wheel bearings

[ssons]

how often should wheel bearings be repacked and brakes checked?

[wingnut60]

Kind of a hard question to answer without some details--how many times/how far do you tow? Annually is probably a good timeframe...pull drums to repack bearings and check brake shoes for wear/contact pattern/magnet wear, assuming you have the normal electric brakes. Discs another story, but same timeframe for bearings.

[Stripit]

We fulltimed and where ever our winter stop put us was the place I pulled drums and inspected brg's and brakes. We nomally drove in the 6 to 8,000 miles per year. I had never lube bearings and over the 8 years of travel never had to replace those, but checked just the same.

[fjr vfr]

We are gone for a good six months and do 8,000 plus miles each year. We are back home in the summer, (we snowbird) During the down time I pull each wheel and inspect everything. If the seals are good and grease looks good I don't repack. Same with the brakes, drums and magnets. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Of course if something doesn't look right I redo everything.
Basically check every year and replace or repack as needed.

[ampettigus]

I use a dealer or Mobile service and the information I work with is to get the job done annually or at 11000 miles - That pattern has worked for me for 50000miles

[Whitewolf]

how often should wheel bearings be repacked and brakes checked?

To me the keyword here is 'should'. And my answer is 'never'. We should never have to repack bearings. I haven't had to repack bearings on any auto or truck in decades.

But since quality control in the RV industry isn't anywhere near the Automotive industry, I do it yearly or at 10K. Since we've never gone over 10k, I'm once a year and done.

[Traveling Home]

I repacked ours in 2017 when we bought our Mobile Suite. I'll check them when I do brake pads (disc) probably next year.

[friz]

Would the "Bearing Buddy" preclude bearing packing? Not asking about the need to do a brake inspection.

[fjr vfr]

Would the "Bearing Buddy" preclude bearing packing? Not asking about the need to do a brake inspection.


Bearing Buddies are used on boat trailers which do not have brakes. They are used to push out any water that got past the seals.
Travel trailers use E-Z lub axles and they are a disaster waiting to happen.

You should never use them unless you don't care if your brakes get covered with grease. You need to remove the drums and inspect your bearings and brakes. Short cuts lead to big problems.

[friz]

Bearing Buddies are used on boat trailers which do not have brakes. They are used to push out any water that got past the seals.
Travel trailers use E-Z lub axles and they are a disaster waiting to happen.

You should never use them unless you don't care if your brakes get covered with grease. You need to remove the drums and inspect your bearings and brakes. Short cuts lead to big problems.

Thanks for the heads up. Now see the difference between the Bearing Buddy and EZ lube. So, forget the Bearing Buddy. Apparently the EZ Lube is part of the axle and not an accessory. Not sure if I have EZ Lube axles. If I don't I am not about to buy new axles to obtain a system which depends on the inner seal never leaking. If I do I will do a yearly inner seal replacement and assembly inspection. Thanks again.

[Tsouth]

Can anyone tell me where the battery is located on a 2006 32 ft frontier aspen 5th wheel model F 32RG
i have looked high and low, any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you

[Notanlines]

Tsouth, do yourself a big favor and start a new thread with your question. This thread concerns wheel bearings only and you’ll be hard pressed to get an answer. By the way, welcome to the forum.
And fjr is on the money; EZ Lube axles should never, NEVER be used!

[friz]

[QUOTE=Tsouth;29744]Can anyone tell me where the battery is located on a 2006 32 ft frontier aspen 5th wheel model F 32RG
i have looked high and low, any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you[/QUOT

No, but I can guarantee it does not need to be re-packed with grease. As suggested, if you start a Thread I am sure you will find your battery. Good luck!

[monaj02@frontier.com]

How to take out never lube bearings

[wingnut60]

They are a press fit into the brake drum, and machined to fit the axle. Cannot change to standard bearing without changing the axles also. This is a Dexter Axle design that is no longer being used. It that what you want to do? Or just how to get them out to change?

[monaj02@frontier.com]

Thanks i pressed them out went well I bought trailer wheels that fit to the hub they have an off set of +0.08 I know never lube has 0 to .19 inset do you think I’ll be alright with that.

[wingnut60]

Not a wheel/bearing expert by any norm--but reading the Dexter info, it says: 0 to 0.19 INSET for the 8k axles. You are saying OFFSET? Can't speak to longevity of that difference.

[monaj02@frontier.com]

Well wingnut I bought new wheels with the correct off set for never lube bearings did not want to take the chance on ruining bearings after I lowered the spring location to the lower hole on frame I will have to lift drum up 3”” to except wheels should I jack from leaf spring plate to raise because the frame is on jack stands. I was thinking of letting the opposite side of axel to just hang down so their is no stress on the axel what do you think

[wingnut60]

Using a jack on the leaf spring plate will work. Do not jack on the axle itself, altho lifting it by the axle just raising the drum should not hurt it. Letting the axle hang will not hurt anything. Way more stress on suspension just traveling over the bumps.

[monaj02@frontier.com]

Ok wingnut that is what I’ll do. I saw a sight about going to the lower spring mount holes which I did you should put a spacer on shocks so you don’t damadge the shock mounts I was thinking of putting an extra rubber on top and bottom of each shock what do you think

[wingnut60]

Not sure about the extra rubber--shocks designed to work with one above and below washers--might get too much 'squeeze' with the extra piece. Also, believe there is a longer Monroe shock to use with the lower spring mounting, check that out. Cannot remember what I did years ago when raising the trailer as you have--did I change the shock or not? Danger is the shock not able to extend as far as the new mounting location allows when dropping, thus breaking the shock. Can't help on idea for extra rubber piece.