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  1. #21
    Long Hauler geotex1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LV Naturist View Post
    A different perspective, with all due respect to @geotex1 I have a degree in automotive technology, have been an ASE Certified Master Medium/Heavy Duty mechanic for decades, and have been working in fleet maintenance (Air Force, public transit, school district) for the past 45 years. There have been more times than I can count where I've been "What in the H-E-double hockey sticks was this engineer thinking!" He couldn't possibly think that was going to work... With countless Service Bulletins, Recalls, etc. across all types of equipment it's obvious the engineers aren't always right. I don't default to manufacturers instructions (although they are the starting point), I default to industry proven "Best Practices". In all my experiece, THE most important aspect of automotive care is Preventive Maintenance! The objective here is to make a best attempt to spot minor issues before they become major and costly repairs. Having said all that, wheel maintenance is one of those simple tasks that, if not done dilligently, will leave you on the side of the road. I can't stress this enough... disassemble, clean, inspect, replace as necessary, re-assemble. By the time you realize the seal failed, it's too late and hopefully it's not at the bottom of a long down grade. By the time a bearing fails and your wheel goes bye-bye, it's too late. Costly and potentially dangerous. JMHO

    John
    LOL! Hey, I hear you. Engineers come in all flavors with the worst of us being engineers who never built or fixed anything in their lives! However, the general public has no idea how engineers' design are not final by any means... When they leave the design department, so much more can happen downstream the corrupts the integrity and purity of the original design for cost savings to increase profits and ROI...

    Shining current example - the big 4th generation RAM 3500, 4500, and 5500 recall regarding misprinted torque specifications in the owner's manual (and the service manuals but I don't know if they're fessing up to that)... Generally, torque guidance for lugnuts is related to stud diameter since the steel is defined by universal specification. Seat style is then a factor, of course, as well as wheel material, etc.. However, it took them how long to discover this? Particularly with the proper torque stamped into the factory flanged lugnuts...
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  2. #22
    Rolling Along LV Naturist's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by geotex1 View Post
    LOL! Hey, I hear you. Engineers come in all flavors with the worst of us being engineers who never built or fixed anything in their lives! However, the general public has no idea how engineers' design are not final by any means... When they leave the design department, so much more can happen downstream the corrupts the integrity and purity of the original design for cost savings to increase profits and ROI...

    Shining current example - the big 4th generation RAM 3500, 4500, and 5500 recall regarding misprinted torque specifications in the owner's manual (and the service manuals but I don't know if they're fessing up to that)... Generally, torque guidance for lugnuts is related to stud diameter since the steel is defined by universal specification. Seat style is then a factor, of course, as well as wheel material, etc.. However, it took them how long to discover this? Particularly with the proper torque stamped into the factory flanged lugnuts...
    Reminds me of the joke where the engineering professors had to travel in an airplane designed by their students... After all the other professors ran off the plane, one stayed behind. He told the flight attendant "I'm not worried, I know these students... I doubt this thing will even start!"

    In thruth, I know the bean counters have a lot to do with what rolls off the assembly line. I've also "fielded" a lot of new equipment and understand a lot of the time it's a situation where you don't know what you don't know until it's In-Service.

    John
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  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Unlimitedmatt View Post
    I repacked my axles last week on my 2019 2800bh for the first time. I did grease my axles one time using the ez lube system midway through 2019. The camper was only used twice in 2020.

    I was not ever worried about my hubs and bearings....until I saw them! Half of them showed evidence of excess heat and one of them had a slight groove in the race. Also, why in the world would GD use a bearing made in China on all 4 outer bearings but a Timkin bearing on all 4 inner bearings?

    The good news is that the rear seal and brakes were all in great shape.
    It would be Lippert that installed those bearings. Lippert provides the frame/running chassis directly to GD. Frankly I’m surprised they would use Timken. Must be the outer bearings from China were still held up in port.
    2022 Imagine XLS 22MLE
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  4. #24
    Left The Driveway
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    Quote Originally Posted by FT4NOW View Post
    I dont believe you can pack the bearings on modern vehicles, they are typically a sealed bearing.

    I still prefer hand packing trailer bearings, uses less grease, but the main reason is so I can also inspect the magnet, brakes and the bearings themselves. If just using the zerk fitting you omit the inspection process which I think is equally important.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
    I have to agree with you on all accounts here including the sealed bearings on modern trucks. Last year, I pulled the wheels and hubs to preform the annual bearing maintenance and inspection and so glad I did. The brakes on 2 wheels of my 2019 297RSTS had fallen apart and were not working. Parts were loose inside the drum. There is no way I would have known had I not pulled to hubs to inspect. Fortunately, the bearings and drums were in good condition, but I did wind up replacing all 4 brake assembles at a cost of about $90.00 each. We only had 15K miles on the trailer that was purchased new. Maintenance and visual inspection is a must!

  5. #25
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    Thanks for all the insightful information. Wish it had been posted a month earlier. I'm an old traveler, DP'ers in the past and now to GD 5th Wheel. I was trying to downsize maintenance, but I was wrong. Only most GD maintenance cost are less costly than a DP.

    I just like to add the following video that goes with the video shared at the beginning of this Thread.

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

  6. #26
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    The biggest problem using the external greasing feature is using incompatible grease which can cause the oil to separate from the soaps and leak around the seal. This typical happens on boat trailers where the "Bearing Buddy" has been a popular method of maintaining adequate grease in the hub for years but where owner grabs the first grease gun in sight, loads it with a random tube of grease and start pumping. Normally, over pumping tends to force the seal out rather than pushing grease around the neoprene seals and axle.

  7. #27
    Seasoned Camper MachWun's Avatar
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    I was worried before and am just as worried now, if not more so. I upgraded last Fall to a Reflection 312 (37 foot'r - my big bertha). I have maybe 100 miles on her but am planning a trip from home base in Michigan around Lake Erie, up into Maine's Acadia National Park, down the coast to NYC, and home. Probably about 2200 miles. Was thinking I would either take her in this Fall or next Spring to have exactly what you guys are talking about (pull the wheels and inspect).

    I think it is shameful I would have such concern and think it would / should go in so soon. Buy alas, I am almost thinking I should have it done before I go!

    Note: I used to do my own brakes, repack bearings, ..even a spindle once back in the 80's, on my 69 Mustang, 84 Cougar, and 89 T-bird. I felt is was easy then. As the years went by, pulling the calipers got more complicated and I tossed in the towel on such things.
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  8. #28
    Setting Up Camp
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    thank you

    Well spoken and I also want to thank you for your service.
    I'm into my 3rd year now doing most repairs and maintenance myself. having watched a lot of youtube videos and realized you got to be careful who you listen to.....
    i have the 2600RB and found it to be quite easy and take pride in doing this work myself. I do not trust these rv dealers here with performing these tasks and I have some good reason why, besides that it's cheaper and i use quality parts like timken etc.

    The one thing I couldn't figure out is, earlier this year we traveled to lake powell and on the way i had the grease caps pop off and just tumble inside the wheel cover.
    I put the cap back on and it popped off again down the road. after that time it finally stayed on. now the other wheel had the same issue and after putting it back a couple of times stayed in place. the wheels on the right side on both axles never had an issue.
    I looked high and low but couldn't really find a good answer as to why that might have happened.

    Ted


    Quote Originally Posted by LV Naturist View Post
    A different perspective, with all due respect to @geotex1 I have a degree in automotive technology, have been an ASE Certified Master Medium/Heavy Duty mechanic for decades, and have been working in fleet maintenance (Air Force, public transit, school district) for the past 45 years. There have been more times than I can count where I've been "What in the H-E-double hockey sticks was this engineer thinking!" He couldn't possibly think that was going to work... With countless Service Bulletins, Recalls, etc. across all types of equipment it's obvious the engineers aren't always right. I don't default to manufacturers instructions (although they are the starting point), I default to industry proven "Best Practices". In all my experiece, THE most important aspect of automotive care is Preventive Maintenance! The objective here is to make a best attempt to spot minor issues before they become major and costly repairs. Having said all that, wheel maintenance is one of those simple tasks that, if not done dilligently, will leave you on the side of the road. I can't stress this enough... disassemble, clean, inspect, replace as necessary, re-assemble. By the time you realize the seal failed, it's too late and hopefully it's not at the bottom of a long down grade. By the time a bearing fails and your wheel goes bye-bye, it's too late. Costly and potentially dangerous. JMHO

    John

  9. #29
    Left The Driveway
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    Thanks for the info!

  10. #30
    Seasoned Camper
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    If you look at the internal construction of these new hubs, you will see that grease flows through the center of the axle exiting BEHIND the inner bearing, then travels through the bearing along the axle up to the outer bearing, where it comes on through *under gentle grease gun pressure, and finally exists at the front of the bearing and hub.

    And that, is exactly the problem. If you take one apart and study it you will see that is exactly correct. The problem is 3 fold.
    1 the grease appears between the inner bearing and the seal. Its very easy to hydraulically push the seal out in process of pushing the grease thru the rollers. Witness the numerous thread here of greased brakes.
    2 Mixing grease types can result in breakdown of the lubricant . Ive seen this many times, the thickeners are ruined, the grease turns to oil and runs out. If you don't know whats already in there you take this risk.
    3 Before fresh grease appears at the outer bearing you have completely filled the hub, which is bad. No mechanic would do that. It allows no room for the grease to expand and can again, result in a seal pushed out.
    This is 40 yrs plus experience talking, and yes Ive seen the video. I just believe they like to push ease of maintenance.
    To your other point, I agree many over service them, but wheel bearings on trailers are often overloaded, made in China, sit outside in the weather and are just generally not as robust a design as what you see from Gm/Dodge, etc.

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