My new-to-me 2006 Gearbox 22FB toy hauler has the EZ Lube feature. My service guy just called to say the back bearings (I assume he means inner bearings) are dry. Based on the way he described the EZ Lube feature the outer bearing get lube but not the inner.

Does that sound right?

 

It should flow both ways and given how often it goes past the rear seal into the linings I believe you will find it does. When you pump through the zerk it comes out in the hub and fills the hub before starting to exit at the front.

Steve

 

How often should I check the bearings to make sure the lubrication is actually getting where it should?

Is it possible to put too much grease in?

 

This is a debated issue.

I am in the camp that does not feel the advantages of using the EZ lube features outweigh the potential for pumping grease onto the brake shoes and drums as I have seen this frequently. Also, if you use EZ lube, do you ever break down your hubs and check the drums and shoes?

Others take the position that if you are careful and do it right, EZ is a real advance.

I break all my hubs down once a year in the late fall. For me, it is just part of my routine maintenance. I think everyone has to decide for themselves.

Steve

 

The service guy mentioned that it was possible to get the grease on the brakes. So I'll have to be careful.

I'm rather **** about brakes so I'm likely to open them up once a year just to check the brakes. I guess I'll check the bearings as long as I'm there. I need to learn how to do that on a trailer axle. I'm not familiar with electric brakes.

 

Once you get this down, it is pretty basic. I keep a set of rear seals and just pop out the old, grease the bearings and pop them back in along with a new seal. I focus a lot of attention on this issue because it is such a pain if you have a bearing go up in smoke on the Interstate.

Again this is just me. Lots of folks feel differently.

Steve

 

I'd be sure to pull them and clean them and repack and a new seal about every 10K

 

if E-Z Lube was smart.. they could add a pressure release valve ..to prevent blowing out the inner seal...

and YES, travel trailer or boat trailers.. over use or under use of E-Z lube is major cause of bearing failures....
and non E-Z Lube type products has even more bearing failures.

Drum Brakes are easy. been around for 100 years.. Trailer brakes just add a wired magnet. and it just needs inspection.
and most do not have self-adjusters.. so easier and less parts.

if you use a temperature gun.. for tires and hubs... if hubs start going up more the 25 degrees of normal .. you need to look at the bearings.

for my setup.. tires run 20 degrees above Air Temperature... and hubs run 30 degrees above Air temperature.


** BUT if you have used the trailer brakes hard in the past 10 minutes*** the hub temperature will be higher.

add/allow 10 degrees for the Side facing the Sun while driving.

my opinion.

 

I think one of the most valuable measures is hub to hub comparison of temperatures. Although there is no way to give hard numbers that fit everyone given multiple difference between campers that can affect temperatures, I find all my hubs run almost exactly the same temperature, that less than five degrees between them.

Steve

 

This weekend I measure 130 to 127 F. By the time I measured the hubs on the drivers side and got around to the other side I get a 3-4 deg drop off in temps.


Ambient temps outside was mid 80's.


As a comparison rear truck was 180's and fronts was 234F.