Wheel Bearing
The axels on my 5th/w have grease fittings, how many miles do you go before you grease them again approx.
Forum Discussion
- Thanks for all the replies on the wheel Bearing question will answer more later.
- As a last resort; follow the instructions.
Six years, 10K miles per year, no problems, no hot hubs, no grease where it doesn't belong. Gray Fox wrote:
The axels on my 5th/w have grease fittings, how many miles do you go before you grease them again approx.
In my personal experience, I jacked up each wheel and shot some grease into each of the EZ Lube bearings while rotating the wheel. I would pump until I started hearing air popping out around the seal, then stop. I did this every year, but I'm a pretty low-mile traveler. I would also grab each wheel and see of there was any play before greasing. Never was. When I did have my bearings and seals replaced after 10 years (and never repacked, only greased), they were still in excellent shape, full of grease and there was zero grease past the seals. YMMV...
Lyle- Dexter 7K axles on my fiver.. Third season of use.. Typical distance pulled average 10 to 12K a year..used the grease zero fittings first two seasons, jacked wheels and pumped slowly while turning wheel...
Pulled drums this year just to see how bearings, seals, and brakes looked.. No issues with bearings, grease seals fine.. Blew out brakes with air compressor, hand packed, reinstalled.. Will use zerks next year no then maybe following year pull drums again to clean out and inspect. waltbennett wrote:
TXiceman wrote:
We had the E-Z Lube axles and they work fine when you follow the manufacturers instructions.
Ken
TRUE!!!! Go to Dexter's website and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. DON'T use an electric or air grease gun. Spin the wheel by hand and pump grease in by hand until it starts coming out clean. I do this once a year and have had no problems at all. I seriously believe the blown seals are caused by not using a manual grease gun or not spinning the wheel.
Many don't believe Dexter knows what they're talking about (even though they make them) and still take the hubs off & repack. If you feel you've just got to do this, have a ball.
When my 5er was due for a bearing lube I decided to take off the hubs and pack myself because of all the problems people were having with blown seals and grease on their drums when new. Not so much after they've re-greased them. It seems that either Dexter or AL-KO were over greasing at the factory and blowing the seal.
There are enough reports of owners having braking issues and when they tear into things the brakes were covered with grease.
So instead of pumping grease into a possibly leaking seal, I tore into them myself to make sure everything was right.
Fortunately mine were all good. I did my own repack and now know all is right.
I guess if one knows for sure that their seals are good then go for the pumping grease in procedure. I just didn't want to "Think" they were fine when in fact maybe one or more weren't.
Peace of mind was all I was looking for.TXiceman wrote:
We had the E-Z Lube axles and they work fine when you follow the manufacturers instructions.
Ken
TRUE!!!! Go to Dexter's website and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. DON'T use an electric or air grease gun. Spin the wheel by hand and pump grease in by hand until it starts coming out clean. I do this once a year and have had no problems at all. I seriously believe the blown seals are caused by not using a manual grease gun or not spinning the wheel.
Many don't believe Dexter knows what they're talking about (even though they make them) and still take the hubs off & repack. If you feel you've just got to do this, have a ball.- X2 it works if you just learn how.
rhagfo wrote:
goducks10 wrote:
I wouldn't use those grease fittings. The internet is filled with people having problems with over greased and blown out seals.
X2
None of my cars ever had a grease fitting on the non driven wheels, repacked the wheel bearings about ever 50,000 miles or brake reline.
Come to think of it the 79 F250 /460 cu. in. we had went 80,000 on a set of disk brake pads, repacked when I replaced the rotors.
There is no reason to add grease to the bearings, it doesn't go anywhere unless you have a leaking seal. :S
Didn't see Scott G's post before replying, so X3 also.
These are the type of post that adds to the confusion of the ez lube system. The thought that the grease doesn't go anywhere when using this system is just plain wrong. When you repack a bearing by hand you remove the old grease and repack with new clean grease. Well, so does the ez lube system. I just did mine yesterday and as with hand packing I watched the old grease get pumped out and replaced with clean new grease. People confuse the Bearing Buddy system that does keep a slight spring pressure on the hub as to not let water in a warm boat trailer hub when backed in cold water.... Ez lube system is not that design. As stated above follow the manufactures directions and have the piece of mind that your bearing have fresh clean grease. Oh, by the way, been using the ez lube system for 6 years and still have the original bearing and seals in place. I know it is hard for old dogs to adapt to change, but some times change is good !! ( FYI, I represent old dogs !!)goducks10 wrote:
I wouldn't use those grease fittings. The internet is filled with people having problems with over greased and blown out seals.
X2
None of my cars ever had a grease fitting on the non driven wheels, repacked the wheel bearings about ever 50,000 miles or brake reline.
Come to think of it the 79 F250 /460 cu. in. we had went 80,000 on a set of disk brake pads, repacked when I replaced the rotors.
There is no reason to add grease to the bearings, it doesn't go anywhere unless you have a leaking seal. :S
Didn't see Scott G's post before replying, so X3 also.- The EZ lubes are supposed to eject the old grease around the zerk. But ya gotta be spinning the tire and taking it easy putting in the new grease so the rear seals aren't blown out. It's a good idea but don't know if it works.
