Spring maintenance |
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shroomer
Senior Member Joined: 24 Aug 2013 Location: New Haven, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 236 |
Topic: Spring maintenance Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 6:01am |
Thanks all for the discussion. I'll probably pass on it this season since I haven't been racking up the miles, but the idea of having the brakes checked and bearings repacked sounds good. I've done bearings on light trailers in the past but will probably pass on doing this one myself.
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Larry and Debbie w/Rosie the mutt. Old: '13 177, '06 Silverado V6
New: '15 Whitehawk 20MRB '14 Silverado V8 |
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Sleepless
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jun 2013 Location: Titusville, FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 556 |
Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 7:55am |
Many years ago I bought a bearing packer that is a real time-saver. Once the bearing is clean, you place it in the packer and "inject" the grease with a regular grease gun. Back then, it only cost a few dollars, but is probably still under $10.00. Works great on all bearing, including cars, bikes, trailers, etc.
Bob |
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2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD)
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
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Jdub
Groupie Joined: 17 Mar 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 94 |
Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 8:45am |
Did this on my raft trailer last year...once you do one the second is simple. YouTube has a ton of videos on how to do it. I didn't buy a packer but I will before I do this again next time.
I did this for the trailer cause it gets dunked in the water. I hadn't thought about it for the rpod. Is there a miles or time interval as a rule of thumb?
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ron_whitt
Senior Member Joined: 08 Sep 2011 Location: Chesterville On Online Status: Offline Posts: 261 |
Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 9:52am |
Good question Jdub, I'll be starting my 3rd year with the EHH R pod. No long trips but numerous 3-4 hour one way trips, plus lots of 1-2 hour one way trips. Is it time to re-pack bearings and check the brakes?
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Ron & Shirley
2020 Tacoma 2012 177 rpod |
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kymooses
Senior Member Joined: 01 Aug 2010 Location: Louisville, Ky Online Status: Offline Posts: 1807 |
Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 10:09am |
If you go to etrailer.com they have every video that I learned from. There are probably 5 or 6 videos and you kinda have to watch them all to see every single step but once you do it's really easy.
And yuh after you do the first wheel the 2nd one is just a breeze. I could maybe get the DW to film while I do it but yuh I wouldn't be able to shoot much vid myself, tis a dirty but rewarding job! |
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wingnut2312
Senior Member Joined: 25 Aug 2013 Location: MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 231 |
Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 10:33am |
Sounds like marriage...lol
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2014 rpod 182G
Ford Expedition |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062 |
Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 6:27pm |
Some recommend repacking annually no matter what, but my opinion is that is excessive for a camper. It isn't submerged like a boat trailer, and most people put well under 1000 miles a year on it.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Sleepless
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jun 2013 Location: Titusville, FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 556 |
Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 7:18pm |
This might be a good time to mention that R-Pods are equipped with Super-Lube hubs. Although the web site for these claims that they eliminate the need for repacking the bearings because they replace the old grease with new (their claim, not mine), I question if this is factual. http://www.tiedown.com/pdf/c718.pdf
Any comments? Bob |
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2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD)
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
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Bill-GA
Senior Member Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Cumming, GA Online Status: Offline Posts: 214 |
Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 7:47pm |
Bob, when I first got my R-Pod I watched a video which appeared to just shoot grease into the bearing via the nipple fitting. I did this until grease came out the front as demonstrated. ... All seemed fine (I drove about 3,000 miles) until I noticed some braking variations ... When I openned the hub, it seems I must have been pumping grease into the wheel hub as the hub and curbside brakes were full of grease - it took 2 cans of brake cleaner spray and a roll of paper towels to clean. I've since noticed another video that says to SPIN WHEEL when pumping ( as does the manual in your link above). OK I did it wrong. However, I have since become very cautious about just pumping blindly and assuming the grease is going where it should and not coming out thru the seal .... Last spring I hand packed the bearings and I KNEW enough grease was in the right place. Gave me a lot of confidence heading out to parts unknown. I will repack them again this spring.
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Bill & Bev
13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa' 2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out) 2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV |
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Sleepless
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jun 2013 Location: Titusville, FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 556 |
Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 8:40pm |
Most of us that fish and shrimp submerge our boat trailers in salt water 2 or 3 times a week use Bearing Buddies on our trailers. Although these are excellent for maintaining low positive pressure in the hubs to prevent salt water entry, we still repack our bearings about once a year. My last boat trailer came with oil-lubricated bearing, that eliminated the need for grease and repacking.
The Super-Lube system seems to fall somewhere in-between these two. It seems to me that if used properly, it will reduce the frequency of repacking, but may not necessarily eliminate the need. If the seals are in good condition, grease would not be able to contaminate the brakes unless the there is excessive free play in the hub assembly, caused by the spindle nut not properly tightened. Again, I don't know anything about this system other than what I have read on the manufacturer's web site. Bob |
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2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD)
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
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