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Old 01-30-2013, 02:42 PM   #1
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Trailer Lube by a Newbie

Sorry to bore you "old hands", but the mfgrs. don't respond too well. I purchased a new 5er in Oct. A 2013 model built in '12. Am planning a fairly long trip would like to ensure axles are fully lubricated. Has bearing buddies installed. Question is...how do I tell when "enough is enough"? On a boat trailer I had many years ago, I could see the "old" grease ooze out until I saw new grease. Don't see where this will work on this trailer. Any help would be appreciated.

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Old 01-30-2013, 03:35 PM   #2
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If your trailer has brakes, be very careful NOT to push enough grease into the bearings to squeeze out the seal and contaminate the brakes. I would add just one or two pumps of grease to the BB. After driving an hour, check temp of the hub to see if you need to add more.
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Old 01-30-2013, 05:45 PM   #3
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I would agree that Bering Buddies are easy to over-grease. IMO, they really only belong on boat trailers where a hot bearing hub is submerged in water and cools so quickly that water is drawn into the bearing cavity.

The answer to your question is to look very closely at the plate in the BB that has the grease fitting threaded into the center. That plate should be recessed deep into the BB. Observe it closely when you add grease and you'll see that it moves toward you and compresses a spring as more grease is added. Only add enough grease to cause the plate to move very slightly outward. In the boat trailer application, this spring maintains a pressure on the bearing and must be compressed far enough so it does not bottom out when the housing cools. If your RV bearings ever get submerged, you've got bigger problems than wheel bearings.

Dexter axles on my 2013 KZ Stoneridge are "Never Lube" permanently lubricated bearings just like cars and trucks have had for several decades!
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Old 01-30-2013, 08:50 PM   #4
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Bearing Buddy cups do not belong on wheels with brake shoes. Any pressure on the grease (and hot grease expands) will eventually push grease past the grease seal and into the brake hub. I even have the EZ lube axles from the manufacturer and never use them for that reason. Axle manufacturers recommend removing the bearings, clean and inspect, every 12 months or 12,000 miles. I've done that every year/12k miles and have never found a dry bearing (lacking grease).
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