E-Z lube hub cover replacement?

[phemens]

I have E-Z lube hubs, but the wheels have chrome hub covers that insert from the inside, which means that if I want to grease the hubs, I need to remove the tires. Has anyone replaced those hub cover inserts with something that facilitates the access to the lube zerts for the hubs?

[Dave_H_M]

phemens, did you have any idea that you would create such a hub a balou when you posted? :W i got the same deal on mine. :h If I ever service my bearings again I will take look at how ugly things are without the cover.

[mike-s]

If it's time for greasing the bearings, it's also time for inspecting them, which requires removing the wheel and hub.

EZ-lube type systems may be useful on boat trailers, where you might want to replace the grease more often in case water gets in. But Bearing Buddies should keep that from happening in the first place.

In addition to needing to inspect the bearings, using an EZ-lube system often results in grease getting past the seal and onto the brakes. Then you've got a much bigger job than simply removing the hub in the first place. It will take about a full tube of grease on each hub to displace the all the old grease, which there will be a lot of (if you pump a tube in, a tube's worth comes out), so it's no less messy than just repacking by hand. You have to jack it up and rotate the wheel when pumping the grease in, and it takes a lot of pumping a grease gun to push a full tube through. So you really don't save much, if any, time or effort.

Do you get the idea that I'm not a fan of using an EZ-lube system?

[jerryjay11]

Though Puddles is correct I had the same type of hub covers on my last TT. I pulled the wheels and threw the covers away then purchased Bearing Buddy covers and only used the zerk grease fittings sparingly and no I never popped a grease seal.

[Puddles]

Forget the grease gun... inspect /hand pack brgs and inspect brake shoes...

[Lynnmor]

You have the wrong parts, they should have a center that pops out. That said, I have no use for that way of greasing.