wheel bearings

clkeller

I own a 2010 Dutchman t@b and when I took it in for service they told me the wheel bearings are sealed and don't need any maintenance has any one heard of this?

Cyclonic

Yes, the Dutchman T@B's have sealed, "maintenance free" bearings.  They may still go bad and need to be replaced on occasion.  I don't know what the timetable on switching them out is.  Little Guy carries replacements, and any mechanic should be able to do the job.

SunnyTAB

We got the same news on our 2008 T@B. Now wondering how we'll know when they go bad. I have a feeling we'll KNOW.

geromo

our 2011 t@b has grease fittings on the wheel hub (outside) and we were told grease them every 5-6000 miles. I was told that when Dutchman made them they used "maintenance free" bearings but it appears that LG has changed them back to grease type but do not know if this is true or not.

Michigan_Mike

Check your axle on your trailer as you probably have an AL-KO axle installed on your 2008 T@B.  Little Guy did switch axle manufacturers a little over a year ago and their axle supplier is Dexter.  

For anyone with the Dexter axles there is some good information here (on the Little Guy forum area) and links to Dexter's site, including maintenance information, bearing info, etc.  -  Dexter Axle Information

Additional resources for Dexter Axles (including videos)  -  Dexter Axle Video & Resource Information

Here is information regarding the AL-KO axles, including maintenance and bearing info, etc.  - AL-KO Axle Information

It would behoove you to read through your maintenance manual (received at purchase of trailer) for either axle as there is more to it than just squirting grease into the Zerk fitting of the axle.  If you are not adept at taking a wheel apart and inspecting the bearings you should take it to a repair shop and have it done properly as trust me on this one, it's no fun having a bearing go bad on a trailer when you are over 2K miles away from home.  Dexter recommends that the bearings be inspected every 12 months/12,000 miles or whichever comes first.  I had over 12K miles on my 2014 Silver Shadow, pulled the hubs on my trailer, cleaned out the old grease, cleaned the bearings and found a set that appeared to be scored.  I replaced my bearings and researched the subject beforehand so that the installation was according to Dexter's specifications.  They called for 50 pounds of hand torque pressure for installing the new bearings and all of this information can be found on the manufacturer's web site or is included in your manual.  

This is information from the Little Guy manual regarding Dexter axles:  

Bearing Inspection: 

Wash all grease and oil from the bearing and cone using a suitable solvent. Dry the bearing with a clean, lint free cloth and 

completely inspect each roller. Replace the bearing cone and cup if there are any signs of pitting, wear, or corrosion. Repeat the 

inspection procedure for the inner bearing cone. ALWAYS REPLACE THE BEARING CONE AND CUP AS A PAIR. 

**IMPORTANT** 

DO NOT MIX LITHIUM, CALCIUM, SODIUM, OR BARIUM COMPLEX GREASES DUE TO POTENTIAL COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS. WHEN 

CHANGING FROM ONE TYPE OF GREASE TO ANOTHER, IT IS NECESSARY TO INSURE THAT ALL OF THE OLD GREASE HAS BEEN 

REMOVED. 

Bearing Lubrication: 

Proper adjustment and adequate lubrication of the bearings are essential to the longevity and performance of your trailer axle. The 

bearings should be lubricated every 6000 miles or 6 months. 

Procedure: 

• Remove the rubber plug from grease cap. 

• Insert grease gun on the grease Zerk. 

• Pump until new grease begins to appear. 

• Replace rubber plug. 

I'm not posting this information up to scare anyone, but am doing so to better inform people as not everyone is familiar with trailer maintenance or these types of procedures.  If you do shoot some grease into the Zerk fitting you need to jack the trailer up properly and make sure you rotate the wheel while inserting grease into the grease Zerk fitting to properly distribute the grease via the EZ-lube system.  

NEVER jack the trailer up by placing a jack under the trailer axle as this could damage the trailer axle.  The Dexter axles DO appear to be bent, but this is the way the axles are manufactured with "camber" in them (Check out Dexter's axle FAQ page for this information) to help distribute the weight equally over the entirety of the axle.  

If you do jack up the trailer place the jack stand under the frame portion of the trailer and install wheel chocks and jack stands to keep the unit from rolling or hook the trailer up to your tow vehicle to secure it (and place stands/chocks accordingly).  

And as I noted earlier, if you are not comfortable or adept with this type of maintenance procedure you should let a qualified/certified mechanic perform this work to ensure that things are done properly.