Axle maintenance--greasing or repacking?

DougH

Another excuse to buy a small laser thermometer if you don't have one yet.

DougWW

Wow! That's a lot of maintenance. In this thread I see 3000 miles to 12000 miles for a repack, and some folk recommending greasing as well. For normal use that's almost aircraft-like service. From the recommendations from Creed quoted above he's suggested once per year OR 12000 mile repack. The question in my mind is about the EZ lube system. Done right is it equal to a repack, or some lesser measure? 

ScottG

@DougWW, I believe there are at least a couple other threads on this topic. You might want to search around, but remember that opinions are like, um, belly buttons--everybody's got one.  ;-)

It seems to me that using the EZ Lube zerk--and actually pushing all of the old grease out--would be pretty close to a manual repack. There may be some disagreement on this point. Of course, this method offers no means by which you can physically inspect the bearings and other components.

I can tell you the first time I added grease to my hubs they took quite a lot. In subsequent years, the amount needed has been considerably less. While I can't say for sure exactly where that grease is going, it tells me that I've got more in there than I had when the T@B was brand new.

klenger

ScottG said:

@DougWW, I believe there are at least a couple other threads on this topic. You might want to search around, but remember that opinions are like, um, belly buttons--everybody's got one.  ;-)

It seems to me that using the EZ Lube zerk--and actually pushing all of the old grease out--would be pretty close to a manual repack. There may be some disagreement on this point. Of course, this method offers no means by which you can physically inspect the bearings and other components.

I can tell you the first time I added grease to my hubs they took quite a lot. In subsequent years, the amount needed has been considerably less. While I can't say for sure exactly where that grease is going, it tells me that I've got more in there than I had when the T@B was brand new.

Did you use the EZ Lube zerk when you did the service?  On the previous trailer that I had, I attempted to lube the hubs using the EZ Lube zerk, added a fair amount of grease, and still nothing coming out.  I took the brake assy off and noticed that the original lube, while sufficient to lubricate the hub, was well short of having enough to simply push the old grease out with new grease.  To make matters harder for me, they recommend you do this with weight off the wheel.  My trailer was a 34' 9,500 lb unit and I didn't have the facilities to safely lift a wheel off the ground to do it, so I actually gave up.  On the T@B, unweighting a wheel is pretty simple and would allow you to spin the wheel while adding grease.  My fear is pushing out the inner seal and not knowing it and filling up the brake assembly with grease.  Some OJT with this would be terrific.  Maybe a youtube video?

ScottG

@klenger, yes, I used the EZ Lube zerk. I had the T@B off the ground and spun the wheel slowly while I pumped in the grease. It was a few years ago, but I vaguely recall the first time I did it it took ~25 pumps of my full-sized grease gun before any old grease started to emerge from around the front of the hub. Others have reported a similarly large volume required for the initial greasing.

I've heard the concerns about blowing out the inner seal, but at this point I have no reason to believe that has happened to mine and I've performed this procedure three times.

I can't offer much more technical advice than that. What I do seems to work. (Yeah, I know, until it doesn't...) 

Sharon_is_SAM

Here's your video on how to grease the Dexter EZ lube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeIJzoLJ2Go&sns=em

klenger

Sharon_is_SAM said:

Here's your video on how to grease the Dexter EZ lube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeIJzoLJ2Go&sns=em

Lots of hot debate on the comment section of that video.  I wish I understood the issue better.  I do see the potential for a problem, I just don't know how common it is.  I expect that the same nay-sayers still recommend oil changes at no more than 3000 miles.  Like the automotive industry hasn't improved at all in the last 50 years.  

DougWW

@ScottG, you make good point (especially about the belly buttons.) I've worked with a fair list of farm machinery and vehicles over the years, and barring bearingless pulleys and axels, the intent was "one or two good pumps" of grease, moving the item if possible. It was the bearing less ones (oil-lite, or steel on steel) that required grease to show.

dsfdogs

Today I had my bearings repacked and brakes checked by a trailer place. I have 1000 miles on the trailer. Thankfully the technician said everything looked great, but he did comment there wasn't much grease in there. 

He also torqued the lugnuts to 110 before I asked him to back them off to 90. Do you think 110 torque could have damaged the posts?

MuttonChops

- = - Soapbox - = -
IMHO Wheel Bearings are not coming from the Factory with too little Grease

Many posting in this thread comment " there wasn't much grease in there" or some similar remark about how much new grease had to be added.  Those comments imply or suggest we were towing with poorly greased wheel bearings.

I do not believe that is the case. Dexter is a major trailer axle producer and they would not be shipping this many poorly greased axles.  Also if lack of grease was an issue our roadways would be full of broken down trailers and the US DOT would be recalling/investigating Dexter.

What is happening, again IMHO.

Dexter builds the wheel hub assembly with pre-greased wheel bearings; most likely packed on a automated assembly line at the original bearing factory.

We user/owners at first "time to replace grease" point then must add grease to:
 A]  Replace all the Wheel Bearing Grease
 B]   Fill for first time the EZ-Lube system with grease.

Our wheel bearings are not low on grease . . . the EZ-Lube channels are just empty.

Light Blue = Original factory Packed Wheel Bearings
Red = All the grease we must add the first time the EZ-Lube is used.

Dexter Drawing

Side Note:

   Added grease to my hubs this spring at 12-months and 8,000 miles.  Old grease looked good and extra new grease was needed to fill the EZ-Lube channels.

ScottG

MuttonChops said:

...

Many posting in this thread comment " there wasn't much grease in there" or some similar remark about how much new grease had to be added.  Those comments imply or suggest we were towing with poorly greased wheel bearings.

...

Not implying or suggesting anything, just reporting what I (and others) have observed. I agree it would be unlikely that so many axles would be shipped in a compromised state. Your explanation sounds good to me, and is certainly consistent with the need to add less grease after the first use of the EX Lube system. 

ScottG

dsfdogs said:

...
He also torqued the lugnuts to 110 before I asked him to back them off to 90. Do you think 110 torque could have damaged the posts?

...

I can't guarantee anything, but I highly doubt it. They can be snapped by being very excessively over torqued (typically by a careless tech with an impact wrench), but if your guy was able to back them out and re-tighten them, it sounds like they are fine.

Sharon_is_SAM

@MuttonChops, that makes sense and is the best (only) plausible explanation!

klenger

@MuttonChops Thank you for the graphics and excellent explanation. I was trying to say the same thing earlier, but not near as well as you put it.  The graphics helps a lot also. 

In regards to blowing out the inner seal, I guess the question comes down to the path of least resistance.  If the old grease had become hard and caked, then the seal may actually be the path of least resistance, thus blowing the seal.  If that's the case, then the bearings have obviously not been maintained properly in the first place.  I expect that spinning the wheel while greasing with the zert fitting helps push the old grease out through whatever pathways are provided move evenly.  

Would you be able to see the back side of the inner seal with a mirror and flashlight while adding grease?  This might add some comfort to the process. 

MuttonChops

klenger said:

@MuttonChops Thank you for the graphics and excellent explanation.

You are welcome.

klenger said:

. . .

Would you be able to see the back side of the inner seal with a mirror and flashlight while adding grease?

No idea if anything could be seen with a mirror.

I've had EZ-Lube Hubs on two boat trailers in the past and never had issues or even spoke to anyone having issues with the inner seal failing.  Would think keeping to the suggested maintenance schedule is important, so the old grease does not start to fail & cake up. {edit 042819: just realized those boat trailers had Bearing Buddies not EZ-Lube . . . different design, "new grease never gets to inner seal" }

ScottG

Good points raised here. I don't know that I have always been very conscientious about pushing out all of the old grease when using the EZ Lube, but will pay better attention to it this year.

Gee, maybe those instructions were there for a reason...  :-)

db_cooper

I just added grease a 2nd time on our 2015 Outback today. 

The first time was when we bought it at 1yr. old.  At that time I found the hub was loose, fair amount of play when wiggling both wheels. I tightened each wheel just a bit. Added grease to the zerk, and also slightly adjusted both brakes.

Skipped last year, probably 5-6k miles since first maintenance.  Hubs and brakes were still adjusted correct, just added grease slowly while spinning, it did take a bit, probably 10 pumps per side.

I check the hubs for heat at every fill up,  never any issue.  I would recommend that those who can, check their new hubs after the first thousand or so miles for looseness, I'm glad I did.

GatorEgg

Do not fill until you see grease come out.  That will lead to seal failure. Just put a few pumps of grease in prior to long trips.

ChrisFix

GatorEgg said:

Do not fill until you see grease come out.  That will lead to seal failure. Just put a few pumps of grease in prior to long trips.

According to Dexter, you are supposed to fill with fresh grease until the old grease  comes out the front of the hub.
I've read all the comments pro and con, but the manufacturer of our axles and hubs does say that is the proper maintenance for the E-Z lube hub.
https://www.dexteraxle.com/resources/videos/e-z-lube-system
And it will take a lot of grease the first time, as you have to fill all the channels of the E-Z Lube hub that are empty (on purpose) from the factory.

MarkAl

This the first I've seen this video, thanks @ChrisFix for posting it - it's probably somewhere else but missed it on prior axle greasing threads. Clearly shows what to do and look for. It's now on my "check list" for yearly things.

tabiphile

ChrisFix said:

According to Dexter, you are supposed to fill with fresh grease until the old grease  comes out the front of the hub.

This is why these Dexter hubs are not the panacea that they are promoted to be....someone who has not previously used a grease gun and who does not have the feel for how hard to pump in grease will blow out the back seal while they try to fill the channels and get grease to come out of the hub...you can almost guarantee it. The single thing that keeps the grease in the hubs and allows it to fill the channels is the rear seal. If you push the grease too aggressively against it the seal will blow and leak into the hub/brakes. The correct way use the alemite has been as described, slowly, judiciously while turning the wheel. If (and they are not shipped that way) the hub is not already filled it can take half a tube of grease to fill the hub and get it to start pushing out of the front...that is a lot of grease and air to push through. The way to avoid this is to pull the hub and properly hand pack it (this has been described ad nauseum in other threads). Once a proper packing has been done you can confidently rely on the alemite to safely add a bit of grease as needed. Anyone that is not comfortable doing that should take it to a trailer shop where this is a routine service that they perform. And again, this is when you should be checking the brakes....do not simply put grease in the hubs and go. Make sure the entire wheel is serviced before you hit the road. The annual requirement for a repack is nuts...the mileage is a better gauge. But don't let it go for two or three years. Grease solidifies. I tend to pull the wheels for this every 10,000 miles or every other year.

Marceline

tabiphile said:

ChrisFix said:

According to Dexter, you are supposed to fill with fresh grease until the old grease  comes out the front of the hub.

This is why these Dexter hubs are not the panacea that they are promoted to be....someone who has not previously used a grease gun and who does not have the feel for how hard to pump in grease will blow out the back seal while they try to fill the channels and get grease to come out of the hub...you can almost guarantee it.

Yeah. I did that on my boat trailer once. Now I just take my T@B to a good shop once a year and have them repack the bearings & check the brakes. It’s worth every penny. 

qhumberd

So thought I would add my experience to the others who have posted prior. After the first year I decided the best course would be to disassemble the hub and inspect and repack the bearings by hand, as the original owner had not done any bearing or brake service. We bought our T@B 400 used with only about 3700 miles on it and put about 1000 more in the first season of use in 2020. Thanks to the info from the forum I was able to do it all myself, and I particularly appreciated the information on adjusting the brakes. I could see an immediate improvement after doing that. Fast forward to this year and a few thousand more miles and no problems with the running gear at all so I decided to use the same grease (Valvoline) and try the E-Z Lube system prior to adjusting the brakes. With so few miles I could see little difference in the new and the old grease so I just used my best judgement and used a little less than 1/2 a standard grease tube on each axle. Pumping was steady and easy and flow was never a concern while slowly turning the wheel. The hub channels were clearly empty as it took 30 or so pumps to start seeing grease emerge. I cannot be certain about the rear seal but the brake adjustment showed no evidence that grease was in the drums and they adjusted just like last year. Very slight end play noted on both hubs that seemed equal and the job was over in about an hour or two with no significant mess. So for our relatively light use I can see a full inspection and repack either yourself or at a shop every other year and the E-Z Lube on the alternate years. When we start putting big miles on our trailer I may drop back to yearly inspection, but I appreciate the discussion and the opinions all have shared. Thank you all!

MuttonChops

IMHO . . . everyone is trying to second guess the Dexter Design Team.
Using the EZ-Lube is the same as a hand repack.

That is what it was designed to do . . . refresh the bearing grease without having to disassemble the hub.

This is the EZ-Lube System . . . not the earlier Bearing Buddy that only greased the outer bearing.

Here is a (Dexter) youtube video that clearly explains the system . . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzKZ7hjExtk

My T@B has over 29K miles with an EZ-Lube "repack" every 8-12K miles

on last weekends repack the old grease was nearly the same color as the new grease . . .
not at all like the black-to-not black of the video.

Time to Trust the professionals (engineers) and to stop personal researching why the professionals are wrong . . . and that applies to far more than axle bearing grease . . .

pthomas745

@MuttonChops the amount of heat around the Ez-Lube system is very strange.  You would think millions of trailers are disabled at this very moment with blown rear seals. 

MuttonChops

@pthomas745 ; Sorry your point is missing me.
Unless you are saying the Lack of Massive axle failures Supports my argument.???

pthomas745

Sorry, @MuttonChops, yes, supporting your argument!

 

Mickerly

We bought our 2018 T@B 320 used last January (2021). Towing it home I discovered one brake was dragging. I dissembled both hubs and brakes. The solenoid on one side was stuck against the inside of the drum. The other brake solenoid was warn out completely. This trailer is a three year old. I would recommend disassembly, as in removal of the drum, not more than every 24 months to make sure the brake is working properly. Clean and adjust the brake. Then grease when you reassemble. Yes, this isn't what the manual says, but I intend to look in on things this first year to get a better idea on the time interval. I know 3 years is too long for the previous owner.

It is a good idea to squirt a few pumps of grease in the hub periodically based on how much you travel. The time between disassembly is entirely dependent of how much you use your brakes. 

tabiphile

If I bought a used unit, I would want to disassemble the hubs, re-pack the bearings and check/adjust/repair the brakes. There are several reasons for this.
One, as you have experienced, problems might exist.
Two, without a maintenance history, I would not trust anything other than a complete service to insure that everything is in order.
Third and finally, unless the previous owner has provided the information you will not know what type of grease has been used in the bearings. Doing a re-pack lets you start with a clean slate using a product of your own choice and one that you will use ongoing. 

Mickerly

After the brake mess, I went through every system. Made many repairs. Now, I have a functional 320. I like it a lot.

Even the light grease used in these hubs will work for thousands of miles as long as you don't heat up the hubs. The brakes generate both heat and dust. The solenoid slides right next to the hub bearings and is a constant source of heat. The more it wears, the greater the heat.

You can adjust the shoes but you can't see damage or wear in brakes without removing the drum. Unlike hydraulic brakes, you can't remove these drums without rebuilding the hub. I think the need to look at the brakes is more pressing than repacking the bearings.

My opinion only, the annual squirt of grease in the bearings probably should be disassemble, clean/inspect the brakes, then reassemble the hub and add fresh grease. This February will be my 12 month point. We will see what it looks like.