befu wrote:
Dexter website:
Thank you for the dexter link. I believe that is how I am doing it. I had a mechanic working for me for awhile, even he looked at it and couldn't find anything wrong with it. Only thing that stood out was how much lube to add through the zerk fitting. I have never added enough grease through the zerk fitting to get the old grease to flow out of the end bearing, let alone flow out until new grease is visible. I thought that would be too much grease, as the ezlube spindles push the grease in to the back bearing first. This would require the entire spindle to be filled with grease, which I thought you did not want. There is quite a bit of grease in the cavity between the two bearings in the hub, but not filled. Comments on this?
As far as preload goes, I have run them so when you grab the tire you can just feel a bit of wobble on the rim moving. In the past, I preload the nut until this wobble just snugs up, but not any tighter. I do tighten it up more at first to make sure the bearings are seated and not being held out by the grease in them.
The text I bolded is your problem.
Unlike auto wheel bearings you DO NOT want to take ALL the "wobble" out. Doing so is putting way too much pressure against the bearings.
I do not use a wrench at all when initially snugging the wheel bearings, I simply hand tighten. Then while turning the drum I will use a short pair of pliers to tighten the nut ever so slightly (you will feel a slight amount of bearing "drag"). This is all you need to push the grease out of the way from the bearing surface.
The drum will STILL FEEL "WOBBLY".
Then per Dexter's instructions you MUST back off the nut slightly then retighten the nut so it just snug..
Then insert the pin and if the pin hole does not line up with the castle nut you MUST back off the castle nut to the closest opening.
Under no circumstance should you tighten the castle nut in order to insert the pin..
Unlike auto wheel bearings it is ACCEPTABLE to have some slop or play for the axle bearings..
You are overtightening and that is why they are running hot and failing.
I don't buy the idea that your axles are bent or defective or out of alignment.. Bent or alignment issues would cause more noticeable issues like excessive odd tire wear and or very poor trailer tracking/handling issues..
