Check those wheel bearings . . .

[tpenfield]

I've been doing a bit of checking on my tri-axle trailer the past few days, as I'll probably be using it to pull the boat out of the water in the next few weeks.

I've felt that the surge brakes were not really working in previous uses of the trailer. Yesterday, I hit the calipers with a little bit of PB Blaster and took the trailer on on the (private) road that leads to the house. I did a few quick stops just to exercise the master cylinder, then did the typical test of trying to push the trailer up a slight grade with the disc lock-out disconnected. The brakes work . . . I had the truck burning some rubber just to try to get the rig to move backwards.

Today I thought to grease the hubs, since they have not been greased since the trailer was new amost 2 years ago. (not many miles though . . . maybe 100 ). Well, of the 6 wheels, I found 4 of them had grease fittings, the other 2 did not. Upon closer inspection, the hub/axle had the tapped hole for the fitting, just no fitting (not good !?!?)

4 of the 6 wheels . . .

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2 of the wheels. . .

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A quick trip to town to get some grease zerks and all set.

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I'm glad that I checked, else bearing failure might have been right around the corner. As it is, I'll have to keep an eye on them.

These are 5,600 lb rated torsion axles (3 of them) . . . so each wheel would be handling 2,800 lbs.

 

[tpenfield]

Doing a little research on the axle/spindles . . . they are E-Z lube style, but I'm not sure they are 'E-Z Lube' brand (if that is a thing). The reason being is that everything I see about E-Z Lube online has the grease fitting centered in the spindle.

These fittings are off-center in the spindle. Just wondering if they are another brand. The place that I bought the trailer from tries/tried to use as many USA sourced parts as they can. But this trailer is from the COVID years and part sourcing was a challenge then.

Anyone know of what brand of spindle they might be?

 

[Lou C]

Not sure who makes the spindles but I think Dexter would be able to say who they sourced them from. I think the off set grease fitting is perhaps due to the fact that a hole also had to be drilled for the cotter pin to retain the axle nut. With this system there is a hole drilled all the way to the back side of the spindle so grease can flow to the back of the spindle out thru the inner bearing to the outer bearing. Some axles with the Super Lube style use a different retainer system for the axle nut instead of a cotter pin some use a tab washer with a tab that gets bent over to retain the axle nut. On these the grease fitting may be centered because no hole needs to be drilled for the cotter pin as on the other style.
My first axle that I had made for this trailer (3500 lbs) was set up that way with the tab washer & centered grease fitting. I eventually replaced that axle with a heavier duty axle (6,000 lb rating) this one used the cotter pin to retain the axle nut. Both the grease fitting & cotter pin are slightly off center so the holes miss each other so to speak. So I guess what you have is normal. Looks like Luca Red & Tacky grease.

 

[tpenfield]

Thanks, @Lou C I had not considered the cotter pin, but it makes perfect sense. I believe these spindles may be the Super-Lube (Tie Down) brand/style, but the concept is the same.

I've put a fair amount of grease in each wheel (25 pumps) but not sure how much grease I should be see coming out of the hub (if any). The middle wheel on the port side of the trailer is a bit suspect, as I had some rusty grease in the cap, but not sure if it was merely from the rusty cap. I should get some stainless steel caps.

 

[Lou C]

You should have to pump for a while but eventually the old grease will start coming out in a big slug of Red n Tacky…those hubs hold a lot of grease I usually buy several tubes of Lucas Marine grease (the blue stuff) at the same time. Might take close to a whole tube for each axle.
I had this same system on my 1st axle & over 17 years of use never had to replace the bearings just the seals a few times when I replaced the drum brake backing plates. Yes I still use surge drums they seem to hold up better than non stainless disc brakes from what I have seen here in Long Island.

 

[dingbat]

Thanks, @Lou C I had not considered the cotter pin, but it makes perfect sense. I believe these spindles may be the Super-Lube (Tie Down) brand/style, but the concept is the same.

I have a 1997 and 2023 Loadrite trailer with Tiedown Sure-Lube axles. 1997 is center. 2023 is offset. Info is here

https://www.loadrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Castle-Nut-V3.pdf

I've put a fair amount of grease in each wheel (25 pumps) but not sure how much grease I should be see coming out of the hub (if any).

1/2 tube of grease per axle.
Remove plastic cap and pump until you get fresh grease coming out of the hub. Put plastic plug back in

https://www.loadrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/SuperLubeHubManual.pdf

The middle wheel on the port side of the trailer is a bit suspect, as I had some rusty grease in the cap, but not sure if it was merely from the rusty cap. I should get some stainless steel caps.

Have never once seen rust coming from the cap.

Your back seal is leaking and the bearing is rusting from sitting in water ever since.

 

[tpenfield]

Thanks for the links . . . I'll have to pump more grease into that one bearing to see what I get out. Just got to buy a couple more tubes of grease

 

[Lou C]

Yep what I called a tab washer is the tang washer exactly what I had on the first axle.
If you pump out all the grease if any look milky or rusty it’s time to take apart & inspect, might have to do the bearings & races. I usually grease em at the end of the season when I pull the boat out that way if there is a problem it’s not sitting like that all winter & ready to go in spring.
BTW the 5200/6000 lb 6 lug hubs hold a lot more grease than the 3500 lb 5 lug hubs.

 

[tpenfield]

Found some more marine grease . . .

Aahhh Phooey !!!


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Lots of brown grease came out of the hub. So, this will be on the off-season list for replacement. For now I pumped grease until I got clean grease coming out. Will be checking the other wheels, but this one was the only wheel showing brown grease inside the dust cap.

 

[jlh3rd]

Doing a little research on the axle/spindles . . . they are E-Z lube style, but I'm not sure they are 'E-Z Lube' brand (if that is a thing). The reason being is that everything I see about E-Z Lube online has the grease fitting centered in the spindle.

These fittings are off-center in the spindle. Just wondering if they are another brand. The place that I bought the trailer from tries/tried to use as many USA sourced parts as they can. But this trailer is from the COVID years and part sourcing was a challenge then.

Anyone know of what brand of spindle they might be?

I have a '01, tandem karavan trailer. Karavan made me a new axle few years ago as a spindle was messed up on the one axle.
Karavan calls their system Sure lube but it is the same principle as EZ lube.
The original axle has the zerk in the center, the new axle has the zerk off center.
I don't think it matters.

 

[Lou C]

Time to drag out the bearing race removal & replacement tools
BTW
Those 6 lug hubs all have the same inner bearings. What makes the difference is the outer diameter of the outer bearings. If you need to replace them just match up the numbers on the bearing.
Smallest is the 5200 lb axle, next up is the 6000 lb these are both on 6 lug hubs. Biggest is the 7000 lb axle these have 8 lug hubs. But the spindles & inner bearings are all the same for all three. Then make sure you get the right size grease seals. There are different inner diameter seals (2.25” is common but some used a smaller 2.125" ID seal).

 

[Lou C]

Bearings for 5.2, 6 & 7k Axles - Trailer Parts Superstore Blog

Replacing Trailer Bearings can be a confusing process but some are a little more confusing than others. The 5.2k, 6k & 7K 1.25″ bearings are a prime example of this. The key reason for this confusion is that all three share an identical inside diameter of 1.25″ but are rated for different weight...

blog.easternmarine.com

Here u go all you need to know lol.

 

[tpenfield]

Yes, I have the 5,200 lb rated axles (not the 5,600 as I stated previously) Total gross capacity of the trailer is 15,600 . . . net about 14,600 lbs.

I'm taking the boat out on Sept 29th, but won't have time to do the R&R on the bearing until afterwards. As is, it should survive the 2 mile round trip to the ramp & back.

 

[Alumarine]

I bought an axle a few years ago and it it had Rockwell Posi-Lube hubs.
These have an offset zerk and they have channels for the grease to flow through so there is not a cavity that needs to be filled.
I like them better than other types I've had.

 

[tpenfield]

I got a couple of grease tubes and proceeded to pump the other axles with more grease.

Looks like I’ll be replacing bearings on 2 wheels, not just one. The original grease Zerks are the pressed-in type and one of them came off with the grease gun.

I’m thinking that I should replace them all with the threaded zerks of the next size up.

 

[bruceb58]

Do yourself a huge favor and pull the hubs and manually inspect the bearings and hand pack each hub. Do not rely on the LAZ-Lube system.