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1st wheel bearing maintenance experience (Imagine) - normal?

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  • 1st wheel bearing maintenance experience (Imagine) - normal?

    I serviced the wheel bearing with the ez lube axles on our '21 2800bh yesterday. I could see a bit of bright red grease around the zerk. As I turned the hub and pumped grease, I expected old grease with some red'ish color to flow out. None did. Not until the new grease (grey) started to flow out of the outer bearing race surface. Each of the 4 hubs was identical. I used approximately 14oz of grease for all 4 hubs. That volume of grease sound right? Any idea why no old/discolored grease appears to have come out?

  • #2
    Originally posted by tmisiak View Post
    I serviced the wheel bearing with the ez lube axles on our '21 2800bh yesterday. I could see a bit of bright red grease around the zerk. As I turned the hub and pumped grease, I expected old grease with some red'ish color to flow out. None did. Not until the new grease (grey) started to flow out of the outer bearing race surface. Each of the 4 hubs was identical. I used approximately 14oz of grease for all 4 hubs. That volume of grease sound right? Any idea why no old/discolored grease appears to have come out?
    Its generally not recommended to use the zerk to service the bearings. The entire cavity needs to be filled with grease, which is why it took so much. The maintenance should include a visual inspection of the bearings and brakes, so a hand repack is best since you have it all apart anyway. We have asked the axle manufacturers why they use the ez-lube axles on RVs if this is the case (they are mostly used for boats when warm axles are put into cold water), but we have never really gotten a good answer.
    Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

    Neil Citro
    2018 Reflection 28BH Pepwave
    2019 F350 6.7L Long Bed Crew Cab

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    • #3
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnH-h3W9XvI

      This video shows what an actual wheel bearing service entails. The EZ lube system is not a substitute for the service in the video.
      I agree with Neil on all points.
      Keep in mind that whats in the video is what Dexter recommends every 12 months. Simply adding grease via the EZ lube is not a substitute. There are many dealers that incorrectly tout the system as a substitute for yearly inspection and maintenance. A correctly serviced axle should not require adding grease between services unless it has been submerged in water.
      2021 Reflection 337RLS, 2021 Silverado 3500HD 6.6 gas. Nellie the wonder boxer

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      • #4
        Originally posted by familytruckster4 View Post
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnH-h3W9XvI

        This video shows what an actual wheel bearing service entails. The EZ lube system is not a substitute for the service in the video.
        I agree with Neil on all points.
        Keep in mind that whats in the video is what Dexter recommends every 12 months. Simply adding grease via the EZ lube is not a substitute. There are many dealers that incorrectly tout the system as a substitute for yearly inspection and maintenance. A correctly serviced axle should not require adding grease between services unless it has been submerged in water.
        Exacly. Both Dexter and Lippert manufacure axles that can be interchanged between boats and towable units. So the zerk fittings are on all models, even if they don't serve a useful purpose on RVs.

        Jim
        Jim and Ginnie
        2024 Solitude 310GK
        GDRV Technical Forum Moderator
        GDRV Rally Support Coordinator

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        • #5
          At last years GD national rally the Dexter national training person (Bill) stated that he wished the RV industry would stop putting the EZ lube in their axle specs. He specifically stated that it was designed for marine trailer axles
          2021 Reflection 337RLS, 2021 Silverado 3500HD 6.6 gas. Nellie the wonder boxer

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          • #6
            Thanks everyone. I have high quality fresh grease in all of the hubs now, but will take everything apart, inspect, and regrease in a few months, when it is not consistently near 100F out.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by tmisiak View Post
              Thanks everyone. I have high quality fresh grease in all of the hubs now, but will take everything apart, inspect, and regrease in a few months, when it is not consistently near 100F out.
              I hear ya. I have so much maintenance to do, but it's running 110°F here in Tucson right now. So I keep putting it off.

              Jim
              Jim and Ginnie
              2024 Solitude 310GK
              GDRV Technical Forum Moderator
              GDRV Rally Support Coordinator

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              • #8
                Yikes, it got up to 83 here today and I was sweating like a hog. I am too old and doughy for that 100 degree nonsense
                2021 Reflection 337RLS, 2021 Silverado 3500HD 6.6 gas. Nellie the wonder boxer

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                • #9
                  Bearing grease does no deteriorate . . . unless a bearing is failing. Pumping in new grease will only mask a potential problem. Best to follow both axle manufacturer’s service requirements and pull the hub to clean and inspect the bearings. This also provides the opportunity to inspect the brakes . . . which is always a good idea.

                  Rob
                  Cate & Rob
                  (with Border Collies Molly & Angel + Kitties Hazel & Elsie)
                  2015 Reflection 303RLS
                  2022 F350 Diesel CC SB SRW Lariat
                  Bayham, Ontario, Canada

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by TucsonJim View Post

                    I hear ya. I have so much maintenance to do, but it's running 110°F here in Tucson right now. So I keep putting it off.

                    Jim
                    I have to chuckle, Jim. We're in Jackson Jake, CO camp hosting for the summer to get away from the Tucson heat. So far, we have not been successful. It hit 100 up hear today!
                    Mike and (RIP Karen)
                    2021 2600RB
                    2011 Tundra 5.7 DC

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by TucsonJim View Post

                      I hear ya. I have so much maintenance to do, but it's running 110°F here in Tucson right now. So I keep putting it off.

                      Jim
                      Geee...sounds rough. Here in Ontario in winter months I put off the maintenance because it's -30*......If it was 110*, I'd just do the maintenance in shorts....all the while being thankful I'm not getting frostbite....lol
                      2018 Dodge 3500 6.7 Cummins w Aisin and 9 cup holders
                      Not to brag or anything about my finances, but my bank calls me about every day to tell me my balance is OUTSTANDING!

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                      • #12
                        I cleaned the roof of the camper this weekend and was glad to be off of there by 11:30AM before I was completely cooked. 98F+ and humidity in the 80% or more.

                        Dreading doing the bearings b/c of the heat. I think the grease will be almost like oil due to the heat.

                        Grease can separate out if not agitated. I use a high quality full synthetic grease and have seen separation if the tube is not used up in 1-2 years due to the heat cycles outside where the gun is stored. Grease stored in the house in a constant temperature seems to not separate out in to base oil and viscosity modifiers.

                        And Scott, you would melt. Brother was stationed in AK for 8 years. Any time he visited the gulf coast, he preferred winter as it was close to summer. When he was on the gulf coast in the summer, he could not function very well due to the heat.
                        Joseph
                        Tow
                        Vehicle: 2024 GMC K3500 Denali Ultimate Diesel
                        Coach: 303RLS Delivered March 5, 2021
                        South of Houston Texas

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by tmisiak View Post
                          Any idea why no old/discolored grease appears to have come out?
                          I don't know. I don't use the EZ lube feature but according to this dexter video you would think the old grease would be displaced before you saw the new stuff.
                          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT0RKDGgDm8
                          2018 Dodge 3500 6.7 Cummins w Aisin and 9 cup holders
                          Not to brag or anything about my finances, but my bank calls me about every day to tell me my balance is OUTSTANDING!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Until the hub space between the bearings is completely full it will not expel the old grease..... or the rear seal is compromised and the old grease is now lubricating the friction material on the brake shoes.
                            I really wish the RV builders would stop specing the EZ lube on travel trailers. Youtube is full of videos with people claiming they did a "bearing repack" by simply pumping some unnecessary grease into a hub. The person that did our walkthrough on our trailer had it all wrong and claimed just adding grease was as good as a repack. This was on a trailer that already had all 4 inner seals blown out and the shoes covered in grease on all 4 wheels
                            Last edited by familytruckster4; 06-14-2022, 07:50 AM.
                            2021 Reflection 337RLS, 2021 Silverado 3500HD 6.6 gas. Nellie the wonder boxer

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