Bearing Grease Intervals

[enahs]

On our 27-5L Fox fifth wheel, I do my own bearing packing. I use top quality synthetic grease and thoroughly clean and pack bearings every two years. That adds up to once every 6000 miles. Rig is stored under covert every winter. I am beginning to think that I am into overkill. Perhaps it's because I am getting older and wrestling the heavy tires and drums is tougher than it once was — or am I just getting wiser and less compulsive. Opinions and educated insights would be appreciated. BTW, everything I've done a repacking, grease and everything looks just fine. Wondering.

[enahs]

I wish Fox had had the EZ Lube option available in 2003 — I certainly would have gotten it. We don't have to ford any streams where we travel, but we only boondock and do spend a lot of time on some pretty crummy Forest Service roads (thus the spare springs). Yet, every bearing check I've ever done shows things very clean and still well greased.

[BFL13]

enahs wrote:
Ours is an '03 — all Dexter. Bought it new before EZ Lube and Never Lube options were available. Ordered it with 16" wheels and larger drums (and outer bearing). FWIW (BFL13), EZ Lube is not the same thing as Bearing Buddies used on boat trailers.

Yes I am aware of the difference, but the Dexter manual I have from 03, says, "Note: The E-Z Lube feature is designed to allow immersion. Axles not equipped with E-Z Lube are not designed for immersion and should be repacked after each immersion."

So if you need to ford a stream on your way to the campsite, E-Z Lube is for you! 🙂 Otherwise it is for boat trailers apparently.

[enahs]

Ours is an '03 — all Dexter. Bought it new before EZ Lube and Never Lube options were available. Ordered it with 16" wheels and larger drums (and outer bearing). FWIW (BFL13), EZ Lube is not the same thing as Bearing Buddies used on boat trailers.

[n7bsn]

What model year AF? I know that newer ones have "don't need lub" (since they aren't Drexel, they aren't never-lub)

[enahs]

Brake drums can get some rust on them while parked for an extended period. But a short pull with the controller held on fixes that. As for grease, from the "research" I've done, Valvoline SynPower seems to be the best that a person can do. There may be others that are as good, but from a comparison of PDS, it has an operating range that is wider and higher than Mobile 1 and the best rating given for chassis/bearing lubes. Not trying to start a debate on what is commonly a matter of personal preference, but if anyone wonders, the SynPower is very good stuff — almost identical to the Almagard 3752 mentioned above. But I have no idea whether it extends bearing lube intervals like synthetic oil does for engines. BTW, the common $400 price to pack bearings is remarkably proud — the reason I DIM.

[BFL13]

FWIW, I did ask Dexter tech support some years back why I should get the service done every year even if I had not gone 12K miles yet.

The answer was that the brakes could get rusted from condensation while parked from how they are air cooled. That's where I got the idea using the trailer more often was better.

That brake inspection requires the hubs to come off, and that ties in with their recommended timing for the annual grease job. They insist that this be done by hand so when the parts are cleaned you can do a visual inspection for spalling and such, before you put the new grease on. Using the EZ lube feature does not let you do that visual inspection. Or look at the magnets for shape, and their wires.

IMO that means there is no reason to have the EZ lube at all, since why in heck would you want to lube more often than Dexter says is needed? Turns out it came from the boat trailer world and has become a sales bragging thing for RVs. Oh well.

That was/is their story and I would like to follow that advice for timing except it costs about $400 here to get it done, so I skip the timing and cross my fingers until I get it done again.

On which grease to use, their booklet I got with the 2003 trailer had a list of approved greases and the specs, including that the viscosity index must be 80 or higher.

The garage I use wanted to use one of those listed, Pennzoil 707L but being paranoid , I looked it up and it was VI of 67. Again I asked Dexter about that and was told, after a thank-you, that it was a mistake to list that grease and it would be de-listed. A more recent list shows Pennzoil "Synthetic Red Grease" and for Valvoline, "Multi-purpose GM" and "Durablend"

That later list is no longer new either, so can't say what their latest is. The booklet was/is on-line somewhere.

( I do check my trailer brakes after every hitch-up using the manual slider on the brake control so I know I have brakes, and I also do the pull test on the breakaway switch at least once a year. It is good to see that 12 amps showing on the Trimetric, and how the trailer will not roll when the truck tries to. I figure that means at least there is no grease all over the brakes even if I have gone past the inspection schedule time)

[enahs]

As I might have guessed, there's no consensus. But I have to say that I am not convinced by the "cheap insurance" argument — it's not expensive, but it is a lot of work. Now, I have broken springs on a trailer and, for that reason, carry a couple extra springs bolted to a cross member, which is cheap and easy (and have used one). But when bearings, races, grease and seals all look fine after 6k, it does seem like a waste of time, energy and money to regrease everything, And I do carry extra bearings and races for them (and grease), though I've never needed them. I agree — why more frequently than a car or truck? Perhaps there's a good reason, but I haven't heard it. What I will probably do is pull one for an evaluation and go from there. Incidentally, I am presuming that there's a longevity advantage to high quality synthetic bearing grease (Valvoline SynPower).

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I sure wish LUBRICATION ENGINEERS

ALMAGARD 3752

Was easier to get. My lubrication interval is every 500,000 miles or 10 years whichever comes LAST. Fact is on a trailer the brakes wear out much faster.

A friend lubricated the steering on a HYSTER forklift in 1972. They are hard to lift and service. But changing a radiator last year he reported the tie-rod ends looked like they were lubed "yesterday".

I have had Niehoff 6305 Drive end bearing go A MILLION MILES with this lube on big rigs and the bearings were still stiff when they were checked.

[coolbreeze01]

Ran the last trailer 7 years. Hit the EZ-Lubes once a year per instructions. No bearings, brakes, or back aches........

[Hondavalk]

RJsfishin wrote:

Red-Rover wrote:
I am asking the same question myself. My new trailer has E-Z lube hubs that only needs a shot of grease once a year? Probably the main benefit of removing the drum is to inspect the brakes not grease the bearings.
I probably will continue checking brakes every couple of years or before any "major trips" thus saving the cost of 4 new grease seals.
I have, in the past, found broken shoe retracting springs that were previously undetected. There was no symptom of malfunction, no noise, no pulling to one side, no wheel lock up. Only an inspection revealed the defect.

I dint mention that I also believe in EZ lube if used like they were intended to be used. But every time I mention using them, I get hammered on by those that probably don't have the foggiest idea how to use them.

LOL, I hear ya on that one. I wait until a dark moonless night to use mine.

[RJsfishin]

Red-Rover wrote:
I am asking the same question myself. My new trailer has E-Z lube hubs that only needs a shot of grease once a year? Probably the main benefit of removing the drum is to inspect the brakes not grease the bearings.
I probably will continue checking brakes every couple of years or before any "major trips" thus saving the cost of 4 new grease seals.
I have, in the past, found broken shoe retracting springs that were previously undetected. There was no symptom of malfunction, no noise, no pulling to one side, no wheel lock up. Only an inspection revealed the defect.

I dint mention that I also believe in EZ lube if used like they were intended to be used. But every time I mention using them, I get hammered on by those that probably don't have the foggiest idea how to use them.

[Peg_Leg]

You haven't had any problems because you took a little time to do a job. Why change your pattern. With out realizing it you look for other problems while doing the job.

Besides if you weren't doing this you'd probably get in trouble for something else. I never have anyone bother me when my hands are full of grease.

[Hondavalk]

RJsfishin wrote:
I have towed all kinds of trailers all my life, still do
Why would I do the bearings any oftener than the front wheels of my cars/trucks/suvs ?? Why would the brakes rust in place if they were properly assembled w/ a touch of brake lube or never seize on all contact points, ??

If you towed in a lot of rain and snow where there was salt on the roads ???
Even then, never had my brakes stop stopping ! 🙂

Couldn't agree with you more. I've never had a bearing failure in 45 years of towing. Only time I check the bearings is when I'm replacing worn out brakes and the bearings have always looked and felt fine.

[Red-Rover]

I am asking the same question myself. My new trailer has E-Z lube hubs that only needs a shot of grease once a year? Probably the main benefit of removing the drum is to inspect the brakes not grease the bearings.
I probably will continue checking brakes every couple of years or before any "major trips" thus saving the cost of 4 new grease seals.
I have, in the past, found broken shoe retracting springs that were previously undetected. There was no symptom of malfunction, no noise, no pulling to one side, no wheel lock up. Only an inspection revealed the defect.