Grease gun/ grease recommendations
For EZ lube axle, what brand do you use for the wheel bearing grease.
Thank you -Peter
Thank you -Peter
Forum Discussion
44 Replies
Ride S40T wrote:
Huntindog wrote:
Peter2516 wrote:
Do not use a grease gun on your axles.
For EZ lube axle, what brand do you use for the wheel bearing grease.
Thank you -Peter
In order to use this zerk feature, and completely purge the old grease out (maybe) it would take almost 4 tubes of grease at each greasing.... And it would most likely get past the inner seals and onto the brakes.
That creates quite a mess... Just don't do it.
This is what I've read for a while...so I called Dexter and asked their tech dept. They said using the zerk is the preferred method for greasing the bearings each year.
I specifically asked them about grease getting past the rear seal. They had no concern as long as a hand pump is used.
Wonder why they recommend as the zerk as the primary method? It would be a liability for them if they recommended something that could be a safety hazard for their customers.
That said, there is no doubt the hand method provides more piece of mind and ensures all is well with the internals.
The printed manual states that annual disassembly and inspection is required maintainence. It is on page 84.Huntindog wrote:
Peter2516 wrote:
Do not use a grease gun on your axles.
For EZ lube axle, what brand do you use for the wheel bearing grease.
Thank you -Peter
In order to use this zerk feature, and completely purge the old grease out (maybe) it would take almost 4 tubes of grease at each greasing.... And it would most likely get past the inner seals and onto the brakes.
That creates quite a mess... Just don't do it.
This is what I've read for a while...so I called Dexter and asked their tech dept. They said using the zerk is the preferred method for greasing the bearings each year.
I specifically asked them about grease getting past the rear seal. They had no concern as long as a hand pump is used.
Wonder why they recommend as the zerk as the primary method? It would be a liability for them if they recommended something that could be a safety hazard for their customers.
That said, there is no doubt the hand method provides more piece of mind and ensures all is well with the internals.trailer_newbe wrote:
I have 1,000 miles on my 2018 trailer with EZ lube Zirks. I think I’ll do it the old fashioned way the first time.
I will always service the brakes and bearings immediately with a new or used trailer. I have seen enough to not trust these things to luck.- If I had a boat trailer I would pack my bearings by hand. Then I would fill the hub as well as I could by hand. (Grease in bucket is cheaper than tube). Then I would use the zerk to fill the hub. But I don't dunk the warm wheels/hubs in cold dirty water.
- I am going to add my post in the "do it by hand" column.
I bought a new Arctic Fox, and I just knew that my 5er would be the one that they did correctly.
Well, Dexter sent me two new brakes. One for each side. It is a great system when it works, but there is a lot of times it doesn't. When the grease gets on your brake shoes, you don't get dependable braking any more. I didn't know it until I was coming down out of the Bighorns on US 14 on the east side (the steep one). I pulled over to let traffic pass, and I had one hub on each side that was cold.
I drove truck for 17 years, and have a lot of experience with mountain driving, so I check my tires, brakes and hubs at every stop. I believe in looking at all parts of my brake system regularly. Annually is enough for shoes and bearings in my opinion.
I spent a Saturday morning putting new backing plates with brakes on my 5er, instead of fishing. You can call me a scaredy cat, but I am not. I got bit, now I do it my way. - I have 1,000 miles on my 2018 trailer with EZ lube Zirks. I think I’ll do it the old fashioned way the first time.
bpounds wrote:
Yes it will use a lot of grease the first time you do it, because the factory did not fill the voids in the hub. After the first time, it will take LESS grease than if you packed by hand. It shouldn't take more than 2 tubes the first time to do all 4 hubs. Buy 3 to be safe. Not a big expense.
There is absolutely ZERO reason to totally pack a wheel hub full of grease.
Even when following the instructions on proper EZ Lube technique, you still run the risk of blowing the grease past the inner seal once you jam the hub full of grease, then your brakes are shot.
I've seen it happen. There;s a video I need to find and post.Lynnmor wrote:
ScottG wrote:
there is no need to do them every year.
Except when using cheap, Chinese junk bearings from eTrailer and most other suppliers, then 8 months is too long.
That is 1 CRAPPY looking foreign bearing !- As for a grease gun - I have a Lincoln pistol-grip that takes the full size grease tubes. Grease is Valvoline GM Red, it's Dexter approved and I can get it in tubs and tubes. I put 600 miles this year on my trailer and I'm not about to repack the bearings.
