.

[18caravel]

The blown seals had bathed the brake shoes in grease, for years. I cleaned them up but they barely worked, so I pulled the wheels again after a 100 mile trip to install new shoes.
One seal was shredded again. I'm convinced, the seals designed for this application don't work. Last time I didn't pump in grease, hand packed them and very carefully inspected for burrs or anything sharp that could have thrashed the seals for a second time. Super careful sliding it all together.

The failure is always in the rear plastic/rubber wiper seals of these guys.