Packing Bearings

[Edmo]

I own a 28' Coachman Futura which I bought second hand 2 months ago. I am interested in repacking the bearings and would like any info that would help...

I plan to do the work myself as I am mechanically inclined. However, I am new to campers so any tricks or hints would be appreciated.

We will be traveling with this trailer this summer from Anchorage, Alaska to Little Rock, Arkansas so I want to make sure I don't miss anything with the repack.

thanks
Edmo

28' 2000 Coachman Futura 2790TB pulled by a 2001 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4X4, V-10 automatic with 4.30 gears

[Edmo]

I own a 28' Coachman Futura which I bought second hand 2 months ago. I am interested in repacking the bearings and would like any info that would help...

I plan to do the work myself as I am mechanically inclined. However, I am new to campers so any tricks or hints would be appreciated.

We will be traveling with this trailer this summer from Anchorage, Alaska to Little Rock, Arkansas so I want to make sure I don't miss anything with the repack.

thanks
Edmo

28' 2000 Coachman Futura 2790TB pulled by a 2001 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4X4, V-10 automatic with 4.30 gears

[pulltoy]

Nothing to it. Just messy. Get lots of paper towels. Take the hub/drum off. Be sure to catch the outer bearing before it hits the dirt. Pop the grease seal off the inside of the hub and remove the inner bearing. Clean everything (The spindle too) with your favorite solvent. Get as much out of the bearings as possible. Do not spin the bearings without grease as they are easier to damage that way than you might think.

Once you have cleaned everything, examine the bearings and races to see if they are scored or burned. You can pack grease into the bearings by hand using a sort of scrape/push method with the palm of the hand, or buy a bearing packing tool and use a grease gun. I have the tool and prefer to use my hand. I didn't find the tool any faster or less messy. This step is crucial. You must get grease worked completely through the bearing to push out any old grease and solvent and to ensure that new grease is completely filling the bearing interior spaces. Once that is done, working from the back side first, stuff a liberal quantity of grease into the cavity in the hub. Coat the outside of the bearing and put it in place. Put more grease on top of the bearing and fill up the new grease seal as well.

Put the new grease seal in place and tap it down flush with the inner hub surface with a clean block of wood and a hammer. Make sure the lip of the seal has a layer of grease on it. Turn the drum over. Put more grease into the hub cavity. The idea is to get a liberal amount in there, but not to fill up every space. There needs to be some room for expansion or the seals will pop/leak.

Gently slide the drum/hub back onto the spindle and put the outer bearing in place. Put a little more grease around the bearing area, then install the washer and nut on the spindle. Now you need to pre-load the bearings.

With a set of channel-locks or a big wrench, tighten the nut while turning the drum. Tighten hand tight. Without moving the drum at all, loosen the nut until completely loose. Tighten with your fingertips only until tight. If you are lucky, a gap in the nut will line up with the hole in the spindle and you can install a new Cotter pin. If it doesn't quite line up, take the first alignment in the looser direction. Tap on the dust cap and you're done. Clean up the mess.

[skipper]

Do as Pull Toy said but see what Pre load if for your set up look at tag found on axel call for info . Pre load with torque wrench to speck and loosen to hand tight as per Pull Toy. also use paint thiner (mineril sperit at wall-mart about 1.50 gal wash dry and make sure to inspect brakes and don't let grease get on brake shoes .Get new greas seals and carry at least one set of bearings and race in a can of wheel bearing lub seal and mark also a extra cotterpin . Take off hub caps so you can feel hubs on trip and inspect caps . covers look fine but could let you down leav them home and if you sell the rig put them back on then. LOL Skipper P.S check and tighten lugnuts and after about fifty miles do it again .

99 DCTD 3500 PAC-Brake Line x 5spd guages SW- EGT,Boost,FP
95 American Star 5th w/ 1 slide.

[KLS]

http://www.dexteraxle.com/pdf_files/...s-Bearings.pdf

http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/bearings.html

http://www.sunlinerv.com/faq/bearings.asp



Ken

[pulltoy]

The "tight as you can get by hand" torque setting for pre-loading the bearings is from the Dexter web page. If there is a torque rating, they don't mention one.

[Rich & Zara]

I saw this bit of information when the topic was started but didn't give it much mind until now. Knowing that I need to repack, I thought that I'd save a buck or two. I usually keep close watch on preventative maintenance but this one has slipped through the crack ...has never been done since it was purchased new in January 98 ...at least 20,000 miles ago.

Pulltoy and the others make the job sound so simple, therefore, I'm going to get my hands in a greasy mess by doing it myself.

Thanks guys!

Rich

Our RV trip to Alaska

iRV2.com Member #216
98 Nash 23-5R (Northwood) 5th wheel - 97 GMC 1-ton dually
Bremerton Elk's #1181 Travel n' Fun club
Amateur Radio: Rich- KH2JA ex-KA2RD and Zara- KA7QLV
Rich & Zara both U.S. Navy Retired
Vietnam Veterans Association

[robertsonthego]

My 2 cents. I agree with almost everything pulltoy said. Except the part about packing the hubs. I have done hundreds of wheel bearing jobs, have had one come back because early on I reused a tang washer and the tang broke off 1000 miles down the road. I do not put very much grease in the hub at all, just grease the bearings liberally, grease the lip of the seal and install. Voila your done. I had a customer who was commercial, went 20,000 miles between service, no problems. Good luck. John

[Edmo]

Gents,

I'm proud to say we spent a month on our move/vacation from Anchorage to Little Rock and the bearings ran cool for all 5,500 miles. It was a great trip for the family and everything worked as advertised.

Thanks for all of the inputs and techniques.

Edmo

28' 2000 Coachman Futura 2790TB Travel Trailer
2001 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4X4, V-10 automatic with 4.30 gears

[Rich & Zara]

Edmo ...was the bearing repack job done? ...and did you do it yourself? If so, how many hours did you spend on the job? ...and would you do it yourself the next time?

Nice to hear you had a 'cool' trip.

Rich

Our RV trip to Alaska

iRV2.com Member #216
98 Nash 23-5R (Northwood) 5th wheel - 97 GMC 1-ton dually
Bremerton Elk's #1181 Travel n' Fun club
Amateur Radio: Rich- KH2JA ex-KA2RD and Zara- KA7QLV
Rich & Zara both U.S. Navy Retired
Vietnam Veterans Association

[jim&kathy]

rich and zara, when i do mine it takes the better part of 1 day. i know others can do it quicker, but i like to take my time and inspect everything on the suspension. also check the brakes and wires and then adjust brakes. while i have the tire off, my wife takes it to have it balanced. when i am done i feel confident i won't have any problems.
jim

y2k f250 psd red rino liner 2002 cardinal 5vr

[Arctic Owl]

My son got me a new Bearing Packer for my birthday. I have not used it yet but he tells me after I use it I will never use any other way again. It is From 'Blue Point' and it is called an 'E-Z Squeeze Bearing Packer, part #YA-470A. It is a 4second operation & flushes out the old grease with new. No air hose necessary. Packs 50 to 65 bearings with 1 filling. Made of Space Age Materials. 2 year warranty. I am looking forward to trying it the next time I do my bearings.
Just thought I would pass on the information for those interested.

Reg Reich. (Arctic Owl)

38ft Snowvilla. Triple Glides. 99 F-350 CC PSD to tow anywhere, anytime.
!!!!!! "RETIRED" !!!!!!.

[Rich & Zara]

Another place to get a good bearing packer is at TOOLDESK.com and you will find a lot more goodies there that has been talked about here on iRV2.com.

Rich

Our RV trip to Alaska

iRV2.com Member #216
98 Nash 23-5R (Northwood) 5th wheel - 97 GMC 1-ton dually
Bremerton Elk's #1181 Travel n' Fun club
Amateur Radio: Rich- KH2JA ex-KA2RD and Zara- KA7QLV
Rich & Zara both U.S. Navy Retired
Vietnam Veterans Association

[Edmo]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rich & Zara:
Edmo ...was the bearing repack job done? ...and did you do it yourself? If so, how many hours did you spend on the job? ...and would you do it yourself the next time?

Nice to hear you had a 'cool' trip.

Rich
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I did the repack myself prior to the trip. It took me 3-4 hours. Spent the morning getting the supplies: bearings, grease, seals, cotter pins, brake cleaner spray, and lots of paper towels. All of my bearings were still in mint condition so I kept one set as a spare and took the new ones back. The afternoon was given to the job.

You will need something to act as a solvent to help melt the old grease... I used a can of gas , but mineral spirits will work. Several have posted web links to dexter axle and others... These have a wealth of knowledge.

Good luck!
Edmo

28' 2000 Coachman Futura 2790TB Travel Trailer
2001 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4X4, V-10 automatic with 4.30 gears