Help with my wheel hub please

fairfaxjim wrote:
It looks like the angle of the picture is fooling some people.
That is an EZ-Lube cap with the rubber end plug missing. It sort of does look like a bearing race but is simply the rim that holds the rubber plug. The cotter pin is there too, nothing else is missing. The grease does look like a bit of moisture has gotten in there, possibly simply because the plug is missing. If the hub is loose, the bearings need to be looked at, meaning tear it all the way down.

As for the EZ-Lube feature, and all of it's copies out there, it is not and was not intended to be a replacement for annual serving and re-packing of wheel bearings.

I think people give the "EZ Lube" axles more credit than they deserve. You can't just grab a grease gun and run around your trailer pumping grease into the bearings. There is a specific procedure and it requires jacking the trailer wheel off of the ground and rotating it while greasing. This allows the grease to distribute evenly and also helps to prevent overpressurizing the inner grease seal and getting grease into the brakes. It takes a LOT of pressure to push grease from the zerk fitting through the axle, rear bearing, void between bearings and out through the front bearing. Rotating the wheel while you grease helps keep the grease in motion with a lot less pressure. You will find posts on here where people have pulled the hub/drum only to find grease has pushed through the lip seal between the hub and brakes, resulting in well lubed brake shoes.

Also, The EZ Lube feature is not intended to replace regular bearing maintenance. From the Dexter FAQ section of their website:
"E-Z LUBE - What is the E-Z Lube option?"
"The E-Z Lube option was designed specifically for the marine application where the axles are constantly being immersed in water. This feature provides a convenient method for purging the water from the hub cavity without having to pull the hub every time. The hubs should be removed every 12 months or 12,000 miles to inspect the bearings and it is imperative to replace the seal at this time to assure that the grease does not leak out the back onto the brake linings rendering the brakes non-functional."

I no longer use the EZ-Lube. I'm on my second trailer and in my 14th year of simply servicing the wheel bearings annually with no problems. I did use the EZ-Lube feature the first two years but now see no advantage to if for non-boat trailers. I do jack the wheels up and check them for looseness about half way through the season to make sure no problems are starting.

You can do what makes you comfortable. IMHO servicing the bearings annually is not needed, and for those who can't DIY it would be expensive-and again unneeded. The annual inspection and replacement of seals at 12,000 miles is a CYA that is published by the manufacturers. BTW-these very points I have made and you have mentioned as well have been beat to death on this board. One easy way to see if you have "functional brakes" is to pull the lever on your brake controller before one takes to the road. Something that should be done anyway to make sure you brakes are operating properly anyway each and every time.