2019 Imagine 2400bh Grease Seals

[StephenO]

Hello Everyone. I was just curious if anybody happened to know off-hand, which specific axles are installed on the 2019 Imagine 2400bh, or which seals I would be wanting to order. I know they are from Dexter and that the axles are rated to 3500lbs, but does anyone know if they are the EZ-Lube series or not? I only ask because I am planning on re-packing our bearings once the weather warms up here, and wanted to order new seals, but our trailer is out in storage and I won't be able to make it out there for a bit to check. It looks like the seal part number changes depending on if the axles are the EZ-lube series or not.

Assuming they are the Ez-Lube it looks like they are Dexter Part Number 010-019-000, which is a double lipped seal with inner diameter of 1.719" and outer diameter of 2.565". Otherwise it looks like Dexter part number 010-001-00. Unless I am completely crazy and missing something.

Thanks in advance!

[Cate&Rob]

StephenO
Hi Stephen,

You should have received a copy of the attached Dexter information with your Imagine. The seal specs are on page 78 and appear to be PN K71-303-00 for 10" brakes and PN K71-305-00 for 12" brakes. By all reports, all current Dexter axles have Zerk fittings for "EZ-lube" although this is NOT the recommended way of greasing the bearings.

Perhaps someone on this forum with an Imagine 2400BH can advise whether this TT has 10" or 12" brakes.

Rob

[StephenO]

StephenO
Hi Stephen,

You should have received a copy of the attached Dexter information with your Imagine. The seal specs are on page 78 and appear to be PN K71-303-00 for 10" brakes and PN K71-305-00 for 12" brakes. By all reports, all current Dexter axles have Zerk fittings for "EZ-lube" although this is NOT the recommended way of greasing the bearings.

Perhaps someone on this forum with an Imagine 2400BH can advise whether this TT has 10" or 12" brakes.

Rob

Thanks for the information Rob, always super helpful. Just curious, do you have a preferred company in Canada that you use to order your seals from?

[Cate&Rob]

StephenO
Hi Stephen,

I usually buy axle grease seals from Princess Auto. I know that the ones that I buy for my 5200 lb LCI axles are identical to the OE seals, although these are sold under the Rockwell American brand name. (Not made in North America). Cross check the application to make sure that these fit your Dexter axles. https://www.princessauto.com/en/deta...ls/A-p8212185e. Some insist on buying seals made in the USA . . . although, this is very diffficult to verify. The important thing with any of these seals is to make sure the interface between the spindle and the lips of the seal is well greased at installation.

Rob

[StephenO]

Cate&Rob
Thanks for the tip Rob with greasing the interface between the seal and the spindle. On that note, I've seen in some reference videos where they grease the spindle before putting the hub back on, but couldn't that potentially end up pushing grease behind the hub and seal into the brake area? Is it more advisable to grease inside the hub, and in that case how much grease should be in there? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to learn as much as I can before doing this! Thanks again! Steve

[Cate&Rob]

StephenO
Hi Steve,

The interface between the grease seal and the spindle is often misunderstood. Any contact between a spinning rubber seal and a stationary metal shaft must have lubrication. Dry contact will increase friction, generating heat which will quickly burn away the lips of the rubber seal. This is when the sealing is lost and grease can migrate past this interface. Greasing both the spindle and the seal lips at assembly will ensure that theses mating surfaces get off to a good start. Greasing this initial proper fit between seal and spindle will NOT encourage future grease migration, it will in fact work to prevent this.

Several years ago, when we got into the wide spread "greased brakes" fiasco, it was observed that the brakes with the worst grease migration had very distinct trace lines of rubber on the spindle where the heat of running dry had burned the lips off the seal and deposited this material on the spindle. Where the seal had received grease, there were no trace lines on the spindle and grease had not migrated past the seal to the brakes.

In the attached picture, you can see the two clearly visible rubber ridges adhered to the spindle in line with the the two lips of the seal. This hub had brakes completely covered in bearing grease. I polished all evidence of this from the spindle, applied a (thin) layer of grease to the spindle, filled the space between the new seal lips with grease and reassembled things. I had no further grease migration past these seals.

Rob

[Country Campers]

StephenO

The small amount of grease that you will put on the spindle, only on the surface that the seal contacts, will not be enough to cause any damage to the brake lining. As Rob has said above all you need to do is put a small amount between the 2 lips on the seal and a light smear or thin layer on the spindle and then install the hub. The little bit that gets pushed back when installing the seal will be negligible.

Brian

[StephenO]

Country Campers Cate&Rob
A huge thanks to both of you for all of the advice and tips, I feel way more confident going into this task now. Just want to triple check, and I feel almost stupid asking, but by saying between the two lips you are referring to the 2 lips on the seal that contact the spindle correct? Hence the name 'Double Lip Seal' I assume....I also saw someone placing grease inside the seal where the spring is located, do either of you do that by chance?

[Cate&Rob]

Country Campers Cate&Rob
A huge thanks to both of you for all of the advice and tips, I feel way more confident going into this task now. Just want to triple check, and I feel almost stupid asking, but by saying between the two lips you are referring to the 2 lips on the seal that contact the spindle correct? Hence the name 'Double Lip Seal' I assume....I also saw someone placing grease inside the seal where the spring is located, do either of you do that by chance?

Hi Steve,

Our advice to grease the seal between the lips is indeed between the seal lips that contact the spindle. See the red arrows in the attached picture. To place grease on the "back side" of the seal (where the spring is) would not accomplish anything useful.

Rob

[Country Campers]

Country Campers Cate&Rob
A huge thanks to both of you for all of the advice and tips, I feel way more confident going into this task now. Just want to triple check, and I feel almost stupid asking, but by saying between the two lips you are referring to the 2 lips on the seal that contact the spindle correct? Hence the name 'Double Lip Seal' I assume....I also saw someone placing grease inside the seal where the spring is located, do either of you do that by chance?

Yes to the grease between the 2 lips of the seal. You can put a little on the spring but really not needed. One other thing to check is the seal placement in the hub when you remove it and also the thickness of the steel case that the seal is in. The placement of the seal in the hub is important , if too deep it may not contact the spindle in the proper manner. On mine that I had just done a few weeks ago the seal was just pressed into the hub until the seal was flush , not pressed in until it contacted the bearing. Yours may be different but I think it should be similar.
Take some pictures and keep some notes and this will go smooth.

Brian

[StephenO]

Yes to the grease between the 2 lips of the seal. You can put a little on the spring but really not needed. One other thing to check is the seal placement in the hub when you remove it and also the thickness of the steel case that the seal is in. The placement of the seal in the hub is important , if too deep it may not contact the spindle in the proper manner. On mine that I had just done a few weeks ago the seal was just pressed into the hub until the seal was flush , not pressed in until it contacted the bearing. Yours may be different but I think it should be similar.
Take some pictures and keep some notes and this will go smooth.

Brian

Awesome, thanks again both of you. I will be reaching out to Dexter next week to confirm which seals I require, get everything ordered and then the fun begins. Thanks again and I will let you know how it goes!

Stephen

[Cate&Rob]

The standard “instructions” for installing a new seal are to use a block of wood and install the seal until it is flush with the hub. If the spindle polishes up nicely, this is a good plan. If there are grooves in the spindle from the old seal (not very likely) there is room to seat the new seal a little deeper in the hub so that the seal lips run on a fresh part of the spindle surface.

Rob

[mbopp]

I heard the 3500# and 4400# axles use the same inner bearing and seals (10-19 seals). And here's a hint - with the wheel off the ground, pull the break-away pin for the emergency brake. Now try to turn the wheel to see if the brakes are working. I just repacked my bearings and found one axle had no brakes (bad crimp splice.)

[StephenO]

I heard the 3500# and 4400# axles use the same inner bearing and seals (10-19 seals). And here's a hint - with the wheel off the ground, pull the break-away pin for the emergency brake. Now try to turn the wheel to see if the brakes are working. I just repacked my bearings and found one axle had no brakes (bad crimp splice.)

Just wanted to let you know that I heard back from Dexter today and they confirmed that the required seals is indeed the 10-19 (010-019-00) version, which is part of kit number K71-303-00