Wheel Bearings Packed? Yearly Maintenance
How often do you have the wheel bearings packed on your trailer? And do you take it in for a yearly maintenance inspection?
Forum Discussion
Here is what I did. Maybe right or maybe wrong.
Brought home trailer wife finally spotted couple months ago. A used (2013) model with some of the new plastic still on things, not used much. Sales guy said old owner told him they used it 4 times? Who knows for sure, but it look new.
While not a believer pulling the hubs yearly as I check the temps and don't pull hub unless they start to get warm or about every 4 years.
To see how axles were and new to us I pulled the hubs to see what bearings TT had and to see the spec's. I then picked up one set of spares for the road and made sure the oil seal was the supposedly heavy duty spring type and grease not getting into brake pads. Also downloaded the axle owners manual to have on file. And adjusted brakes, and torqued lugs to right spec. So from tires to axle's I now know what shape they are in, have manuals and spare bearing.
"And do you take it in for a yearly maintenance inspection?" NO, but when we got our first trailer (mid 1990's) I took it in one time. That was enough for me to see that "yearly inspection" means different things to different people. It was supposed to be "complete inspection" They were not in rv long enough to do a complete inspection IMO. They might of turned on everything and seen that everything worked and made a check mark on their piece of paper. Somewhat of a joke IMO.
So now I do everything that I can myself on all my vehicles.
I was at a major tire dealer in my area and they had a price list of going thru axles. $44.00 each wheel. Sounded really good but that's just the labor for each axle. And I'm sure they would find other things to charge for. And if I didn't know how to fix I would be one of those sitting along side the road waiting for help.
I really, honestly don't like doing my own maintenance of vehicles. However over the years it has paid off. Taking a car in to get my oil changed and couple days later saw drops of oil. Turned out the oil change place cross threaded the oil pan bolt and that was the final straw. So now I do as much as I can. I wish I could find a place that did a good job and of course price would also not be the "come on" price. But haven't found a place like that yet. I would even pay some teenager to get their hands greasy as I watched and told them how to do it.
As far as other yearly maint goes...Keeping the rv water tight is highest on list and I check for that twice a year. And then work on down my list after making sure rv is water tight.
I really keep on maint, maybe to much.
Now here is something I can't figure out. My in-laws don't do much or any maint and over the years our RV's still seem to give out the same time! They perform "maint" when something doesn't work anymore.
Brought home trailer wife finally spotted couple months ago. A used (2013) model with some of the new plastic still on things, not used much. Sales guy said old owner told him they used it 4 times? Who knows for sure, but it look new.
While not a believer pulling the hubs yearly as I check the temps and don't pull hub unless they start to get warm or about every 4 years.
To see how axles were and new to us I pulled the hubs to see what bearings TT had and to see the spec's. I then picked up one set of spares for the road and made sure the oil seal was the supposedly heavy duty spring type and grease not getting into brake pads. Also downloaded the axle owners manual to have on file. And adjusted brakes, and torqued lugs to right spec. So from tires to axle's I now know what shape they are in, have manuals and spare bearing.
"And do you take it in for a yearly maintenance inspection?" NO, but when we got our first trailer (mid 1990's) I took it in one time. That was enough for me to see that "yearly inspection" means different things to different people. It was supposed to be "complete inspection" They were not in rv long enough to do a complete inspection IMO. They might of turned on everything and seen that everything worked and made a check mark on their piece of paper. Somewhat of a joke IMO.
So now I do everything that I can myself on all my vehicles.
I was at a major tire dealer in my area and they had a price list of going thru axles. $44.00 each wheel. Sounded really good but that's just the labor for each axle. And I'm sure they would find other things to charge for. And if I didn't know how to fix I would be one of those sitting along side the road waiting for help.
I really, honestly don't like doing my own maintenance of vehicles. However over the years it has paid off. Taking a car in to get my oil changed and couple days later saw drops of oil. Turned out the oil change place cross threaded the oil pan bolt and that was the final straw. So now I do as much as I can. I wish I could find a place that did a good job and of course price would also not be the "come on" price. But haven't found a place like that yet. I would even pay some teenager to get their hands greasy as I watched and told them how to do it.
As far as other yearly maint goes...Keeping the rv water tight is highest on list and I check for that twice a year. And then work on down my list after making sure rv is water tight.
I really keep on maint, maybe to much.
Now here is something I can't figure out. My in-laws don't do much or any maint and over the years our RV's still seem to give out the same time! They perform "maint" when something doesn't work anymore.
