For Sale: 2010 Mobile Suites and a 2008 Ford F450

[Porkchop-THOR]

As few miles as you have, regardless of the years, I would give it a wash and feel very comfortable selling it to someone. These last for many miles.

Bill

 

[Anijet]

By the appearance of the wheel in the first pic I would certainly replace that bearing. I speak from experiencing a failure after the wheel looked like that for a while. It took out the spindle and required a new axle installed during a trip. Kind of messes with best made plans.


BTW, Kodiak and Dexter both use the same 50mm bearing. The problem with Nev-R-lube bearings is there is no way to inspect them. The wheel shake test is a joke. The bearings and races can be in bad shape and still "feel" ok. These bearings do not give much warning. To inspect properly requires destroying the bearing to do so. I no longer have Nev-R-Lube installed.


Suggest you replace all 4 bearings, sell the rig and tell the new owner they were replaced as a precaution and let the new owner do their own research.

 

[Terry and Jo]

Leo,


That's our thinking at the moment. Replacing all four and being free of the bad feeling that we sold something defective.


We thought we were in pretty good shape because on one of the DRV forums over the years, someone had stated that trailers that got moved a lot would wear out the bearings faster. However, in our case, we have tended to stay long term in each place we stopped: 20 months in Colorado, 17 months in Oregon, and 9 months in Utah. So, maybe NOT moving the trailer is more damaging to bearings than otherwise. Doesn't seem to make logical sense, but we have less than 6000 miles on them and two are leaking.


Terry

 

[Anijet]

IMO, and I have no proof, I think it is all in the seal. If the seal stays pliable and in contact with the mating surface, the bearing will last as expected. If for whatever reason the seal leaks and lube can escape and contaminants enter then it will be short lived. A properly installed and properly loaded bearing failure not related to clean and plentiful lube is usually a manufacturing defect and will fail very early in its life.


In the aircraft industry, an aircraft that sits will have far more seal failures than one that is flown every day, whether they are simple O rings, garlock seals or even multi-stage lambrith seals that make almost no contact.

 

[wingnut60]

Terry,
Where in UT did you stay?
Joe

 

[Cummins12V98]

"The problem with Nev-R-lube bearings is there is no way to inspect them."

You can look right at the bearing from the back side. Remove the hub metal cap and pop the cap from the hub. Slight amount of grease showing they are fine large amount they are going bad.

 

[stanleyz]

I tried to get the 50mm from dexter last summer and they did not want to admit they even had them. Told me to call a retailer. So if you want them new from Dexter you can try Waymier in Indianapolis (may not be spelled right but close) or Safety Brake in Mableton GA (suburb of ATL). I think either would ship at your expense. I also think you can find the Dexters new from a trailer supply in any large city. Hope this helps.

 

[wingnut60]

Might also try Redneck Trailer Supply if you can locate one.

 

[Terry and Jo]

Terry,
Where in UT did you stay?
Joe

Joe,


We were in Utah for 9 months as camp hosts at Hitch-N-Post RV Park in Kanab, Utah.


Other than that, our other "stays" were overnight ones in Springville, UT (don't ever stay at the KOA there) and in Green River, UT.



Terry

 

[Terry and Jo]

IMO, and I have no proof, I think it is all in the seal. If the seal stays pliable and in contact with the mating surface, the bearing will last as expected. If for whatever reason the seal leaks and lube can escape and contaminants enter then it will be short lived. A properly installed and properly loaded bearing failure not related to clean and plentiful lube is usually a manufacturing defect and will fail very early in its life.


In the aircraft industry, an aircraft that sits will have far more seal failures than one that is flown every day, whether they are simple O rings, garlock seals or even multi-stage lambrith seals that make almost no contact.

I'm not the best mechanic in the world, but what you were saying about the seals failing if the aircraft sit for long periods could be similar to our issue. Not being able to inspect the bearings with our moves, I did buy an infra-red thermometer thingie to check the temperatures of the wheels near the center at each stop. The only variations I seemed to get was more in line with both on one side of the RV rather than one axle verses the other.


Terry

 

[Walt-5TH]

Terry, Sometimes the temperature variation from one side to the other is because the warmer side is facing the sun while your driving down the highway. This happens to me all the time. Just a thought. Walt

 

[Terry and Jo]

Yeah. I had that same thought as well. With regards to the bearings, a mobile RV repairman gave me the name of a guy that can come out and install bearings onsite instead of having to take everything to their shop and press bearings in and out. I'll be checking with him, probably after the first of the year.


Terry

 

[Cummins12V98]

Terry, Sometimes the temperature variation from one side to the other is because the warmer side is facing the sun while your driving down the highway. This happens to me all the time. Just a thought. Walt

That along with camber of the road and wind.

 

[Terry and Jo]

Time to update things here.


We've had a local mobile RV tech come out to look at our axles/hubs and give us an idea of what we could do. Apparently, the Dexter bearings would work, but when he checked with Lippert (our axle manufacturer, at least by the tag on the axles), they told him that if we bought one axle at regular price (around $1900), we could buy the second axle for $100. With the two axles and labor (which can be done right here in our RV site), the price for the two axles would be around $2500 or maybe a bit less.


We told the tech to go ahead and order them. While we could have bought the Dexter bearings a lot cheaper, the tech said he would have to "engineer" something with which to put against the bearings to push them out and in.


Going this way, we will be getting the EZ-Lube bearings, an idea which I like instead of still having sealed bearings that are hard to inspect/replace.


Oh, and we had asked for estimates elsewhere on replacing the axles and got back estimates between $5700 and $6500 for replacing the two of them.


Terry

 

[Porkchop-THOR]

Sounds like you have found a reasonable solution at a livable price. Good luck

Bill