wheel maintenance
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9092
Printed Date: 03 May 2024 at 8:05am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: wheel maintenance
Posted By: Hi-Line
Subject: wheel maintenance
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2016 at 7:31pm
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My r.pod 179 is a bit over a year old...I've pulled it about 5,500 miles. The Lippert axle brochure that came with the trailer says wheel bearings should be repacked at 12,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. The trailer shop in town (not an RV dealer) recommends repacking every 3 years, although they would agree with the 12,000 mile recommendation. Just wondering what others on this forum think/do? I'm planning a trip to AZ this winter (round trip 3,000 miles) and don't want to push my luck.
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Replies:
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2016 at 8:41pm
I purchased my 177 in March 2011. Every spring I use the zerk fitting and fill till full. In 2014 I did a repack, next spring I will repack again. Bearings still looked good (in 2014). Currently have about 25,000 miles on the pod.
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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2016 at 10:25pm
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We greased the bearings on our 2016 179 after 12,000 miles using the zerk fitting. A couple of thousand miles later, one of the bearings
failed. 4 or 5 hundred miles later I decided to replace the bearings in the other wheel which turned out to be unnecessary.
That being said, I wonder about the admonition to visually inspect and pack the bearings. That's easy enough to do for the outer bearing. However, it is impossible to inspect and pack the inner bearing without destroying the seal. My recommendation is to 1) remove and rebuild the hubs every 12,000 miles [cheap insurance] and 2) carry an extra hub, completely assembled along with a grease gun. At the same time, I have owned vehicles for over 55 years, driven hundreds of thousands of miles with no maintenance whatsoever to the bearings and the only time that I have ever had a problem with bearings was with a properly maintained bearing.
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2016 at 10:18am
I used the SuperLube fitting to grease the bearings on our 2016 179 this summer. I made sure to rotate the wheel while pumping in the grease and pumped it until I could see new grease coming out. After cleaning away the excess grease, I replaced the cover and we made another long trip with no incident. We will be taking off on another long trip which will be over 5,000 miles soon. I think I will be okay. I do feel the hubs and wheels when we stop. I have not noticed any unusual heat in either hub, so I think the bearings will be fine for this trip.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2016 at 11:24am
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Are there any YouTube videos showing the method for repacking the bearings for the type of hub in the R-Pods?
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Posted By: Hi-Line
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2016 at 11:50am
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Thanks everyone for the good advice!
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2016 at 12:04pm
Sure is a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s34pBejcQn0 - YouTube video !It is from Lippert, so it should be accurate.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2016 at 1:34pm
Video doesn't look to hard
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2016 at 5:11pm
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2016 at 5:31pm
The hardest part was figuring out how to lift the 'Pod so that I could rotate the wheel. My jacking block with a small floor jack did the trick.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2016 at 7:13pm
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The Lippert video shows how to lubricate the axle/bearings, it does not show how to pack the bearings. I'm not really sure that it necessary to REpack the bearings. I did exactly what the Lippert video shows, 2000 miles later a bearing failed. Could this have been prevented? Obviously, simply lubricating the bearings was not enough. Probably the bearing was compromised at the time that I lubricated it. It is likely that if I had actually removed the bearings I might have seen that one or more of the bearings was defective. For the minimal price of a new axle seal, you can actually remove the inner bearing, clean and inspect it and repack it. Better, just replace the bearings--$15-$20. None of this is rocket science.
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2016 at 7:32pm
In your case, just lubing the bearing was inadequate. So far, lubing has worked for me. However, if I remember to do so, I feel the hubs when we stop. If one side were hotter than the other, I would suspect trouble. So far, I have not noticed anything unusual. I will have to remember to carry a non-contact thermometer to get a more accurate reading of hub and tire temperatures on our next trip.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2016 at 9:14am
I had a starcraft pop up until i just purchased a 2017.5 rp 172. I always worried about the bearings whenever i was traveling. I always monitored the temperature of the hubs whenever i stopped anywhere. I would simply touch the hub and see it it felt over warm. It should never feel hot, or even very warm. I went to lake george New York, about 4 hours drive, and when i stopped, the hubs felt almost the same as when its been parked for a week. Bearings won't normally just go, there will be gradual warning signs if you bother to read them. Heat is a very bad thing with bearings.
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2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding
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Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2016 at 9:18am
Originally posted by StephenH
I will have to remember to carry a non-contact thermometer to get a more accurate reading of hub and tire temperatures on our next trip.
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This is a great idea, i wish i thought of it. Once i get an idea of what a " normal " temperature is, it will be really easy to track. Thats what is great about forums, people thinking outloud.
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2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding
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