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View Poll Results: Brake Inspection for Axles Manufactured after 5/8/17

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  • There is no evidence of any bearing grease making its way past the seal

    0 0%
  • There is minor leakage past the seal. No shoes, magnets or drum braking surfaces were contaminated.

    0 0%
  • My brake components, including shoes, magnets, or drum braking surfaces are contaminated with grease

    0 0%
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  1. #1
    King Pin
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    Poll For Owners With Axles Manufactured After May 8th 2017 - Regarding Bearing Grease

    This poll is for owners who have new or replacement axles manufactured AFTER May 8th, 2017. There is a manufacturing placard on your axle tubes that provides the exact date of manufacture. In addition, the grease color was changed from gray to red on this date.

    If your axles were manufactured prior to this date and haven't done so, please respond to a previous poll about your bearing grease on this thread:

    https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...ase-seals-fail

    Background

    Lippert has been Grand Design's axle supplier since GD's inception. There have been many reports of brakes contaminated by bearing grease in 2013-2018 model years. There are many theories about the root cause of the problem, with failure rates ranging from less than 1% to over 75%, based on the source of the information. Lippert believes the problem was caused by excess grease being installed into the bearing cavity during manual production processes. On May 8th 2017, Lippert replaced the manual installation method with a fully automated bearing lubrication process. According to Lippert, this new process should eliminate the excess grease getting past the grease seals and contaminating the brakes.

    If you are a new owner of a Lippert manufactured axle, there is significant interest in the results of the new process. If you have the new axles and have performed a visual inspection of the brake cavity, we'd be very interested in hearing the details including the date of manufacture. If possible, please provide photographs also. Please respond to this poll and provide details on what you have found.

    Thanks,

    Jim
    Last edited by TucsonJim; 06-23-2017 at 11:05 AM.

  2. #2
    Setting Up Camp seasonalSD's Avatar
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    Is there a way to inspect these without pulling them apart? Our 297RSTS came off the line 5-26-17 so I assume its the unit your talking about.

  3. #3
    Fireside Member
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    You have to check the axle manufacturer date not the trailer

    Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    King Pin
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    Quote Originally Posted by seasonalSD View Post
    Is there a way to inspect these without pulling them apart? Our 297RSTS came off the line 5-26-17 so I assume its the unit your talking about.
    There is no inspection method that will verify whether there was a problem or not except for removing the brake drums and inspecting the components. You can sometimes get a hint of a problem by seeing grease splatters on the wheels if there is enough grease. But the first thing I'd do is look at the manufacturing date on the axles. If it's before 5/8/17, I'd definitely have your brakes inspected. Lippert will pay for the inspection if you give them a call at 574-537-8900

    Jim

  5. #5
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by seasonalSD View Post
    Is there a way to inspect these without pulling them apart? Our 297RSTS came off the line 5-26-17 so I assume its the unit your talking about.
    There is no way to do a thorough inspection for grease contamination of the brakes without removing the brake drum and wheel hub. Some have tried inspection cameras inserted through holes in the backing plate, but this is not a complete inspection.

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  6. #6
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    You can remove the aluminum center cap on the axle hub by carefully prying it with a screwdriver. If you have red colored grease, you have the newest axke assembly.

  7. #7
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    But you need to pull the cap off the hub of the brake drum! Would require removing the wheel. On second thought, you may see red grease by pulling the center cap, which would NOT be good!
    AKA Steve and Lynne
    Storm the Black Lab
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  8. #8
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by steve gravelle View Post
    But you need to pull the cap off the hub of the brake drum! Would require removing the wheel. On second thought, you may see red grease by pulling the center cap, which would NOT be good!
    On most (at least on mine) there is a removable silver plastic cap in the end of the wheel center piece that would allow you to remove the rubber cap in the end of the hub grease cap to see if the grease is red or grey . . . without removing the wheel. I suspect that these caps are there to allow access to the zerk fitting . . . but we're not opening that discussion again .

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  9. #9
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    ^^^This is what I meant. Thanks Rob!

  10. #10
    Setting Up Camp rfinley's Avatar
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    This is what I did at my PDI back in February..... Worked for me, found three wheels leaking before I turned a wheel off the dealers lot. May work for you too. This is a copy of post #8 here https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...ime-coming-!!!

    Well, Just gat back from our PDI and after a very long inspection these were the items that we found......
    -Dining table with rub marks through the finish
    -LED strip lights in the front pulling loose from the top
    - Front "Reflection" vinyl graphic pulled away at the top, no stick left

    Now for the good stuff....

    I was beating my head trying to come up with a way to check for grease on the brakes after all the discussions posted here.
    This is what I came up with......

    Click image for larger version. 

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    It is a "Q" Tip with one end cut off taped to a piece of stiff wire. I pulled the covers off where one would adjust the brakes and with a flashlight
    rubbed back and forth along the bottom of the drum. Our 315RLTS has around 700 miles from delivery to the dealer. Low and behold three of four
    "Q" tips came out with grease on them...... So, my quick check worked to find the grease on the brakes on the Pre Delivery Inspection. Problem will
    be addressed before a wheel turns off the dealer lot !! Thanks to this Forum and all who documented this problem so new owners know what to look
    for and not trying to deal with it after the sale.

    Other than the brakes (which is plenty) not much at all found.

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