My TT axles have the EZ lube spindles with the grease fitting on the end. It's time for me to repack the bearings. Is it safe to hand pump new grease through the fitting while slowly turning the wheel, or do I need to remove, clean, and repack the bearings by hand? If so, what's the purpose of the grease fitting on the spindle? I bought my camper brand new a little over a year ago. Thanks.

My take: every one says to repack the bearings by hand but, I have had two trailers (each one seven years), with the easy lube bearings. I did it once a year using a grease gun. I would jack the wheel and as I was pumping the grease, I would turn the wheel. Once I saw the old grease coming out, and saw the new stuff right behind it I would stop. I never had a problem and put thousands of miles on both trailers. On the second one, I had them repacked by a shop in it's sixth year, and the mechanic said that the bearings were in good shape.Jack l

plasticmaster wrote:My TT axles have the EZ lube spindles with the grease fitting on the end. It's time for me to repack the bearings. Is it safe to hand pump new grease through the fitting while slowly turning the wheel, or do I need to remove, clean, and repack the bearings by hand? If so, what's the purpose of the grease fitting on the spindle? I bought my camper brand new a little over a year ago. Thanks.IMHO, the bearing grease fittings are a waste of money, useless in actually properly greasing your bearings, and in fact, could cause a major problem inside the brake drum should the grease get pushed out past the seal. The "bearing buddy" type of bearing greaser is more designed for trailers that do not have braking systems and are subject to being submerged in water (i.e. boat or jetski trailers). When the trailer is run into the water, water can seep in past the wheel seal and get into the bearing area. This will cause rusting and possible bearing failure. These greasing systems were designed to allow the owner to inject grease into the bearings and hub to possibly flush out the water. If there is no air space inside the bearing/hub area then no water can get inside.On a travel trailer, you do not have the problem with water intrusion (or if you do, you need to stop parking your trailer in a lake, stream or river). They put these greasing systems on travel trailers because basically (and by mo means am I accusing you of this) people are lazy and don't want to have to either take the trailer in for service or spend the couple of hours needed to do bearing maintenance. They are told to just pump a few shots of grease into the grease zerk, and away you go. Problem, the grease does not fill the cavity inside the hub, so only the outer bearing gets some of the grease. The inner bearing gets little or nothing. Another problem to look at is that some think that if a few squirts of grease are good, then a LOT of them should be great! Eventually, you will reach the point where the entire cavity is full of grease. Then the grease has no place to go. As it doesn't compress (at least not under the pressures you are subjecting it to) it has to go someplace. Out the back through the space between the Spindle and the grease seal is the weak link.Once the grease gets past the seal, it is now inside the brake drum. And as that grease gets slung around the inside of the drum, it makes your brakes ineffective and possibly cause a fire due to the grease getting too hot from the friction inside.So, after that dissertation on greasing your bearings...Short answer, pull the bearings, clean and inspect them, regrease with good grease, and put them back together. Your peace of mind in knowing that everything is good to go will take one less worry off your mind as you are heading down the road.

Although we have the same option on our axles I still do them the old fashion way, I feel better that I had a chance to see the wear and tear for myself. Good news is that if they are properly done, wheel bearing service will last several years before a full cleaning and repacking is required. Nothing wrong with doing it yearly but with top notch, high-temp grease I find it isn't required annually for our heavily used TT. They are rarely exposed to harsh elements where we RV most. Every Spring after de-winterizing our rig I take all wheels off and inspect brakes and bearings, I'm on our 4th camping season since the last wheel bearing service and all still looks great. Although I never tried, I would believe the Easy lube option works for many but there have been a plethora of reports where seals were blown out allowing grease to reach brakes. It's good that your are checking bearings as sometimes they leave factory improperly greased.

Really bad advice from Bager The easy lube system is a good system It uses a double lip seal on the axle shaft to prevent grease from entering the brake area. When you grease through the zerk the grease goes through the center of spindle and out a small hole just beyond the inner bearing and before the seal. As you slowly grease and turn wheel the grease is forced through the innner and outer bearing and you will see it coming back at you around the spindle , zerk area then stop . The key thing here is pump slowly and turn the wheel also when pumping . The first time it may require a half tube of grease or more .

Really good advice, badger. The problem with your response is that the subject is not about the Bearing Buddy system, it is about the useless grease fitting installed in the spindle.

EZ lube spindle and bearing repack question | Good Sam Community

RCMAN46
Explorer
Dec 18, 2017
Lynnmor wrote:
falconbrother wrote:
Don't over grease it using the zerk fitting. On a new trailer one squirt a year is enough, or so says my RV repair guy.

In about 50 years you will have actually greased the outer bearing, with 50 year old grease.

Correction:

In about 50 years you will have actually greased the outer bearing, with 50 year old USED grease.

The outer bearing receives grease after it has gone through the inner bearing.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Dec 18, 2017
falconbrother wrote:
Don't over grease it using the zerk fitting. On a new trailer one squirt a year is enough, or so says my RV repair guy.

In about 50 years you will have actually greased the outer bearing, with 50 year old grease.
falconbrother
Explorer II
Dec 18, 2017
Don't over grease it using the zerk fitting. On a new trailer one squirt a year is enough, or so says my RV repair guy.
Copperhead
Explorer
Dec 17, 2017
There are oodles of bearing pack videos online. It is a relatively easy job for most anyone to do. No real special tools required (videos will show that), unless bearings and races need replaced, then a simple race tool set from Amazon (not very expensive) will take care of that part of the job. Frankly, a repack is the best way to go. Get all the old stuff out of there, inspect the bearings and races for any issues, repack and put it all back together. Little messy, but that is was shop towels and rags are for, along with nitrile gloves.
Huntindog
Explorer
Dec 04, 2017
Gdetrailer wrote:
Sure, I have had to tryout a dozen or so places over the years before I found one that has consistently good mechanics.
So you say they are not all bad..... Yet you yourself state that you had to try a DOZEN shops before finding a good one.... That sir is NOT a very good ratio.

I am glad my state doesn't do this. I don't have that kind of time to waste.
PhoneDude_8289
Explorer
Dec 02, 2017
Bought a new RV 12/2013. Pulled it back to Texas from Florida, 1200 miles. First thing I did was to raise the RV and pull the hubs. 2 of the four grease seals had leaked all over the back plate, did not see any grease on the brakes or magnets. Cleaned everything up and cleaned all the oem grease from the hubs and bearings. After inspecting all I repacked the bearings and installed new grease seals. Greased the lips and surface of the seals and shaft and installed the hubs never adding another spurt of grease to the EZ lube axels. Fast forward to now 23,000 miles later. Opened up all four hubs, only brake dust present inside the hubs. Cleaned everything, installed all new bearings, races and seals. Hand packed bearings as before, assembled and adjusted brakes. Good for another 20K miles or so. I do ck hub temps often when traveling. As you may have guessed I am old school. Takes half a day and a beer or two to do it right.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Jul 16, 2017
Gdetrailer wrote:
Lynnmor wrote:
rjxj wrote:
Lynnmor

But but they did the safety inspection! Our tax dollars at work. State of Michigan requires a 65% score to pass mechanic certification tests.

I wrote about state inspections before and was chastised by the experts here that think they are great. I could write a book about the poor workmanship and downright dangerous things I've encountered.

No, you "WHINED" about PA inspection mechanics and when it was SUGGESTED to FIND OTHER Inspection Mechanics (THERE ARE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF INDEPENDENTLY OWNED PA INSPECTION STATIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRE PA STATE), you REFUSED to consider that.

I have NO PROBLEM finding SEVERAL HUNDRED Inspection stations within a 10 mile radius of my home that can and will inspect not only autos but trailers and motorcycles.

YES, there ARE SOME BAD Inspection mechanics and YES, HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE GOOD MECHANICS THAN BAD.. Sure, I have had to tryout a dozen or so places over the years before I found one that has consistently good mechanics.

Regardless of that I have ONE MAJOR RULE..

I NEVER, EVER LEAVE my trailers or autos.

I ALWAYS STAND NEARBY AND OBSERVE THE MECHANICS..

Yes, I have noticed a problem and I CORRECT the Mechanic to make sure it is right.

BUT, there have been times when my Inspection mechanic HAS found and pointed out a problem that I missed (I pre-inspect AND REPAIR BEFORE GOING TO A MECHANIC TO AVOID SUPRISES).

You blast PA mechanics as all bad, when in reality they are not ALL bad.

PA mechanics MUST also take AND PASS YEARLY TRAINING to keep up to date with the changing regulations and technology.. It is on the INDIVIDUAL MECHANICS DIME to do this.

You also need to realize, PA inspection stations ARE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED. The STATE (PA) DOES NOT OWN OR OPERATE ANY OF THE THE INSPECTION STATIONS. So making blanket statements about ALL PA Inspection Mechanics like you have is just plain wrong.

Put your money where your mouth is, If YOU think you are way better than all of the Inspection mechanics, perhaps instead of BASHING them you should START YOUR OWN PA INSPECTION STATION!

You sure like to write a whole lot into a simple few words that I wrote. I understand that you have a need to bash folks that do have a clue. All your words will not change the bad work that I received over the past 54 years, from dozens of inspection stations. Instead of bashing others, why not ask for some examples of problems so that you could learn? And yes, having owned and operated a tool & die shop for many years, I do better work than most.
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Jul 15, 2017
Lynnmor wrote:
rjxj wrote:
Lynnmor

But but they did the safety inspection! Our tax dollars at work. State of Michigan requires a 65% score to pass mechanic certification tests.

I wrote about state inspections before and was chastised by the experts here that think they are great. I could write a book about the poor workmanship and downright dangerous things I've encountered.

No, you "WHINED" about PA inspection mechanics and when it was SUGGESTED to FIND OTHER Inspection Mechanics (THERE ARE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF INDEPENDENTLY OWNED PA INSPECTION STATIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRE PA STATE), you REFUSED to consider that.

I have NO PROBLEM finding SEVERAL HUNDRED Inspection stations within a 10 mile radius of my home that can and will inspect not only autos but trailers and motorcycles.

YES, there ARE SOME BAD Inspection mechanics and YES, HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE GOOD MECHANICS THAN BAD.. Sure, I have had to tryout a dozen or so places over the years before I found one that has consistently good mechanics.

Regardless of that I have ONE MAJOR RULE..

I NEVER, EVER LEAVE my trailers or autos.

I ALWAYS STAND NEARBY AND OBSERVE THE MECHANICS..

Yes, I have noticed a problem and I CORRECT the Mechanic to make sure it is right.

BUT, there have been times when my Inspection mechanic HAS found and pointed out a problem that I missed (I pre-inspect AND REPAIR BEFORE GOING TO A MECHANIC TO AVOID SUPRISES).

You blast PA mechanics as all bad, when in reality they are not ALL bad.

PA mechanics MUST also take AND PASS YEARLY TRAINING to keep up to date with the changing regulations and technology.. It is on the INDIVIDUAL MECHANICS DIME to do this.

You also need to realize, PA inspection stations ARE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED. The STATE (PA) DOES NOT OWN OR OPERATE ANY OF THE THE INSPECTION STATIONS. So making blanket statements about ALL PA Inspection Mechanics like you have is just plain wrong.

Put your money where your mouth is, If YOU think you are way better than all of the Inspection mechanics, perhaps instead of BASHING them you should START YOUR OWN PA INSPECTION STATION!
Lynnmor
Explorer
Jul 15, 2017
rjxj wrote:
Lynnmor

But but they did the safety inspection! Our tax dollars at work. State of Michigan requires a 65% score to pass mechanic certification tests.

I wrote about state inspections before and was chastised by the experts here that think they are great. I could write a book about the poor workmanship and downright dangerous things I've encountered.
Huntindog
Explorer
Jul 15, 2017
RinconVTR wrote:
Did you know you can add permanently sealed bearings to most large trailer axles?

I owned a set of those. MY TT came with them new. A bearing seized and I lost the wheel. Lippert had discontinued the axle, and did not stock any parts for it. They did make me a very fair settlement on an axle upgrade from 5200 to 7000 axles.
I wrote about that here when it happened.

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