How much grease in the Ez lube?

[FishHaggis]

Typical greasing of the EZLube requires how much grease? Half tube? Quarter tube? Pushed a quarter tube in and nothing coming out. Almost half a tube in another. Can't be that much grease needed? Pile of videos and diagrams out there but not how much grease would be typical.

[Likes_to_tow]

Are you guys kidding me???? Is this post real???? For those who used several tubes to grease your bearings on an EZ Lube system I know where your grease went!!
Pull the brake drums and look at your brake shoes. EZ Lube axles were primarily designed for boat trailers that get submerged in water. The RV industry picked up on this "easy care-free" idea as a marketing tool. You guys are in serious trouble when you need your brakes!!!!!

[Fleet_Man]

My Sunnybrook trailer had the Dexter E Z Lube wheel ends. I would see old grease pushing out after several pumps and kept pumping until fresh grease appeared. When I did not see grease pushing out as expected, I stopped pumping and pulled the wheel. As expected and as others have indicated, the inner grease seal failed and grease was being pumped into brake shoe area. Easy cleanup if caught early. After that, I replaced the failed inner seal and resorted to the old tried and true method of hand packing the bearings. A Lisle bearing packer works too if you don't relish hand packing those rather small roller bearings.

[FishHaggis]

****! Want to get it right though so thanks for the input. I will spend another ten bucks and get some more tubes. It's the first time I have done it so I was surprised that they were not full already, even with old grease. Agree with the point raised that the factory probably just put enough in and no more. Had EZ Lubes on a utility trailer that I abused and every time I greased it, the old grey grease just came out right away. Have to admit with the brakes, I started to get worried. I think I will put in more grease and keep pumping until new grease comes out like you are supposed to, and then take a tire off and check the brake drum for piece of mind. Bought a Trailer Aid to lift the tires and it works really well.

[BB_TX]

tragusa3 wrote:
I've seen several threads on this and many people frown on using so much grease. I don't understand why? Is it a useless expense thing? $10 of grease too much?

People who don't understand the system assume the grease is going thru the seal to the brakes.

[tragusa3]

I've seen several threads on this and many people frown on using so much grease. I don't understand why? Is it a useless expense thing? $10 of grease too much?

[Dave5143]

Huntindog wrote:

FishHaggis wrote:
Typical greasing of the EZLube requires how much grease? Half tube? Quarter tube? Pushed a quarter tube in and nothing coming out. Almost half a tube in another. Can't be that much grease needed? Pile of videos and diagrams out there but not how much grease would be typical.

To get all of the old dirty grease out of the hubs will require 3 tubes of grease... Every time you service it.

My experience is pretty much the same. 3-4 tubes is about right to get all the old stuff out.

[fj12ryder]

"So now we all know just how many tubes of grease it takes to service the easy lubes... 3 tubes. And that is the amount it will take EVERY time (not just the first time) if you want to get all of the old grease out from the inner bearing."

But you don't have to do it all that often. I just think of the hubs on my trucks and cars: how often do you pull the hubs and change/lube them? I had to change one hub due to a sticking rotor that ruined the rotor and hub. The other hub hasn't been touched in 100,000 miles and it works fine. Why should trailer brakes be so much different? Perhaps Dexter's admonition to check bearings and brakes annually is another case of CYA. Dunno.

[Huntindog]

FishHaggis wrote:
Typical greasing of the EZLube requires how much grease? Half tube? Quarter tube? Pushed a quarter tube in and nothing coming out. Almost half a tube in another. Can't be that much grease needed? Pile of videos and diagrams out there but not how much grease would be typical.

To get all of the old dirty grease out of the hubs will require 3 tubes of grease... Every time you service it.

[fj12ryder]

tragusa3 wrote:
I just did it for the first time and it took almost 3 large tubes to do the 4 wheels. Some may have stopped using less grease, but I kept going until it was very clean. It is "mixed" for a while.

My piece of mind that I didn't go past the rear seal is that with each pump, I could see the equivalent amount coming out the front. I don't think that would happen if it were going out the rear.

Sounds like you're going about it the right way. That's the way I do mine and my brakes and assorted hardware were uncontaminated.

[Huntindog]

tragusa3 wrote:
I just did it for the first time and it took almost 3 large tubes to do the 4 wheels. Some may have stopped using less grease, but I kept going until it was very clean. It is "mixed" for a while.

My piece of mind that I didn't go past the rear seal is that with each pump, I could see the equivalent amount coming out the front. I don't think that would happen if it were going out the rear.

Unless your seal is destroyed, the amount of grease that will seep past it is much smaller than what you will see exiting the hub. So your visual observation wouldn't show such a small amount missing from each pump. But it doesn't take much to wreak havoc with the brakes.

Think about a garden hose with a small leak, Much more water comes out the open end of the hose while a small amount comes out of the leak.

So now we all know just how many tubes of grease it takes to service the easy lubes... 3 tubes. And that is the amount it will take EVERY time (not just the first time) if you want to get all of the old grease out from the inner bearing.

[tragusa3]

I just did it for the first time and it took almost 3 large tubes to do the 4 wheels. Some may have stopped using less grease, but I kept going until it was very clean. It is "mixed" for a while.

My piece of mind that I didn't go past the rear seal is that with each pump, I could see the equivalent amount coming out the front. I don't think that would happen if it were going out the rear.

[fj12ryder]

Yep, it takes a half a tube or so to get grease through it the first time. I think it's because they give it a couple squirts at the factory and call it good. It holds quite a bit of grease.

I just pulled apart one side of my triple axle after 4 years and about 18,000 miles and everything is fine so far. I had no grease anywhere except where it should be. I need to check the other side but see no reason it would be any different. The bearings look and feel good, not notchy, and no pitting or anything out of the ordinary.

When I greased mine I jacked up the wheel and added grease while spinning the wheel. Works for me. You really can't overgrease the hubs because the grease will come out the front of the hub like it's designed to do. You can put too much grease in too fast, and perhaps overwhelm the rear seal. Dunno.

I have had zero issues with mine. YMMV.

[352]

Throw your EZ lubes away. One to many squirts will cost you a thousand dollars when the grease hits your pads or shoes. And the EZ lube does not pack the bearings, it just coats them.

[BB_TX]

The naysayers are going to say don't do it. But it does take a lot of grease as it has to go thru the port to the rear bearing, thru that bearing, fill the hub cavity and/or push the old grease thru that cavity, thru the outer bearing, and out the front. Seems it took over a half tube per wheel last time I did it. I did see old grey grease start coming out but took a lot before new red grease started coming out. And, no, grease did not go thru the seal onto my brakes.

Since nothing came out it is likely the hub cavity was not filled with grease.

[downtheroad]

Check the back side of the wheel. It may be squirting out inside the hub. This can be a big problem if it gets on the brake drums.

I have read that this can be a common issue with Ez lube hubs.