Wheel Bearing Maintenance

[Kent]

Attachment 30865

Originally Posted by Great Eggstrications

What is the appropriate end-play? Should there be just enough end-play to be perceptible, or backed off to the next looser position of the nut retainer if there is no end-play? Poking around on the web, I'm seeing conflicting advice. Some say to leave the bearings with some amount of end-play to make sure there is room to have a layer of grease between the cups and rollers and to allow for heat expansion, and some say that there should be no end-play thereby ensuring that the roller surfaces will be parallel to the cup surface.

Does anyone have a recommended spec for a dial indicator (thousandths of an inch) measurement of end-play? I assume that it’s better for things to be too loose rather than too tight? I contacted Dexter about this, and (maybe not surprisingly) never got a reply from them. I'm reluctant to pester Reace about it since it's a Dexter question not an Escape question, and just thought I'd see what you good forum folks might have to say.

One tool I use and has been discussed within this forum is to have Infrared Thermometer. Typically at ever gas stop, or rest stop bathroom break and right after I stop. I take my Thermometer and take temp reading of each wheel hub. You want the readings to be within a few degrees of each other. If hub has much higher temp reading then the others will cause me to take a closer look at that wheel. This can also be used to determine if one wheel bearing set is too tight as it will give higher temp reading.

I never use the EZ lube feature and have always hand packed my wheel bearings annually. When reinstalling the spindle nut while rotating wheel I tighten as much as I can by hand normally with crescent wrench to seat everything and than back off and tighten to spec.

On another note I'm not a fan of the Dexter nut retainer system and prefer old fashion cotter pin to keep nut in place. I've had the spindle nut come loose with the retainer in place.

I also keep extra full wheel bearing set and seals and grease in my tool kit.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Rossue

I see that Dexter started offering axles in 2014 with replaceable spindles. Anyone know if ETI switched to them? Otherwise a new axle is the only way to fix a bad spindle.

Dexter Axle's web site includes a press release for the video for the Torflex removable spindle, but their Light Duty 2,300-4,000 Capacity catalog section doesn't show removable/replaceable spindles at all. Spindles shown with the hub parts groups are noted as not available (because they're welded into the axle beam or Torflex arm). The catalog of replacement parts kits doesn't include spindles. It's not at all clear to me whether this is really available; maybe the catalogs are just horribly out of date.

Anyone with a recent Escape and some mechanical inclination could look to see if the spindle clamp bolt (shown in the video) is visible at the wheel end of the Torflex arm at one end of one of their axles, and let us know.

[wetzk]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Dexter Axle's web site includes a press release for the video for the Torflex removable spindle, but their Light Duty 2,300-4,000 Capacity catalog section doesn't show removable/replaceable spindles at all. Spindles shown with the hub parts groups are noted as not available (because they're welded into the axle beam or Torflex arm). The catalog of replacement parts kits doesn't include spindles. It's not at all clear to me whether this is really available; maybe the catalogs are just horribly out of date.

Anyone with a recent Escape and some mechanical inclination could look to see if the spindle clamp bolt (shown in the video) is visible at the wheel end of the Torflex arm at one end of one of their axles, and let us know.

I'll save everyone from crawling underneath.
And if we replaced the axle they do offer it. I found this with a quick search so others should have them too.

https://www.crofttrailer.com/71-743-...s/#page=page-1

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by wetzk

I'll save everyone from crawling underneath.
And if we replaced the axle they do offer it. I found this with a quick search so others should have them too.

https://www.crofttrailer.com/71-743-...s/#page=page-1

Thanks

So, not being used by Escape, and not in the Dexter catalog, but the parts (and presumably complete axles to use them) are available from Dexter dealers.

[thiggins]

I've been maintaining our axle ( the same 3500 Dexter ones as the Escape) on our the Casita for about 10 years, with excellent results. Same bearings, same spindles, ...I only replace the grease and seals, although I recently replaced the entire brake unit with never-adjust ones. Bearings burn up due to being too tight. I always leave just the slightest play in the bearings, barely perceptible when you grab the (on jack stands) tire at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock and push/pull. Works for me. Our hubs are always cool to the touch at stops, with no tire wear. The Maxxis tires we just replaced looked new ( they aged out ) .

[Kingbiscuit]

I just want to make sure I'm clear before I service the bearings on my 2018 Escape 19. We have the Dexter EZ-Lube hubs/bearings on our trailers, correct?

[Rossue]

Correct; it used to be an option- however became standard around 2015.

[Kingbiscuit]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Correct; it used to be an option- however became standard around 2015.

Thanks. That was my understanding but then I started second guessing that this was the case and wanted to confirm. LOL

[cpaharley2008]

If you remove the wheel cap you should see either a grease fitting or black rubber cover with a grease fitting underneath, that will confirm you the the e-z-lube axle.

[MyronL]

Took my 2013 Escape in for some wheel bearings and brakes preventative maintenance yesterday, at my favorite trailer people, Moriarity Pipe and Iron. (They build utility trailers there.)

Got over 33K miles on the trailer. Only thing ever changed was the tires. Figured, after 5 years, why take a chance? Picked it up at the end of the day.

• repacked bearings $32.50 each
• greased seals $19.96
• new cotter pins $1.32 ea
• new grease cap $2.88

He said my brake shoes show little to no wear. One needed adjustment. Done. Ready for the dusty trails... then, I was entering the receipt for this work in my trailer repairs folder when I noticed an old receipt... I actually had my wheel bearings repacked 3 years ago.

(Will Gingsang help my memory loss? Cannabis? Ground Ginko leaves?)

[escape17]

Kent, how do you find part numbers for all those parts? I have my axle sticker saved already, thanks

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by MyronL

..........

(Will Gingsang help my memory loss? Cannabis? Ground Ginko leaves?)

Myron,
I think you're already in the best place: clear, 5000+ ft. NM air.
(There may be some who think they have better solutions, up the highway in Santa Fe, or Taos. I think not.).

[Kent]

Originally Posted by escape17

Kent, how do you find part numbers for all those parts? I have my axle sticker saved already, thanks

The bearing numbers are the same across different manufactures. Example L68149 is the same number used by Dexter and Timken or other manufactures. Today, Timken sells the bearing and cup together as set's. The ones for the Dexter 3500lb axle are known as Set4 and Set17. 1st number on box is bearing number and 2nd number is the race number.

Regarding the seals. I always use the Dexter seals as they have double lip designed for the EZ lube spindle. You can buy seals from local auto parts store, but not the same quality regarding the seals from Dexter.

This site has list of different Dexter Axles and related bearing part part numbers.

Dexter Parts Online, Trailer Axle Bearing Kits, Seals

Keep in mine sometimes manufactures make changes and if you find the bearing you bought does not fit. You can find the bearing and race number off the parts themselves to find exact replacement. I ran into this on a cargo trailer where the parts sold to me as the direct replacement I found they would not fit. Pulled the numbers off the bearings directly and all was good.


Hope that answers your question.

[flynfrfun]

I'm halfway thru the process of wheel bearing maintenance on my new to me 2010 17B. Found one roller bearing with a small nick in it, so decided to replace bearings and races in both hubs.

This is the first time I've worked on a trailer axle. I enjoy learning the inner workings of these things. Also, I know everything was done right since I do it myself. I found one side had the nut tightened down too tight (no wheel looseness). Got that adjusted properly upon re-assembly. This evening after work, the 2nd side will be completed. Total price: $50 and I paid twice as much as I needed to for the bearings, but got them same day locally. Glad I went with Dexter seals, the seal included in the bearing kit is single lip. The old double lip seals had not leaked in 3yrs and 10-12K miles the prior owners put on it since the last service.

[McBride]

First time repacking my bearings I found an inner bearing with a nick out of the roller. Replaced the bearing but I figure it was a manufacturer issue as no other rollers had damage.

I did notice that the brake adjustment holes did not have any dust covers. Does Escape not put these in?

[Dee08802]

My covers were missing also. Just ordered some from amazon. I suspect it is the trailer manufacturer who is leaving them out.

Ken

[cpaharley2008]

You mean the axle manufacturer?

[Jim Bennett]

I have never seen caps for the adjustment slot. I even just checked my cargo and dump trailers, none on them either.

[Brian B-P]

Rubber plugs for the brake adjustment access hole in the backing plate are common; however, some online discussions indicate that Dexter Axle does not include them.

An example of the plugs:
https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories.../BP10-220.html

[Ron in BC]

And that's pretty cheap of them. Rubber plugs were standard on cars as long as I can remember. Would have been nice if they hadn't been so cheap because every bit of crud that you can keep out of the area of the brake shoes is good.

Ron