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  1. #1
    Site Team
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    Tomorrow is bearing day!!!

    we've hit 10K miles, and we're going to do the bearings on the trailer. My wife and I love to pack bearings. We're both old school hand packers. I picked up new seals today, and so tomorrow we'll tear it down and see what's going on with the brakes and the bearings. I'll post my findings.
    Ct..
    Chris Tretta
    Albuquerque, NM

    2013 Ram 3500 Megacab 4x4 6.7L Cummins
    2019 Grand Design 385GK
    2014 Grand Design 369RL - Sold
    Class A CDL, Doubles/Triples, Hazmat and Tanker endorsements


  2. #2
    King Pin
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    Good luck Chris. I'm going to do mine in a week or two. I'm at 9000 miles on the Reflection. I'm really curious how your brakes are holding up.

  3. #3
    Seasoned Camper redram's Avatar
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    How do ya jack your fifth wheel up? i have been looking and cant come up with how i want to do it.Don
    2014 Reflection 303//2013 Ram 2500 turbo diesel Spring, TEXAS

  4. #4
    King Pin
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    I use a 6 ton bottle jack on the axle tube. Of course, I make sure I have it on very level ground and very secure so it can't move. Once I have it jacked up, I put a jack stand under the axle for added safety.

  5. #5
    overpolished
    Guest
    Well... how did it go? Hand packing is the only way to fly in my opinion.

  6. #6
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    Hi gang,
    I ended up postponing until this weekend. I picked up the seals last weekend - 6.99 a set. I will take pictures of what I find along the way. I'll use my floor jack to put one end up and then put the jackstands under it. Then pull the wheels, and the hubs off. I like to use the small cleaner cans with the built in baskets. They work well, and with an old toothbrush, it's easy to get them clean. I'm not worrying about the races unless they're scored. My fear is that my brake linings are glazed, which is why even though I've adjusted them, they're only so-so. I checked the current and was RIGHT at 12.2 amps, which was perfect. I guess I'll know soon. I'll let you guys know and take pics too.
    Ct..
    Chris Tretta
    Albuquerque, NM

    2013 Ram 3500 Megacab 4x4 6.7L Cummins
    2019 Grand Design 385GK
    2014 Grand Design 369RL - Sold
    Class A CDL, Doubles/Triples, Hazmat and Tanker endorsements


  7. #7
    Site Sponsor Renee's Avatar
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    I was gonna suggest pics, Chris. Make sure you post them!
    Chris, we may need a "how to section" on this forum so we can easily find tips and such from owners who do their own maintenance, etc. What do you think?
    Renee & Bill -- Central Louisiana
    2014 Solitude 305RE #404
    2007 F250

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor Gsport's Avatar
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    I like Renee's idea..
    Jim and Kerry
    2014 Solitude 369RL
    2016 Silverado 3500HD
    Diesel/Allison

  9. #9
    Fireside Member westie0506's Avatar
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    If you don't do this job yourself, where do you find someone that can repack the bearings? We are in the Elkhart area at the moment but heading to NC. Thanks
    Larry & Mollie
    2014 Grand Design Solitude 305RE #425
    2006 Dodge 3500 dually 4X4 quad cab
    Hometown - Slapout, Alabama
    Traveling for 4+ years

  10. #10
    Site Team
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    Right side is torn apart. I don't like what I see. I understand why my brakes are so poor right now. The rear seal leaked and contaminated the drum and the pads. You can see it in the pictures. I am going replace the backing plates with auto adjusting drum brakes instead.

    If you've ever done hubs before, this is very standard. There is a rear seal on the drum, then the rear bearing, the rear race, the hub, the front race, the front bearing, the washer, the nut, and the cotter pin. The big surprise was that the axle does have a zerk fitting for lubricating the bearings. I need to investigate a little further where it lubricates, but it looks like it goes to the rear bearing.

    The nut tension on the front axle was lower than on the rear bearing. Both rotated freely, but the grease in the rear axle was more "worn" thank the front. Definitely smelled worse than the front one. 10K miles is the right interval I believe. None of the bearings or races so far are scored.

    Next, I'm going to pull the right side and verify a similar condition and start cleaning everything up. I'll need much more brake cleaner and paper towels than I had originally thought. I'll go ahead and bag and tag the parts until I can find the new backing plates, although the Tekonsha self adjusters are available on Amazon Prime. I'll call around to see if I can find them locally, and if not order them on Amazon. Technically, you can buy shoes and magnets to replace what's on there, but they're positioning the complete backing plates as a easy solution. I'm going to do the self adjusters just so I don't have to try and crawl around the underside of my trailer and then try to remember which way they go. If I wasn't doing that, I'd just do shoes and magnets and call it done.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    You can see here the grease residue on the inside of the shoes, and coating the magnet.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Here is the front right side hub. You can see the grease around the outer edge of the seal indicating the leak. You can also see the grease on the outer drum that has caked on there. This all has to be cleaned out.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    This is the right rear. More grease on the inside of the shoes that gets spun off from the hub.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    The right rear hub. Again, look at the center, and the outer edge and see the grease.

    Disappointing, but enlightening. If you are having issues with your brakes, then ensure you have this checked out.
    Ct..
    Chris Tretta
    Albuquerque, NM

    2013 Ram 3500 Megacab 4x4 6.7L Cummins
    2019 Grand Design 385GK
    2014 Grand Design 369RL - Sold
    Class A CDL, Doubles/Triples, Hazmat and Tanker endorsements


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