Blown wheel bearings...

[Raife1]

So we were traveling down Rt 95 from Tahoe to Las Vegas when the wife noticed on the TPMS the temperature of the front passenger trailer tire was getting high...90 when the rest where 75-78. Watched it for another mile or two and then it spiked to 102 so we pulled into a gas station where it was 117. Got out and the hub was smoking, the cap was off, and the internal parts were off kilter...hub bearings completely fried.

This all happened in the span of 4-5 miles. Brand new Grand Design Imagine XLS 21BHE in August...

So we called Coach-Net and they are sending out a mobile mechanic in the morning since it is Sunday evening and they don't have the parts.

I'm convinced if we didn't have the TPMS the entire wheel would have gone flying off in short order.

Thank you to everyone here on impressing the importance of getting a TPMS.

[jkwilson]

Thanks for posting. I’ve wondered if a bearing failure would be detected by a TPMS.

You are probably right about losing the wheel. Hopefully you stopped before there was spindle damage.

[tfgd21bhe]

Along with a TPMS I use an infrared thermometer and check hub temps when we stop. My 21bhe originally had hub temps that exceeded 180 degrees at times. Eventually discovered the rear brakes weren't even connected (this in spite of the fact I told the dealer I felt the brakes weren't working correctly when we first picked up the unit - they just blew it off with "the brakes need to get seated"). Even with the brakes working hub temps still ran as high as 140 until I got the dealer to adjust all the brakes again. The tpms did not pick up the fact that hub temps were so high and only showed tire temps around 10 degrees above ambient temperature.

[wjpatter]

Interesting that the hub temperatures changed. How would the brakes operating properly lower the temperature or was it just breaking? That is a good suggestion about using the infrared thermometer to check the hubs.

[tfgd21bhe]

Interesting that the hub temperatures changed. How would the brakes operating properly lower the temperature or was it just breaking? That is a good suggestion about using the infrared thermometer to check the hubs.

Because the hub temps were checked after stopping, with only the front axle brakes working they heated up considerably more than the non braking hubs. My high hub temps were apparently caused by two issues, the rear brakes having never been connected and all the brakes not being adjusted correctly.

[fmartinmn]

So we were traveling down Rt 95 from Tahoe to Las Vegas when the wife noticed on the TPMS the temperature of the front passenger trailer tire was getting high...90 when the rest where 75-78. Watched it for another mile or two and then it spiked to 102 so we pulled into a gas station where it was 117. Got out and the hub was smoking, the cap was off, and the internal parts were off kilter...hub bearings completely fried.

This all happened in the span of 4-5 miles. Brand new Grand Design Imagine XLS 21BHE in August...

So we called Coach-Net and they are sending out a mobile mechanic in the morning since it is Sunday evening and they don't have the parts.

I'm convinced if we didn't have the TPMS the entire wheel would have gone flying off in short order.

Thank you to everyone here on impressing the importance of getting a TPMS.

Which TPMS are you using? Thanks.

[Raife1]

TST 507 with cap sensors.

Mechanic showed up and took everything apart, hub shot as were the brakes (since the wheel wasn't straight or secure). He is off to the parts store (44 miles away) and then headed back to put it all back together.

Kids doing virtual school, wife and I chilling...skipping "a day of our trip" and will head to our next stop...Zion!

[fmartinmn]

TST 507 with cap sensors.

Mechanic showed up and took everything apart, hub shot as were the brakes (since the wheel wasn't straight or secure). He is off to the parts store (44 miles away) and then headed back to put it all back together.

Kids doing virtual school, wife and I chilling...skipping "a day of our trip" and will head to our next stop...Zion!

Thanks for the post, I just ordered the TST 507. Enjoy Zion.

[zinman]

Raife1, glad you, family and rig are safe. I have had three rv's with Dexter components and the one thing I found early on was they tend to assemble the hub bearings light on the grease. If your rig has EZ lube spindles I would add a little more grease before heading out. After my own nasty bearing failure experience on I-5 in Coalinga Calif way back in 1996 I have become hypervigilant with my bearing grease, bearing/seal brand and running temps. Bearing grease is Redline synthetic, bearings are Timken and I always use my laser temp finder on hubs when stopping. Bearing grease changed annually no matter the mileage along with bearing inspection, seals replaced with SKF brand and set the bearing runout with a magnetic base machinist dial indicator gauge. For good measure are brought along is a complete bearing/seal replacement set, an aluminum 3 ton floor jack just in case and all tools necessary to make the change out. In the past 24 years zero bearing problems on three 5th wheels and 4 boat trailers. Safe travels!!

[Raife1]

This was a live and learn experience. I like your idea of having a spare set on hand. The mobile tech was not able to get everything fixed right, but enough for us to get to Vegas tomorrow. Both our original dealer and the Vegas dealer suggested calling Grand Design first thing in the morning (which we will be doing) to get everything worked out.