Ultralube on 2010 Scamp

[skephart]

I have a question regarding my new 2010 Scamp. I picked it up at the factory in October and winterized in after our Thanksgiving trip to Califronia and managed to put just under 5,000 miles on it. It has the Ultralube on the axle for greasing the wheel bearings. The axle manual says to lube every 6,000 miles or 6 months and the says the hubs and components should be disassembled yearly and inspected. Does anyone have a minimum of miles before it should be disassembled.

[Nancy]

We have Easy Lube axles, is that the same? Our unit is the older 05 model. After finding the correct grease we shoot 3 pumps on the grease gun into each side. The old grease starts to come out, so you know you have enough in there. We generally travel 5,000 miles a year (one long and one very short), and do the grease thing once a year before traveling.


Oops. We have never disassembled for yearly inspection. Looking forward to reading others posts, and learning about Ultralube.

Nancy

[Ray N]

I never did understand the E-Z Lube service procedures. In one place they advertise it as a "complete bearing repack" with "no disassembly required." But in another place they say that you should still inspect the bearings yearly for wear and damage. If you need to inspect them yearly you also need to clean and repack them - so where's the savings? Except, I doubt if you really need to inspect them yearly as long as you keep them lubed with the correct grease and change it out every year or two using the zerk fittings.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Ray N

I never did understand the E-Z Lube service procedures. In one place they advertise it as a "complete bearing repack" with "no disassembly required." But in another place they say that you should still inspect the bearings yearly for wear and damage. If you need to inspect them yearly you also need to clean and repack them - so where's the savings? Except, I doubt if you really need to inspect them yearly as long as you keep them lubed with the correct grease and change it out every year or two using the zerk fittings.

It's called CYA, I use my E-Z Lube for maintenance and hand inspect them when the brakes need serviced.
I checked and repacked them when new at home after 600 miles, serviced the brakes and hand repacked the bearings at 30,000 miles, otherwise I have used the EZ Lube, I LOVE EM! [50,000 miles of towing over 7 years]

BTW; I repacked the front wheel bearings on my truck for the first time at 100,000miles when replacing the brakes. I plan to do it again on about the same schedule.

[skephart]

Originally Posted by floyd

It's called CYA, I use my E-Z Lube for maintenance and hand inspect them when the brakes need serviced.
I checked and repacked them when new at home after 600 miles, serviced the brakes and hand repacked the bearings at 30,000 miles, otherwise I have used the EZ Lube, I LOVE EM! [50,000 miles of towing over 7 years

Thanks to everyone. It looks like I don't need to worry about an annual inspection. I will be putting on about 10,000 miles a year on the Scamp so I was not sure how often I should inspect the bearings. Maybe every other year.

[Nancy]

Steve, Besides topping off the grease every season we also check for heat at gas stops. We bought one of those infra red thermometers. When we can't find that (we can seldom find that), we just touch the axle to see if it is hot. We sort of got in the habit of visually checking tires all around often too, and probably check tire pressure more often than most people.

Have fun with your rig this season. We just had snow again today. Enough.

Nancy

[Marg]

I have always, always had my wheel bearings cleaned, inspected and greased between 3000-4000 miles. It is hard to keep track of mileage, but a log book stuck inside a cupboard with the registration is a fairly easy way to keep track of mileage. I also, take my trailer for a short excursion about three times each winter, when there is no snow on the ground. I don't like the idea of it sitting around all winter with the wheel bearings not used. It may be just a silly idea of mine, but I have seen many trailers, of all sorts, parked along the highway during the years with one wheel off because that bearing got hot. I think, for the money I pay to get the bearings taken care of is good insurance for me. Marg

[Peter_Crowl]

I asked Redneck about it when I bought the 3.500# Dexter axle for the Amerigo. They basically said - you can get it but it only lubes the rear bearing - you still have to disassemble to service the front and check both.
So with that I passed on EZ Lube

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Peter_Crowl

I asked Redneck about it when I bought the 3.500# Dexter axle for the Amerigo. They basically said - you can get it but it only lubes the rear bearing - you still have to disassemble to service the front and check both.
So with that I passed on EZ Lube

They were basically wrong

[Greg H]

Originally Posted by floyd

They were basically wrong

But Floyd that would be the new American way, Pay more for something that only does half of the job.

[Darwin Maring]

Look here:
RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Verdict on EZ Lube / Ultra Lube Axles from Dexter and AL-KO?

My worry is having grease to come out the back and getting on the brakes. I just do a couple of squirts on each hub each trip.

[Ray N]

Yeah, whoever "Redneck" is he/they were totally wrong about it only greasing the back bearing. Look at the Dexter information to see how it really works. When you pump it in the excess grease comes out the front, past both bearings.
The inspection part is still valid as we've discussed, but many people go more than a year between these with no problem.

I too am a bit concerned about grease getting past the grease seal and onto the brakes. I'm very careful when I replace the hub that I don't bang the seal and put a dent in it where the grease could get past.

[Peter_Crowl]

Originally Posted by Ray N

Yeah, whoever "Redneck" is he/they were totally wrong about it only greasing the back bearing.

Redneck Trailer Supplies

[Darwin Maring]

I have a son in law who calls the parts desk to ask and debate which brake pads to install on his car. What he should really do is to talk with a master mechanic not a parts guy that may be minimum age or older and may or may not know jack #$%@ about brake pads other than their stock number and location.

The same may apply to the Redneck answer. Did U discuss it with a master mechanic or a skol bandit between the lower lip and his tooth kind of guy.

[Darwin Maring]

Tooth kind of guy. That is where the Tooth Brush got it's name.

[Peter_Crowl]

The person I spoke with handles all of the axle orders for the Colorado Branch
I'm not in this to defend or refute- I just post what I was advised by a Dexter Dealer.

[Darwin Maring]

Pete, It's not your fault that you got someone on the other end of the phone that doesn't know how the EZ Lube axle works even though he is the one that orders them. He is a clerk not a mechanic.

http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/1080235/f/..._Lube_3-09.pdf

[Peter_Crowl]

I was standing right at their counter.
I didn't participate in this thread to be admonished.
These people work with Dexter axles every day.
You read a catalog page.
Please stop this.

[Sharon G]

Be careful with the grease gun, though. I got a little too energetic with mine and blew out the seal and ruined the electric brake on one side of my trailer.

[Ray N]

Pete,
I'm sorry we I sounded like I was admonishing you; I really wasn't. I was just trying to set the record straight. I don't think anyone had anything bad to say against you personally.
Sorry again.