Has anyone installed a "dry" set of hubs on an EZ-lube axle? And when I say dry, I don't mean with dry bearings. I mean a hub that has freshly greased bearings, new seal, properly tightened with a cotter pin. Since I'm not certain about every aspect of these, I'm not sure about what the hub should be like on the way in. Should I pack the void in the center of the hub with grease? Does it need to be full so when the grease is pumped in from the front of the axle it pushes the grease to the outer bearing? What I've seen online so far isn't real helpful. I'm installing new EZ-lubes axles on my daughters horse trailer. Thinking I need a pile of grease.Thanks

Since your doing it right and packing them by hand, there's no need to fill the void. One voc. tech teacher I knew said the hub would run hotter if you did fill it.Otherwise the hub and spindle are no different than those without EZ lubes.If you plan on using the EZ's (I wouldn't...) then yes, the center has to be full before grease will travel though to the front bearings. Your right, it takes a ton of grease.

When I got my Creek Side I was pretty skeptical about the EZ Lube set up. I put about 15000 miles on it and figured I better pack the wheels. But just for kicks, I pulled out the grease gun and gave it about 8 pumps............and just like the instructions said, grease started to come out from behind the nut and washer. I feel pretty confident the whole shebang is getting greased. Ultimately you answered my question.....hub must be full of grease.Thanks

I agreed with Scottg. Don’t use the EZ part of the hub. It’s too easy to over or under grease. I know from experience.

If you've gone over all the sealing areas of the new parts, you should be fine using the EZ Lube fittings. Now whether you really need to use them is another matter. Properly lubed bearings don't really need more grease added unless you're putting on huge yearly mileage. If you're putting on 15,000-20,000 miles per year you may need to add some grease after a couple years. Consider when was the last time you added grease to the wheel bearings in your car or truck.

Timken recommends the hub half full, they caution against filling it all the way because it will run hotter.

Installing hubs on EZ-Lube for the first time.......

ScottG
Nomad
Aug 04, 2018
fj12ryder wrote:
ScottG wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
ScottG wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
Ralph Cramden wrote:
ScottG wrote:
Since your doing it right and packing them by hand,

So........... everyone who uses the EZ lube feature is doing it "wrong"?

Got it!
Possibly not so much "wrong" as "unnecessary".

So your arguing that doing them by hand is doing them wrong?
I'm sorry, did I say that? I'm pretty sure I said that the EZ Lube feature, which is adding grease via the zerk in the hub, is possibly "unnecessary"

You may read into this anything you wish, but please don't put words in my mouth.

Exactly, you don't like it so don't put words in my mouth either.
I have the EZ Lube axles on my triple axle toyhauler, and have used it in the past, so obviously you've totally misread my position. After much consideration, I now question the actual usefulness and necessity of it. That's my thoughts on it.

Totally agree. Even assuming it never blows past the seals and gets on the brakes, there just isn't any need to keep pumping more grease through the bearings after they've been properly packed.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Aug 04, 2018
ScottG wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
ScottG wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
Ralph Cramden wrote:
ScottG wrote:
Since your doing it right and packing them by hand,

So........... everyone who uses the EZ lube feature is doing it "wrong"?

Got it!
Possibly not so much "wrong" as "unnecessary".

So your arguing that doing them by hand is doing them wrong?
I'm sorry, did I say that? I'm pretty sure I said that the EZ Lube feature, which is adding grease via the zerk in the hub, is possibly "unnecessary"

You may read into this anything you wish, but please don't put words in my mouth.

Exactly, you don't like it so don't put words in my mouth either.
I have the EZ Lube axles on my triple axle toyhauler, and have used it in the past, so obviously you've totally misread my position. After much consideration, I now question the actual usefulness and necessity of it. That's my thoughts on it.
ScottG
Nomad
Aug 04, 2018
fj12ryder wrote:
ScottG wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
Ralph Cramden wrote:
ScottG wrote:
Since your doing it right and packing them by hand,

So........... everyone who uses the EZ lube feature is doing it "wrong"?

Got it!
Possibly not so much "wrong" as "unnecessary".

So your arguing that doing them by hand is doing them wrong?
I'm sorry, did I say that? I'm pretty sure I said that the EZ Lube feature, which is adding grease via the zerk in the hub, is possibly "unnecessary"

You may read into this anything you wish, but please don't put words in my mouth.

Exactly, you don't like it so don't put words in my mouth either.
ralphnjoann
Explorer
Aug 03, 2018
Crabbypatty wrote:
The EZ Lubes were really designed for boat trailers to give a pump or two to rid any water seepage but they have matriculated into rv's etc.

Hope it helps Happy Trails
I think you are confusing EZ Lube axles with Bearing Buddys.

Bearing Buddy

An EZ Lube has a zerk threaded into the axle. The grease is forced through a channel in the axle to the back of the hub where it comes back through the bearings and out through the front. A Bearing Buddy is a basically dust cap with a zerk in the center. It has a spring loaded mechanism on the inside to keep pressure on the grease which keeps water and air out. The grease has to be topped off occasionally.

One does not have to use the EZ Lube feature if they would rather do bearing maintenance by hand.
LarryJM
Explorer II
Aug 03, 2018
Mortimer Brewster wrote:

Modern day greases make temp issues and churning close to non-existent??? Where did you get that info? PLEASE VERIFY! I read recently that people can write down anything they want, so be sure to provide reliable sources for such a sweeping statement. Meanwhile, I’ll be out flag shopping. :)

You obviously chose to leave out the critical caveat in my statements of "AFAIK" which means what I said is what I understand and is not a fixed statement of fact.

Additionally AFAIK the introduction of grease formulations such as "MOLY" fortified greases have assisted in controlling not only high temp and churning, but moisture issues. While not proof positive the wide spread use of bearing buddies suggest that temp issues and grease churning is not a major concern in the application that we are talking about here which is wheel bearings which is a fairly "LOW SPEED" bearing IMO.

Larry
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Aug 03, 2018
ScottG wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
Ralph Cramden wrote:
ScottG wrote:
Since your doing it right and packing them by hand,

So........... everyone who uses the EZ lube feature is doing it "wrong"?

Got it!
Possibly not so much "wrong" as "unnecessary".

So your arguing that doing them by hand is doing them wrong?
I'm sorry, did I say that? I'm pretty sure I said that the EZ Lube feature, which is adding grease via the zerk in the hub, is possibly "unnecessary"

You may read into this anything you wish, but please don't put words in my mouth.
ScottG
Nomad
Aug 03, 2018
fj12ryder wrote:
Ralph Cramden wrote:
ScottG wrote:
Since your doing it right and packing them by hand,

So........... everyone who uses the EZ lube feature is doing it "wrong"?

Got it!
Possibly not so much "wrong" as "unnecessary".

So your arguing that doing them by hand is doing them wrong?
Mortimer_Brewst
Explorer II
Aug 03, 2018
LarryJM wrote:
SidecarFlip wrote:
LarryJM wrote:
Learjet wrote:
Timken recommends the hub half full, they caution against filling it all the way because it will run hotter.

You would have to show me some verifiable reference for that since IMO only filling the hub half full makes ZERO SENSE and would be COMPLETELY USELESS for the EZ lube type system to work.

My BS FLAG is at full staff and at attention.

Larry

"NOTE: You should allow enough space in the housing for heat dissipation so excess grease throws clear from
the bearing. Contain the grease around the bearing. The housing should normally be 1/3 to 1/2 full of grease
during bearing assembly. Too much grease in the housing may cause high temperatures and excess churning of
the grease."

I'd say your BS flag is suffering from erectile dysfunction....:R

Note I SAID VERIFIABLE and your post is far from that since anyone can write down anything they want.

Try Again and make sure any reference is about easy lube bearings and the info you posted flies directly in the face of something like bearing buddies which sure does not have any "dead space" in the hub.

BS FLAG STILL FLYING STRAIGHT AND BOLD!!!:p

BTW AFAIK temp issues and things like churning might have been a concerned 20 or 30 years ago, but modern day greases make those issue close to non existant now.

Larry

Modern day greases make temp issues and churning close to non-existent??? Where did you get that info? PLEASE VERIFY! I read recently that people can write down anything they want, so be sure to provide reliable sources for such a sweeping statement. Meanwhile, I’ll be out flag shopping. :)
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Aug 03, 2018
Ralph Cramden wrote:
ScottG wrote:
Since your doing it right and packing them by hand,

So........... everyone who uses the EZ lube feature is doing it "wrong"?

Got it!
Possibly not so much "wrong" as "unnecessary".
LarryJM
Explorer II
Aug 03, 2018
SidecarFlip wrote:
LarryJM wrote:
Learjet wrote:
Timken recommends the hub half full, they caution against filling it all the way because it will run hotter.

You would have to show me some verifiable reference for that since IMO only filling the hub half full makes ZERO SENSE and would be COMPLETELY USELESS for the EZ lube type system to work.

My BS FLAG is at full staff and at attention.

Larry

"NOTE: You should allow enough space in the housing for heat dissipation so excess grease throws clear from
the bearing. Contain the grease around the bearing. The housing should normally be 1/3 to 1/2 full of grease
during bearing assembly. Too much grease in the housing may cause high temperatures and excess churning of
the grease."

I'd say your BS flag is suffering from erectile dysfunction....:R

Note I SAID VERIFIABLE and your post is far from that since anyone can write down anything they want.

Try Again and make sure any reference is about easy lube bearings and the info you posted flies directly in the face of something like bearing buddies which sure does not have any "dead space" in the hub.

BS FLAG STILL FLYING STRAIGHT AND BOLD!!!:p

BTW AFAIK temp issues and things like churning might have been a concerned 20 or 30 years ago, but modern day greases make those issue close to non existant now.

Larry

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