EZ Lube / bearing repack corundum

[familytruckster4]

The purpose of drying the bearings out after cleaning them is to remove as much of the solvent as possible so the leftover solvent doesnt break down the new grease.

[Yoda]

I cant believe this has gone to 4 pages of good information. I thought I would take a moment and recap.

I fell pretty good about the repack. Was it perfect - mmmm Could I have done better - probably not on the first try.

I believed I have mentioned I have 4- full bearing and seal sets (seal, inner and outer including cups/races) on hand and 2 extra seals.

Today I noticed a new O'Reilly's opened up. So I had to stop.........

I picked up a bearing packer https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...g+packer&pos=0 They had the other cheaper double cone one, but thought this would be cleaner and not make as big of mess.

A hard to find here brass punch set https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...ss+punch&pos=1

And some more grease https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...y+grease&pos=0

So now I have the packing tool and the punches to remove the cups/races if needed.
"
I also found two 1/2" drive deep 6 point sockets 1 1/2" and 1 7/16". Second Chance mentioned he found both were needed to fit his unit in another thread If I remember correctly. Better safe than needing.

I am putting everything together in a kit in one of my totes and will also take my torque wrench for the wheel lug nuts. I also remembered to add a small wood block.

Last I picked up a can of CRC brake cleaner (non chloride). As I carry spare diesel and always have several small paint buckets with me and paper towels I think I am set.

Primarily this is for my Alaska trip next year, but it is not much weight nor does it take up a lot of space as it all fit in one of my existing tote boxes.
So I am set for anything that might - hopefully never occur on the road.

Thanks everyone for the thought and advice I learned a lot and now know this is in my wheel house.

Keith


BTW - a plug for O'Reillys
They had a display of BG products that they had just put out. 244K fuel system cleaner for gas, MOA oil additive and a surprise the quart size BG 245 diesel fuel system cleaner. I have used this before and it works. The counter man could not get it to ring up, so manager had to fiddle with it while waiting on other customers. He was also trying to give me a good discount too. It was going to take a minute so I went and looked around a bit more. When I came back I asked if he had gotten straightened out he said no it was not in the system correctly, but there would be no charge for it.
I was dumbfounded, asked if he was sure, but accepted the offer - that a $50 product. I now have a new and closer go to auto parts store and thier prices beat TS too where I had been going for grease.

Was a good day today.

[Jlawles2]

Yoda Until you have hand packed bearings, you will never understand the hydration that your hands experience from it. For many years I can attest to having more grease in the grooves of my fingers than dirt all from brakes and bearings.

It may be me and the fact that I don't do it for a living, but I still prefer to pack bearings by hand for some reason. I find it almost like therapy, just paying attention to the grease and the bearing. Satisfying to see that clean grease pushing up through the ends of the rollers (especially if there is none of the old grease hiding in there).

[Yoda]

Yoda Until you have hand packed bearings, you will never understand the hydration that your hands experience from it. For many years I can attest to having more grease in the grooves of my fingers than dirt all from brakes and bearings.

It may be me and the fact that I don't do it for a living, but I still prefer to pack bearings by hand for some reason. I find it almost like therapy, just paying attention to the grease and the bearing. Satisfying to see that clean grease pushing up through the ends of the rollers (especially if there is none of the old grease hiding in there).

Joseph
I am laughing so hard here I cant type. You need to understand (well visualize and laugh) . Even with this packer I will get grease everywhere, Without it doing the hand packing - which I will probably do anyway a little to verify the bearing is full, can see break drums, hair, glasses, cloths, trailer, shoes.......well lets just say everywhere - and that's me being careful. Besides I am sure SWMBO would have something to say - unless I can get her to help . Even today while replacing the rubber plugs on the bearing caps (3 of the 4 had holes in them) I got grease on me and I know the technician was very careful cleaning up.

I was the kid that jumped in every mud puddle I could find.

Thanks
Keith

[Country Campers]

Keith

Something else you could do right before you go on the Alaska trip , pack 1 set of bearings with grease. This will save you from doing it along the road , in the dirt , raining , muddy , wind blowing, well you get the idea. If you experience a failure on your trip you will have this part done. When I replaced the bearings in our RV I save one set and the seal that I removed and carry all those parts while traveling. It may be just enough to get me to my destination or even home. Just an extra thought as a trip to Alaska does not need any unexpected excitement.

Brian

[Jlawles2]

Yoda Keith, I could walk 10' from the same mud puddle you were jumping in and be covered in mud. If I get within 20' of grease it finds it's way onto me. I've had some much grease and grime on me that i had to take a bath, then clean the tub, then take a shower to get close to clean. Bad thing is I was back in the same hole a week later putting it all back to together.

[MK397THR]

Jlawles2 I would have to say that I disagree on hand packing bearings. I was a happy camper when slip off rotors came out.

[MK397THR]

Yoda I have one of those bearing packers somewhere. For me when I used it frequently I got tired of filling it and cleaning it. I went back to hand packing.
For light use it will be handy.

[Guest]

Whether hand packing or using a bearing packer, both are acceptable. Follow the manual and use a torque wrench and you can't go wrong. Bearing maintenance should be performed with the utmost cleanliness. The humor has been great.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

Yoda Until you have hand packed bearings, you will never understand the hydration that your hands experience from it. For many years I can attest to having more grease in the grooves of my fingers than dirt all from brakes and bearings.

It may be me and the fact that I don't do it for a living, but I still prefer to pack bearings by hand for some reason. I find it almost like therapy, just paying attention to the grease and the bearing. Satisfying to see that clean grease pushing up through the ends of the rollers (especially if there is none of the old grease hiding in there).

Nitrile gloves have made clean-up after hand packing bearing a lot easier . . .

Rob

[ThePowells]

I'm with Brian, Country Campers about having spare parts, but realizing that many bearing failures have the ability to take out the hub also. I would if at all possible to carry a loaded hub also. Even if the hub remains okay, I vote for changing the entire hub on the side of the highway rather than spending the time driving races in and out. Also another trick is to put the new race in the freezer, then warm the hub before driving the race in. The contraction of the race combined with the expansion of the race seat can often make it possible to drive it in with very minimal force. And, one can of brakleen ain't gonna do it. Working with what you know to be clean Red 'n Tacky will make it not as critical to absolutely get every bit out, but if your seal gets compromised that Red 'n Tacky is going to be harder to get off of the brake parts than the crappy goop sent to you by Dexter or LCI. I vote for a case, or what space will allow. Remember, that will have to be done where the trailer stops and there are no shortcuts for that one.

[Lonestar]

Keith,

You have got some great advice, and bought the right tools. And it's always fun to read of the different ways folks accomplish different tasks. If at all convenient, it might be good to try a bearing overhaul on just one wheel. After that you will be an expert on installing the races and seating the seal. I just think learning and trying something for the first time on the side of the road is a bummer.

I have always use gasoline for cleaning bearings, then hitting them with brake cleaner. I let them dry real good before hand packing and have never late found the bearings to be an issue. I may well try a different solvent next time.

[Cate&Rob]

Yoda
Hi Keith,

I am just reading back through this thread . . . it is amazing how some of these discussions can grow past 4 pages .

One thing caught my eye . . . the brass punches. I doubt that you will get a stubborn race out of a hub with a brass tool. The race often has a very thin edge accessible where it is seated in the hub. This will just break the corner off the brass tool. Without heating the hub or cooling the race, it may take a hardened steel drift to drive out the race.

As for spare parts . . . the suggestion to carry a complete drum/hub with new races installed makes a lot of sense.

Perhaps your local trailer repair facility would have scrap hubs/drums where you could practice driving out a bearing race?

Rob

[Jlawles2]

Some really ingenious person could take a coupe of washers, piece of all thread, and some wing nuts and build a hub with everything already installed and ready to stab onto the shaft. If ver needed it's already setup with the bearings and seals ready to go.

[familytruckster4]

I find that I like the tactile feel of packing bearings by hand and the bonus of the grease moisturizing my hands relieving the dryness from cleaning them with Brakleen.