So I got my first look under one of the rubber caps and the good news is that there is plenty of grease and it's very soft and pliable. Bad news is that it's a dark gray in color, but since I don't know if the previous owner used red grease, I don't know if that's a concern. My assumption is that quantity and texture trumps color, at least for the 1,500 miles we'll put on in this upcoming 2 week vacation. So I am considering waiting to do this when we get back when I have more time available. The other reason I want to wait is so I can pick up some spare rubber caps in case I damage one when removing it or if they're worn.
Here's the other issue which I'm filing under the heading "things are never as easy as you think they're going to be". This is a picture of the hub of my 2012 Keystone XLite 26SAB. Whereas all the videos I've seen about this have large removable dust covers over the lugnuts and the rubber cap, mine have this big metal housing around them and a little round pop-off dust cover (you can see the notch for prying off at 12:00) that's only slightly larger than the cap itself. So while pulling the rubber cap off to inspect the grease was relatively easy, trying to fit my fat fingers into the access hole to put the stupid thing back on was a struggle. It'll be a little easier with the RV jacked up a bit, but it's still going to be more of a pain than it needs to be if the dust covers were like the ones I've seen in the videos. (sigh)
So knowing that the former owner was meticulous about maintenance, and now that I've seen under one rubber cap and know there's plenty of soft grease, albeit dark gray in color, do you guys agree that I'm probably good for this trip a few days from now and can deal with it when we get back? After reading about some problems the EZ-lube hubs have, I'm also thinking about just getting what I need to pull the wheels off and packing the bearings manually anyway so I can also inspect them and the brakes as well. Seems like a good task to tackle in mid-October before the weather gets bad. The husband of one of my co-workers is also a mechanic so I can probably get him to help walk me through the process and get a pro's opinion on the brakes this first time so I know what to look for in the future.
Here's the other issue which I'm filing under the heading "things are never as easy as you think they're going to be". This is a picture of the hub of my 2012 Keystone XLite 26SAB. Whereas all the videos I've seen about this have large removable dust covers over the lugnuts and the rubber cap, mine have this big metal housing around them and a little round pop-off dust cover (you can see the notch for prying off at 12:00) that's only slightly larger than the cap itself. So while pulling the rubber cap off to inspect the grease was relatively easy, trying to fit my fat fingers into the access hole to put the stupid thing back on was a struggle. It'll be a little easier with the RV jacked up a bit, but it's still going to be more of a pain than it needs to be if the dust covers were like the ones I've seen in the videos. (sigh)
So knowing that the former owner was meticulous about maintenance, and now that I've seen under one rubber cap and know there's plenty of soft grease, albeit dark gray in color, do you guys agree that I'm probably good for this trip a few days from now and can deal with it when we get back? After reading about some problems the EZ-lube hubs have, I'm also thinking about just getting what I need to pull the wheels off and packing the bearings manually anyway so I can also inspect them and the brakes as well. Seems like a good task to tackle in mid-October before the weather gets bad. The husband of one of my co-workers is also a mechanic so I can probably get him to help walk me through the process and get a pro's opinion on the brakes this first time so I know what to look for in the future.
PokerCamper wrote:bpounds wrote:
The jack you have would work fine too. Just put it right under the leaf spring, directly under the U-bolts, and jack one wheel up at a time. No need to use the jack stands if all you are doing is pumping up the EZ Lube fittings. You won't be placing your body under anything, and you won't be removing the tire/wheel.
bpounds, I found this image on the rv.net forum and presume this is what you're describing. I'm a visual person and haven't yet crawled under my RV to take a look at the wheels, but apart from the fact that this shows a bottle jack instead of a floor jack, I'm guessing this is the correct way to do it?
I thought about using the Trailer Aid ramp this first time for the very reason you mentioned, to get practice with it in case of roadside need (have read too many posts about Chinese bomb tires). But in case I find it too much of a PITA, I might just use the jack on the other side once I've gotten some practice positioning the RV on the ramp.
I don't know what GM uses but, both Ford and Dodge come with a screw type bottle jack that's perfect for this and you'll always have it with you. I put one of my leveling 2X6" boards under it. My axles are under the springs so I put the cup under one of the U-bolts. The long handle is easy to turn with the tire iron standing beside the trailer. Just a thought...
