Wheel Bearing Maintenance

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

More like a no nest syndrome.

Or did you mean the "no nest egg" syndrome?

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

Or did you mean the "no nest egg" syndrome?

Man, I do suffer from a lot of syndromes. Maybe I need to seek help

[thoer]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: thoer... Up here in Canada the only thing we can battle quackgrass with are ducks. Don't know what to do with all my crabgrass. We're not allowed to posses any chemical weed killers. Alf

escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Wow without chemical weed killers our prairie restoration would still be all the quack, smooth brome, Kentucky bluegrass and all the other invasive species it started out as. Is that a national or provincial restriction?

[gbaglo]

I think it's municipal. In North Van here you aren't allowed to use it, but you can buy it at Rona, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Home Hardware.
I bought some, but swear, I do not use it.

[Iowa Dave]

I have used and sold about every turf and tree chemical on the American market. I have been certified as a pesticide applicator for the past 25 years. After I take a nice shower before I go to bed. On a moonlit night, if I lay real still there's a nice green glow in the room. Am I an extraterrestrial or should I be looking to sue somebody?
Dave

[thoer]

I'm going with the extraterrestrial unless proven otherwise

[MyronL]

At 19.279 thousand miles my 19 seemed to reach a good time for doing preventative maintenance on the wheels. The first place I took it was in town, a big RV repair garage that always seemed to have a bus-sized motor home outside blocking its 4 bays. The guys at the counter heard me clearly ask for a price on repacking the wheel bearings of my two-axle travel trailer.

Have done wheel bearings replacement on my pre-Escape trailers so know it’s not brain surgery, just messy and tedious. I don’t want to do it anymore. Especially when it’s 22 degrees outside.

Had to take a step back when the RV fella gave me a repacking quote of four hundred bucks. That’s a bit over the top, I gulped, followed by mumbling, um, no way I’m giving you $400 to repack wheel bearings. With that the counter guy said, um, wait a minute, let me check the computer. Then, oh, and he came down to $199 (plus tax) for the job, and rambled on a bit about all the diagnostic checking included with the job they’d do. That price was more reasonable, I thought, but remembering that bus. Should I be thinking these guys saw me as a deep-pockets pigeon?

“When can you do the job?” I asked. I looked out the glass door into the work bay area where no work was going on. "Tomorrow." OK, I said, but first let me go home and check my calendar. I left and drove over to the next town, where a couple years earlier I had a good experience with a different shop. It was a welding shop that does a lot of utility trailer construction. They treated me right. I hadn’t been certain they would do a little wheel bearings job. Bill said yes.

I brought it in at 9 this morning. Bill wears the welding cap, greasy coveralls, and a couple weeks’ stubble. He looked the trailer over, asked me to run the tail lights, pointed to a couple tiny gelcoat dings, and wiggled all four tires. “Hear that?” he said. There was a little play in three tires.” If there’s any burn spots I’d advise replacing bearings.” I pointed to some tire wear. “These are 4 ply tires and they run a little soft. When you’re ready, switch to the 8-ply.”

Bill said the bearings were fine. He greased the wheel bearings, put in new seals, and was done by noon. $139.96 plus tax.

[thoer]

Did Bill have a biplane behind the shop? All he needs is a well worn leather flight cap and he's ready to go.

[nautracer]

is that $50 for 4 wheels << I would assume...hate to assume though :0

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by nautracer

is that $50 for 4 wheels << I would assume...hate to assume though :0

Okay, I give up - who said anything about $50, for any number of wheels?

This is the only recent actual cost posted to this thread:

Originally Posted by MyronL

Bill said the bearings were fine. He greased the wheel bearings, put in new seals, and was done by noon. $139.96 plus tax.

That should be for four hubs (wheels); Myron has an Escape 19'.

[nautracer]

post #7 talks about a $50 upgrade. as if it's an option. we are working on the build sheet.

[cpaharley2008]

What that is referring to is the option for E-Z-lube axles to be installed where you can perform bearing lubrication yourself, must be decided in advance as the stock axles have the standard bearings, which must be manually repacked. E-Z lube is mainly used on boat trailers due to water immersion but are now available on travel trailers. I had them on my 21' but when I bought tires I had my axles repacked, cost me about $200. So. if you are a do-it-yourself-type person you have the option for $50 to relube your axles yourself. This is $50 per axle, so if you get the larger tandem axles it will be $100 upgrade.

[nautracer]

thanks Jim. I like the EZ lube axle option. had not seen it listed. have towed around a lot of boats and shattered a couple of bearing sets. I like the idea of those Infra Red thermal guns. they don;t cost too much. just shoot the hubs now and again. my theory is to run them till they blow. I'm really lazy I guess. that grease in them bearings last "forever" or until the bearing fails. so I would never recommend my philosophy to anyone

[cpaharley2008]

The problem with your philosophy is if it fails your axle may also be damaged, $$$ to repair. An oz of prevention to prevent a pound of cure. Never had any bearing issues, probably because I get rid of the trailer after 2 years...., now do not ask me about car brakes....

[thoer]

All this is why I'm hoping for NevRLube axles on the new models. Sealed bearings

[nautracer]

yeah, I guess your right. got all the tools and now retired. after a few cross country trips, I'll be hauling out the floor jack and impact wrench. can you believe I bought an electric impact wrench new for $55 at Big Lots. now I really don't have much of an excuse!!! HA

[nautracer]

oh man!!!! NevRLube sounds nice... maybe they will run out of the old axles before they get to my scheduled Dec 2016 build.

[Bobbito]

I believe the reason the option isn't listed is because it is standard. Reace demonstrated how it works for us when we toured the factory Sept 2014 as we ordered our Escape 21. He thought it a worthwhile feature. I plan on checking bearings every other year and repacking, but using the EZ Lube alternate years. But then we don't put on a lot of miles like some owners.

Bob K

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

What that is referring to is the option for E-Z-lube axles to be installed where you can perform bearing lubrication yourself, must be decided in advance as the stock axles have the standard bearings, which must be manually repacked. E-Z lube is mainly used on boat trailers due to water immersion but are now available on travel trailers. I had them on my 21' but when I bought tires I had my axles repacked, cost me about $200. So. if you are a do-it-yourself-type person you have the option for $50 to relube your axles yourself. This is $50 per axle, so if you get the larger tandem axles it will be $100 upgrade.

If one truly understands how E-Z Lube axles work and their drawbacks, it would be easy to see why I (repeat I, meaning my opinion) consider them a waste of money for a poor concept which primarily could be considered a sales gimmick. Grease is pumped through the center of the spindle to the rear of the inner bearing where it theoretically will be forced through the inner bearing, a large cavity in the center of the hub, and then through the outer bearing. If this process doesn't blow out the seal spreading grease all over the drum and brake shoes rendering them unable to function (very likely), it will take half a day to pump enough grease in to fill the cavity inside the hub between the two bearings. The only way to properly (and safely) service wheel bearings is the old fashioned way: remove, clean, inspect, repack, and reassemble. There is a $15 bearing packing tool available at almost any auto parts store that is extremely effective in distributing grease in the internal areas of the bearing. Yes, it is a messy and tedious job to service wheel bearings, but Satan's stomping grounds will be icing over before I would use the so-called E-Z Lube feature.

[Rossue]

Don't mince words here Carl- tell us how you really feel

Wish I hadn't paid for that option. After reading up on it there is no substitute for doing the real job. Probably good for boaters who don't put on a lot of miles.