Trailer brakes

[hosspuller]

Does just lubing E-Z lube axles until new grease flows out count as repacking the bearings?

Some folks may have had good service from EZ-lube but this is what I got from previous owner.'

 

[Diamondpilot]

I bought a 20' Diamond C trailer last month. When I asked the dealer about lubing the EZ lube axles he said 'DON'T!!' He claims that lubing these axles forces grease past the seals and onto the brakes. He recommended a yearly teardown and re-pack of the bearings.

That's not happening. I have been lubing these types of axles with the grease gun for years with no ill effects. And in that time, I've probably towed five to ten thousand miles per year. In the future, I plan to jack up the wheel being lubed and spin it as I pump the grease. This should help the grease get through the bearings instead of through the seals.

Anyone every tear down their properly lubed axles and find grease all over the brakes?

Yes, all the time.

I do about 20 trailers a year. We find rear seal failures often.

I still use the ez lube feature a few times a year but a full tear down takes place every other year.

Chris

 

[newbury]

<snip> In the future, I plan to jack up the wheel being lubed and spin it as I pump the grease. This should help the grease get through the bearings instead of through the seals.

Anyone every tear down their properly lubed axles and find grease all over the brakes?

I bought my trailer/B7610 tractor combo in 2009 and didn't use the trailer again until 2014. My Hudson trailer was a 2007 model used for a lawn service and may have never been lubed. In 2014 I opened up the axles and repacked by hand to make sure everything was good, checked the magnets etc.. Grease was not "all over" the brakes. It actually looked like in very good condition despite setting in the same place from 2009 to 2014.

Since then I've lubed it about once a year or every other year by jacking up it up and spinning while lubing until the grease came out. I thought that was the recommended procedure. I only haul it for about one to three trips to and from Mississippi each year, so less than 5,000 miles per year.

My only "problem" was the "Rubber Plug EZ-Lube Grease Caps", I've had to replace ALL 4 and it must have cost me $5 total since 2009. They had gotten hard and cracking. Probably need to buy some more.

 

[frugalangler]

I recently had a bearing failure on a Ranger boat trailer - one of the oil filled hubs. Ranger has since quit using them, and supplied me replacements from Tie Down Engineering - the Vortex lifetime hubs. I'm just a little skeptical, but gonna see how they do. They claim 100K miles or 6 (may now be 7 year warranty. Here's their video:

 

[RobertN]

The survey found that 52 percent of reported crashes occurred five miles or less from home and a whopping 77 percent occurred fifteen miles or less from home.
Claims Survey Finds There's No Place Like Home - For Vehicle Crashes

But each time I do use it the brakes and controller seem funky. But for short hauls around town it isn't a problem. Grease the bearings yearly..........I don't think so. ....just sayin'
Cheers,
Mike

 

[Fallon]

The survey found that 52 percent of reported crashes occurred five miles or less from home and a whopping 77 percent occurred fifteen miles or less from home.
Claims Survey Finds There's No Place Like Home - For Vehicle Crashes

I'm gonna guess around 50% of the average drivers driving occurs within 5 miles of home & 75% within 15 miles of home. So those numbers might not be as relevant as most people make them out to be.

 

[Quickster2]

I recently had a bearing failure on a Ranger boat trailer - one of the oil filled hubs. Ranger has since quit using them, and supplied me replacements from Tie Down Engineering - the Vortex lifetime hubs. I'm just a little skeptical, but gonna see how they do. They claim 100K miles or 6 (may now be 7 year warranty. Here's their video:

I replaced my hubs with new Vortex, my friend's Lund has them as well. They work as advertised IMO. Mine are now several years old and nary a problem. I do follow their recommendations about the specific Lucas grease as well as follow their directions when lubing the hubs each spring. I like how you lube them from the rear bearing to the front vs. an easy lube type of hub. A bit of a PIA but I lube mine before I take the boat off of blocks in the spring. You don't need much grease.

 

[1stDeuce]

FYI, an ez-lube axle also lubes from the rear bearing to the front. The grease travels through the spindle to a hole between the inner bearing and seal... The better seal of the vortex is nice though...

If you spin them while pumping slowly, you won't have seal issues. If you feed them a lot of grease quickly, you may push out the seal.