Tab 400 wheel bearing inspection

mccar1748

On a Tab 400 '21 the manual has an annual inspection of wheel bearing is there also a milege check?

Sharon_is_SAM

It is recommended to repack the wheel bearings at 12,000 miles or annually if less miles are accumulated.

mccar1748

thanks great info

manyman297

Maybe not the best advice but I’m on a 2-year repack schedule. We put maybe 3k max per year (this year was only 900). The grease usually looks fine after two years. We live in a desert climate too so not worried too much about moisture. Definitely don’t want to go more than two years without inspection though. It’s good to grease the drum components as well. 

Cracker

If you have the Buddy Bearings - as on my 2021 T@B 400 Boondock - you should never have to repack the bearings - but simply add grease as needed. Were the Buddy Bearings an option?

Sharon_is_SAM

The EZ-lube comes with the Dexter axle.  Not an option.  

Bill&Suze

Cracker said:

If you have the Buddy Bearings - as on my 2021 T@B 400 Boondock - you should never have to repack the bearings - but simply add grease as needed. Were the Buddy Bearings an option?

@Cracker, How would I recognize Buddy Bearings if they are installed on our '24 400? Is there a standard grease nipple behind the hub cover?

tabiphile

At the risk of offending anyone but in the interests of accuracy and correctness, bearing buddies are not installed on any of the T@B trailers. Find your bearing buddies on your Master or Smokercraft or Seadoo trailer.
Further, the suggestion that these obviate required maintenance is wrong. Simply pumping grease into a bearing without ever pulling the hub, cleaning and properly lubing the races, cleaning and checking the hubs, brakes, shafts, is bad advice. As was previously noted by @Sharon_is_SAM, wheel/bearing maintenance must be done annually or at a minimum, ever 12,000 miles. 
You might opt to do this on another schedule, based upon your own risk comfort, but you cannot simply ignore it. Do not assume that there are "bearing buddies" present that that these eliminate this basic PM requirement, unless you enjoy the prospect of a wheel bearing failure somewhere down the road. If you have ever experienced having one of your wheels whiz off, you should have a visual image of this right now.
Pull the wheels, pack the bearings, checks the hubs, shafts and brakes and adjust all of these for peace of mind and extended failure free travel. 

mccar1748

thanks for all the info

Cracker

With due respect to the preceding comments, what is the purpose of the grease zerks on our hubs if not to extend the time between re-packing the bearings?  At 85, I've certainly repacked my share of brakes over the years,  on multiple boat and camper trailers.  I no longer do my mechanical work so I was pleased to note the grease zerks. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Good question.  I have been told by a trusted trailer service tech that it is not unheard of to find metal shaving debris on an axle that owners used the E-Z lube system.  That told me to keep up the traditional wheel bearing lube/inspection.  We have been known to use the E-Z lube before a major trip or after sitting all winter.  

This is taken directly from Dexter:

“Note: The convenient lubrication provisions of the E‑Z Lube® and the oil lubrication must not replace periodic inspection of the bearings.”

manyman297

I feel like EZ lube is more marketing than anything. It’s like how car makers tout “lifetime fluids” for your transmission. Just a way to entice consumers thinking about less maintenance.

CatDaddy

I just purchased a 2022 320S Boondock. It has never had the bearings serviced. I don't really have a great place to work on the trailer and the rainy season is upon us here in the Pacific NW USA. For those reasons, I'm going to have somebody else do the work. I've had two quotes. The NuCamp dealer quoted $250. An independent shop quoted $200. Is that the going rate?

tabiphile

Any trailer shop can do the work and will probably do it for less than a dealer might. Either way, it seems like a fairly reasonable price.
If you are not certain, consider that this is about an hour of work. Ask them what their shop rate is. There are a few parts involved, the seals....are about 3 or $4.00 each. A tube of good grease is under $10.00. A can of Brake Clean and some shop towels might cost another $5.00. Specialty shops try to take in 2x on jobs so the $200 quote seems more reasonable. Whatever you decide, if you took into consideration any tools you might need to buy (torque wrench, brake tool, jack, jack stands etc.) it's probably a bargain at either price.
I have the tools and like to make sure that the work is done to my satisfaction so I tend to do these things myself.... But, I always ask myself, is it in my wheelhouse, do I have the tools and skills, is it safe, is it better to have someone who does this for a living do the job for me, do I have time? Will the pro be as critical as I am? 
The important thing is to get it done. In your case, its overdue as is checking and adjusting the brakes. 

CatDaddy

tabiphile said:

I have the tools and like to make sure that the work is done to my satisfaction so I tend to do these things myself.... But, I always ask myself, is it in my wheelhouse, do I have the tools and skills, is it safe, is it better to have someone who does this for a living do the job for me, do I have time? Will the pro be as critical as I am? 
The important thing is to get it done. In your case, its overdue as is checking and adjusting the brakes. 

Thanks for the information. I have the tools, the time and the inclination to do this myself, but I don't have a place to work on a trailer, other than at the curb and I don't relish that. I will pay to have it done this time and figure something better out for the next time.

Cracker

Sharon_is_SAM said:

Good question.  I have been told by a trusted trailer service tech that it is not unheard of to find metal shaving debris on an axle that owners used the E-Z lube system.  That told me to keep up the traditional wheel bearing lube/inspection.  We have been known to use the E-Z lube before a major trip or after sitting all winter.  

This is taken directly from Dexter:

“Note: The convenient lubrication provisions of the E‑Z Lube® and the oil lubrication must not replace periodic inspection of the bearings.”

Cracker

Which inspires another comment.  I've never been a full-timer, however, I've none numerous long trips with my 30' Airstream, as well as a three-month tour of the U.S. with a Starmaster pop-up.  I religiously repacked the bearings on both of these trailers annually, as well as on others - including several boat trailers.  I've never discovered a "dry" or damaged bearing.  So, with the addition of the  "buddy-bearing" hardware, what does "periodic inspection" really mean, aside from constituting a CYA for the trailer manufacturer???

Mickerly

Dust will build up in the brake and cause the brakes to stick and/or partially engage. Periodic cleaning and adjustment is prudent. Based on the Dexter brake drum design, you have to disassemble the hub to inspect the brake. You may as well clean, inspect, and pack the bearings while disassembled. Other than being maintenance required by the manufacturer, it is for your benefit.

By the way, "Bearing-buddies" are for boat trailer bearings. They keep slight pressure on the grease to help prevent water getting in the hub. The Dexter "EZ-Lub" system allows greasing while the bearing is assembled. The two systems are very different.

For the record, I don't use either one. I hand pack the bearings with old fashioned wheel bearing grease.

qhumberd

As another view of this, I noted the RV Travel newslettter today highlighted this video on the whole wheel bearing and EZ lube and inspection process.

I found it very informative.

https://www.rvtravel.com/video-rv-wheel-bearings-2506/

tabiphile

That video should be viewed by anyone who drank the dexter lube Kool-Aid. He lays it right out. 

Gomers2

Yep, excellent info. Lube does not replace inspection. That said I like the easy lube system for occasional top off and flush, so long as you know it's limitations.

Jake_Elwood_and_us

Gomers2 said:

Yep, excellent info. Lube does not replace inspection. That said I like the easy lube system for occasional top off and flush, so long as you know it's limitations.

Gomers2, How many pumps of a grease gun do you do to do the occasional top off and flush?

Gomers2

I'm no expert on these but I did watch the manufacturer video fwiw. Others can chime in please. Remove the rubber cap. Pump away until the old grease comes out the front toward you. Wipe it away and replace the cover. You can look at that old grease for signs of moisture, metal, discoloration etc, but that's not the same as removing the bearing obviously. While it's off the ground wiggle the wheel to check excessive play, pull the bearing if found.

pthomas745

There is a ton of discussion about the proper way to use the EZ-Lube setups, what to look for, what the pitfalls are, etc. This thread has a discussion, with plenty of other links that have much more.  There is a "right way" to use the Ez-Lube setups.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/16370/wheel-bearing-maintenance

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/6984/axle-maintenance-greasing-or-repacking/p1

Tabiphile appears in many of these threads with good advice.  There was a thread about a year ago about an owner who had issues with the re-install of the bearing and hub and the proper "torque" setting (I think) for the re assembly and saved one owner some problems.  I admit my skill level is still at the EZ-Lube method, and I do expect to replace the bearings next spring.

Here is a very involved thread about bearing maintenance, parts, lubes, etc.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/4923/bearing-maintenance/p1

qhumberd

Just an update on bearing inspection. Our 2019 400 has low annual mileage so we did an initial inspection and repack in the fall of 2021, with no issues. Then in 2022 we did an EZ Lube greasing and readjusted the brakes. I was worried due to the rear seal problems I had read about but I had used the Dexter reccgasket sealant on the rear seal.

Now this year I did a complete inspection and repack and brake adjustment. Probably only about 1,500 miles of travel and stored about a year indoors. Found new looking grease and an intact rear seal on both hubs. Bearings and cups still look brand new so repacked and re assembled. Sanded and little rust in the drums and readjusted the brakes and good to go.

NOTE: The rear seal is NOT easy to get out as the videos show. I presume this is the gasket sealant causing this but I toiled about 20 minutes and used several tools to get it loose. In the end it was trashed so I used a new rear seal.

So I think for a low mileage situation a yearly EZ lube seems OK with a bi yearly tear down/ inspection.

tabiphile

qhumberd said:

I was worried due to the rear seal problems I had read about but I had used the Dexter reccgasket sealant on the rear seal.
NOTE: The rear seal is NOT easy to get out as the videos show. I presume this is the gasket sealant causing this but I toiled about 20 minutes and used several tools to get it loose. In the end it was trashed so I used a new rear seal.

Generally, there is no need for sealant when the seals are installed. I clean the surfaces and install them. Your choice obviously, but as a press fit, they should be fine without. If you did use a sealant, be sure that you thoroughly clean the seats when you replace the seals. 

WRT attempting to reuse the seals, no. Do not do that. Simply yank the old ones out and toss them. New ones are very cheap. I would not want to chance putting a slightly dinged up used seal in.... 

Cherokee

To EZ lube correctly, one needs to pump grease till one can only see clean grease - this is very messy and will take tubes of lube. Hand packing the bearings will take lass grease and one can inspect the brakes and beating races for ware.

Mickerly

I agree with Cherokee completely.

manyman297

Just watched this video yesterday and he lays out some pretty compelling evidence against using the EZ Lube system. He’s not entirely against it but said the rear seal issue is very real and that you never truly rid the hub and bearings of old grease. In fact I may start completely soaking my bearings in brake cleaner and repack vs. just trying to push out the old grease:

https://youtu.be/OyZvNJJNyXE?si=VfrC7mkxNiwtHW8O