EZ Lube question
2011 4 wheel TT with about 6000 miles road miles. Dealer service suggested I just rotate each wheel and add a few pumps of red lithium grease through the zerk fittingnas I turn. I've seen the you tu...
Forum Discussion
Some misconceptions here as to how the system works. One Poster wants to know "where all that old grease goes?" With either EZ Lube (Dexter) or Ultrulube (AlKo Kober) the grease being forced into the zerk fitting exits the drilled spindle behind the inner wheel bearing but inside of the wheel seal. Grease is thus forced through the inner bearing between the rollers and the cage (same as either hand or machine "packing") and forward into the hub cavity. Once the hub cavity is full grease is then forced through the outer wheel bearing between the rollers and the cage. Only when grease is freely squeezing out between the spindle end and the hub cap is the outer bearing fully packed.
For four years and 35,000mi I did nothing other than periodically apply a few pumps of grease to each zerk. Then I threw away the whole mess and replaced it with new since the magnets had worn heavy grooves in the armature surfaces of the drums causing braking action to be variable and thus unreliable. I did hand pack the new wheel bearings before assembly (some sense of tradition?) but then pumped grease through anyway. The periodic application of several pumps of grease is all I will do until it is time for the next brake job. I really wish trailer manufacturers would get modern and start using sealed bearings like autos have been using for years.
Lew
For four years and 35,000mi I did nothing other than periodically apply a few pumps of grease to each zerk. Then I threw away the whole mess and replaced it with new since the magnets had worn heavy grooves in the armature surfaces of the drums causing braking action to be variable and thus unreliable. I did hand pack the new wheel bearings before assembly (some sense of tradition?) but then pumped grease through anyway. The periodic application of several pumps of grease is all I will do until it is time for the next brake job. I really wish trailer manufacturers would get modern and start using sealed bearings like autos have been using for years.
Lew
