wheel bearing life ?

[CharlesinGA]

Is that a "thing" in Point Roberts to operate mail services for folks in Canada. I have looked at it on a map so I know what it is.

Charles

 

[iamunique127]

Is that a "thing" in Point Roberts to operate mail services for folks in Canada. I have looked at it on a map so I know what it is.

Charles

It is a bordertown thing across the country. It is actually quite common for Canadians to use parcel services and post offices to receive parcels on the US side thereby saving the cost of international shipping, eliminating the time items are stuck in customs and often avoiding Federal and provincial taxes if you live close enough to pop across the border to pick up items yourself.

 

[Ron in BC]

Is that a "thing" in Point Roberts to operate mail services for folks in Canada. I have looked at it on a map so I know what it is.

Charles

As above, not only to avoid international shipping but to avoid any shipping costs. Lot's of times the item will ship free within the lower 48. Customs used to be a thing but then they raised the limit and stopped considering themselves tax collectors so normally a lot of items come in duty free whereas if they came through shipping there're be fees and taxes.

If you looked up Point Roberts you'd have seen what a strange situation that is. One of those questionable decisions made by the Boundary Commission. About half the residents are Canadian and during Covid that created a real problem for them.

 

[zephirus]

Not sure if all trailers have the EZ lube axel feature - so does this mean that every 5-6000 mi we should just be pumping some grease into the bearings?

 

[SRS]

Personally, and I have EZ lube, I plan to clean, inspect, and repack the bearing every few years. Puling the drums and visual inspection is the only way to determine the condition of the bearing, breaks shoes, and magnets. While that's an individual choice, there's a lot riding on good maintenance practices IMO.

 

[sumac.rhus (2017 17B)]

Hey Ron, how do you keep track of your mileage?
Paper log or what? I'm just looking for better ways
to keep track of it. All suggestions welcome.

Every time I tow my trailer, I swathed to my "Trip B" odometer.... At least I USUALLY remember to.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Not sure if all trailers have the EZ lube axel feature - so does this mean that every 5-6000 mi we should just be pumping some grease into the bearings?

Its quite easy to create problems with the EZ Lube. You have to jack the wheel so you can spin it, for even distribution of grease, and if its sitting hard on the bearings, there is enough play in the bearings that the grease seal might, might, allow grease past it and into the brakes. Its extremely common to find grease in the brakes on EZ Lube axles.

My opinion is to buy a seat of seals, and pull the wheel, the hub/drum, and remove and discard the seal and clean and repack the bearings. That way you have inspected them, know they are OK, there is no hub full of grease (which can cause heating of the hub). Dexter designed the EZ Lube for BOAT trailers. They never intended them to be used on non boat trailers.

I cleaned and packed my bearings in early 2024 before a couple of long trips. I will probably repack them again in the winter of 25-26 before I start traveling in 26.

I take the bearing and walk outside the shop with it, use a blow nozzle to blow out all the grease that will come out from between the rollers, and then soak them in mineral spirits. After a through swishing and shaking, I again blow them out to dry them, inspect them, and use a bearing packer to refill them with grease. I wipe all excess grease out of the hub and races and smear some new grease on the races and install the inner bearing and pound the new seal in place. Wipe the axle down including the seal surface and put a light coat of grease on the whole thing, slide the hub on, install the outer bearing, washer, nut and torque, spin, release, and then tighten the nut with just the weight of the rather long wrench. I aim for zero play. Install the cotter pin and put everything back together.

Dont forget to retorque the alloy wheels after 50 to 100 miles. If you did it properly to begin with, I find the retorque is almost a waste.

Charles

Good bearing packer.........................................Also good bearing packer

POS bearing packer

 

[Centex]

Its extremely common to find grease in the brakes on EZ Lube axles.

A bit of hyperbole, there, IMO. Not saying it doesn't happen, just respectfully disagree that it's "extremely common" when done properly.

I did an initial full clean & repack of EZ Lube wheels using procedures very similar to those you describe with 'red & tacky' grease to get to a known-good 'baseline'. No problem with 'seal blowout / leakage' using EZ Lube procedure subsequently. I do tow for a few miles before using the EZ Lube so the grease is 'warm' and diligently rotate the wheel when pumping-in fresh grease.

YMMV

 

[HABBERDABBER]

CharlesinGA​

I do agree with your POS opinion of that one bearing packer. It made me return to the dollop of grease in-the-palm hand method.

I mentioned this before, that on my 2016 E19 the grease seals were glued in place and were a bear to remove. I had to resort to heat to soften the adhesive. I don't know if Dexter is still gluing them in place. Speculation has it they were glued to prevent pop-out from over filling the grease cavity and contaminating the brake shoes.

 

[Ron in BC]

CharlesinGA​

It made me return to the dollop of grease in-the-palm hand method.

Nothing like that tactile experience of grease-in-palm. Also the ability to see grease being pushed out each individual roller.

Ron

 

[Jim Bennett]

At the first Escape Rally in 2010, Reace showed how to grease bearings using what here has been called a POS unit. I have quite successfully used one many times, but not as much as my hands.
Unless exposed to terrible conditions, such as pulled into deep water, properly maintained bearings will last a very long time, most I have never replaced.

 

[CharlesinGA]

The Bearing packer I showed, a Gearwrench branded, and its similar cousin, a Lisle bearing packer, work well. Fill them with grease, put the bearing in it, throw a rag over it to keep dirt out and step on it, or turn it sideways in the vise, or I use a small Arbor press to squeeze it. Its still messy but much less grease wasted. I use the excess grease to smear on the race and around the back end of the bearing after I put it in.

I started out working on General Aviation aircraft and that was the first thing I was shown was how to hand pack a bearing, but I already knew how, as my dad showed me when I was about 14 or so. Bought one of those metal cones, waste of money. Years later I bought a bearing packer off the Snap-On truck which is now the Gearwrench one, exact same.

Seals are not purposely glued in, they have a coating on the outside of them that melts and retains them when installed. I recently bought a seal remover hook, haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

Charles

 

[HABBERDABBER]

"Seals are not purposely glued in, they have a coating on the outside of them that melts and retains them when installed. I recently bought a seal remover hook, haven't had a chance to try it out yet."

I've got to disagree with you. MINE were glued in. I'd swapped bearing seals out numerous times on a sailboat trailer, and they just popped off. I mangled and destroyed a bearing using it to punch out the seal....unsuccessfully. I went to the auto parts store and bought a seal remover hook tool too. It didn't help one iota. I then used a propane torch to heat the seal area.....cast iron housing. It takes around 400F to soften the adhesive. Then they popped out.

Whatever "coating" you speak of sure does retain them incredibly well. Heat to seat the "coating" you mentioned? Heat is required to unseat it too.