E-Z lube axles

[_tiredTeacher]

My Rockwood came with E-Z Lube axles (not to be confused with Bearing Buddies).
Has anyone actually used this feature?
(Alert: I'm a retired ASE certified Master Technician. Please, there is no need to explain blowing out hub seals, the wonders of inspecting and hand packing bearings, the opportunity to look at the brakes, etc.)

Teach

[69_Avion]

There are automotive quality bearings available. Having built equipment trailers on and off for close to 40 years, I prefer to use quality American bearings and hand pack the bearings when necessary. I don't get overly concerned about doing it every year, but I didn't do it every year on my cars or trucks before they had sealed bearing packs either.
I don't have an issue with using the easy lube spindles if done properly. Just don't rely on them keeping you from servicing your bearings every couple of years, depending on usage.
Trailer bearings service isn't magic.

[Learjet]

Likes to tow wrote:

OH48Lt wrote:
I used them on a 5ver -once. Never again.

Called Dexter about this, they said they wish RV manufacturers would not use them. They are intended for use only on trailers that get the axles submerged in water, such as a boat trailer.

I replaced the seal I blew out using the hand-pump-and-spin method, and hand-packed them after that experience.

This is exactly right. They are great on boat trailers that get submerged in water. Unless the seals are new, you spin the wheel as you slowly add grease and nothing else goes wrong........they work on Campers. However most people feel that hand packing is very sufficient. How often do you pack the bearings on your tow vehicle??? Same principle as campers. They don't need constant greasing!!!

Did you see my picture of the bad bearing? I never had that happen in a car either. I'm sorry, but this is not car quality items we are dealing with. JMHO

[Likes_to_tow]

OH48Lt wrote:
I used them on a 5ver -once. Never again.

Called Dexter about this, they said they wish RV manufacturers would not use them. They are intended for use only on trailers that get the axles submerged in water, such as a boat trailer.

I replaced the seal I blew out using the hand-pump-and-spin method, and hand-packed them after that experience.

This is exactly right. They are great on boat trailers that get submerged in water. Unless the seals are new, you spin the wheel as you slowly add grease and nothing else goes wrong........they work on Campers. However most people feel that hand packing is very sufficient. How often do you pack the bearings on your tow vehicle??? Same principle as campers. They don't need constant greasing!!!

[Like2Travel]

my 5er is a 2006. For about the first 6 years, I averaged around 5,000 miles per year. Like many, I thought the zerks were the best thing since sliced bread. I read all of the do's and don'ts. I lubed mine the safe way, wheels off the ground, rotate them slowly and pump grease very slowly. Then, one day, after about 3-4 years of using the zerks, I pulled all of the wheels off to inspect them and found one seal blown. What a mess! Everything in the wheel was covered with grease. Since then, I started doing them by hand. I bought a bearing packer which speeds up packing the bearings. All in all, since I have owned the 5er, I have replaced all of the brakes two times, the wheel bearings once, and the drums once. I think my 5er has around 35,000 miles on it and a lot of these miles were in the Rocky Mountains.

If you decide to use the zerks here is my two cents on how to do it. 1. Get the wheels off of the ground. 2. Use a good grease recommended by your axle manufacturer. 3. Pump very slow, 1 or 2 pumps while rotating the wheel. 4. The first time you do this, be prepared for a long time to do this and a lot of grease to fill up the void in the drum. 5. After filling, make sure to leave some expansion space around the lock nut before putting the cap back on. 6. Pull the wheels off once a year to inspect.

If you do all of this, you may find that it is just as easy to forget the zerks and pack them by hand. One blown seal changed my mind.

[azjeffh]

If you have drum brakes, you can't check them without removing the hub. Can't remove the hub without removing the outer bearing. Since you have it out, why not just clean and repack? Now that you've done the front, why not the rear?

So the only issue is, how often do you want to know how well your brakes are doing?

[_tiredTeacher]

Learjet wrote:
Very good point, esp with the made in China bearings.
Also the seals wear out

Ah, poor quality bearings and seals would influence a decision to use the E-Z Lube feature.
But ... apparently it works. Except when it doesn't work.

[_tiredTeacher]

martipr wrote:
I can't imagine a Certified Master Technician asking this question.

Out of curiosity. I wanted to see the anecdotal evidence for and against using them. So ... the results are in.
Folks who have had no problems use them successfully. Folks who have had a bad experience don't continue to use them.
Some folks are OCB about maintenance, others are ostriches, and the majority lie somewhere in between.

And the beat goes on,
Teach

[69_Avion]

GaPete wrote:

OH48Lt wrote:
I used them on a 5ver -once. Never again.

Called Dexter about this, they said they wish RV manufacturers would not use them. They are intended for use only on trailers that get the axles submerged in water, such as a boat trailer.

I replaced the seal I blew out using the hand-pump-and-spin method, and hand-packed them after that experience.

As I understand it, that is what Buddy Bearings are for, not EZ Lube bearings.
Buddy Bearings have a spring to maintain pressure when the wheels are submerged and quickly cool. Otherwise water would be sucked into the bearing. I think a lot of people confuse the two concepts.
JMHO

That is correct.

[Learjet]

martipr wrote:
I am a retired FAA Certified Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic with Certified Inspection Authorization and I can't imagine a Certified Master Technician asking this question. You cannot inspect the bearings without removing them and you know the importance of that inspection.

Please, everyone, don't neglect your bearings. I have seen wheels destroyed, aircraft wrecked and people killed by improper bearing maintenance!!

Very good point, esp with the made in China bearings.

Also the seals wear out, the brakes need to be checked. Good luck pumping the grease if you have a bad seal.

I found this once and this was not from lack of grease or lack of proper adjustment... starting to pit...

[Shadow_Catcher]

Not mentioned is the fact that the holes drilled in the axles weaken them. I know of one individual who had a wheel drop off the side of the pavement while driving and it snapped. He had the presence of mind to take closeups of the broken stub. There was evidence of cracking at the grease hole location indicating that it had started to fail before the catastrophic event. Any time you drill a hole in a forged part you interrupt the grain structure of the steel and create a stress riser. Also seldom mentioned, too much grease can lead to over heating.

[taviking22]

StewB wrote:
I have them on my boat (21ft) trailer and RV and have had them on many other trailers I owned over the years. They work as advertised. Never use an airpowered grease gun to add grease. I jack up the axel and rotate tire as I pump in fresh grease. Never had a bearing failure even on the boat trailer.

What he said!

[down_home]

I had them on my Pontoon Boat trailer, 28 ft.
I was religous about watching the bearings because of being immersed while still warm.
Have to watch so they have some grease but not so much to push the metal diaphram all the way out.
Still had to replace bearings on one side. I noticed one steaming. The bearing was bad, really bad. Chinese junk.
Too much grease and there go the shoes.
This is a question you didn't ask but I would see about replacing the bearings with permanent lubes ones like were on our Holiday Rambler Fifth wheel. Never got hot nor gave any problems. didn't have to lube them or worry about that.

[martipr]

I am a retired FAA Certified Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic with Certified Inspection Authorization and I can't imagine a Certified Master Technician asking this question. You cannot inspect the bearings without removing them and you know the importance of that inspection.

Please, everyone, don't neglect your bearings. I have seen wheels destroyed, aircraft wrecked and people killed by improper bearing maintenance!!

[aruba5er]

Never a problem in 10 years, but what is the advantage? A guy should inspect the brakes and hardware once in a while. I know of guys greasing the bearings and leaving little to no grease in the cavity. I like the idea that the grease goes into everything. bearings ,races and the cavity. And I for one do not grease every year. Think about the last time (if ever) you did your car. And almost every front wheel drive car you don't grease the bearing, you buy a new hub, greased for life.Whatever is written in this forumn will not change minds. You are either for or against ez lube. count me for.