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Dexter easy lube axles

rockdog57

rockdog57

Getto fab garage owner
Joined
May 21, 2020
Member Number
868
Messages
574
Loc
Lindon, Utah
I have these on my fifth wheel. Had em on my last one also. On the old one I put new brakes on it then pumped grease thru the zerks. Filled the drums with grease. So I cleaned em up and just hand packed the bearings. No more problems.
So on the trailer I have now I ran into a video explaining how to grease these axles. Jack up the wheel and spin it while pumping grease in slowly until grease comes out of the outer bearing. I just pulled one of the hubs because my prodigy controller was giving me a 5H code. The thing is covered in grease. What the hell am I doing wrong? Do these just not work as advertised? I’ve got new self adjusting brakes coming and don’t want to destroy $250 worth of brakes. Have any of you guys used these axles with success? Tips on how you do it if you do?
 
rockdog57 said:
I have these on my fifth wheel. Had em on my last one also. On the old one I put new brakes on it then pumped grease thru the zerks. Filled the drums with grease. So I cleaned em up and just hand packed the bearings. No more problems.
So on the trailer I have now I ran into a video explaining how to grease these axles. Jack up the wheel and spin it while pumping grease in slowly until grease comes out of the outer bearing. I just pulled one of the hubs because my prodigy controller was giving me a 5H code. The thing is covered in grease. What the hell am I doing wrong? Do these just not work as advertised? I’ve got new self adjusting brakes coming and don’t want to destroy $250 worth of brakes. Have any of you guys used these axles with success? Tips on how you do it if you do?
Click to expand...

Grease guns can actually make a lot of pressure. It's easy to blow seals out if not careful, especially the shitty qc trailer stuff.

Spinning the tire while pumping is the most correct way to grease a bearing. I was told that by a Timken bearing rep years ago.

My buddy ran a trailer repair/maintenance/fab shop for years and he said even he has pushed a seal out with those. If it were me, I'd pack the bearings, throw some extra grease in the cavity between the bearings, spindle and hub (they do not do this from the factory) call it good. The hit it with ~5 pumps every 6 months or so, depending on how much you use it.

Also:flipoff2:

IMG_20220630_175844.png
 
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YotaAtieToo said:
Grease guns can actually make a lot of pressure. It's easy to blow seals out if not careful, especially the shitty qc trailer stuff.

Spinning the tire while pumping is the most correct way to grease a bearing. I was told that by a Timken bearing rep years ago.

My buddy ran a trailer repair/maintenance/fab shop for years and he said even he has pushed a seal out with those. If it were me, I'd pack the bearings, throw some extra grease in the cavity between the bearings, spindle and hub (they do not do this from the factory) call it good. The hit it with ~5 pumps every 6 months or so, depending on how much you use it.

Also:flipoff2:

IMG_20220630_175844.png
Click to expand...
Mine didn’t take quite that much grease!😂
 
I have these on my PJ trailer. I did what instructions said BUT it only took around 4 pumps to show grease coming out of outer bearing and none leaked past seals.
 
TRINDU said:
People get way too over zealous with the grease gun. You wouldn't constantly pump grease into a D60
Click to expand...

Interesting, I had no idea it fed directly into the back bearing. Makes total sense that it would push the seal out before it would push grease out through the front bearing.
 
TRINDU said:
People get way too over zealous with the grease gun. You wouldn't constantly pump grease into a D60

99CAD193-F90F-4865-895C-4CCDB7D64F1C.jpg
Click to expand...
Actually I only did it one time as per the guys on the videos I watched. One being the manufacturers. That’s why I wondered if others had used them successfully, without wiping out new shoes.😜
 
rockdog57 said:
Actually I only did it one time as per the guys on the videos I watched. One being the manufacturers. That’s why I wondered if others had used them successfully, without wiping out new shoes.😜
Click to expand...
I have these on my deck trailer, I've never greased them through the nipple, I've pulled them apart and serviced them once, But common sense says a wheel bearing or hub should not take a whole tube of grease per hub, unless its a Toyota Birfield. Even then that's only when your building them.
 
TRINDU said:
People get way too over zealous with the grease gun. You wouldn't constantly pump grease into a D60

99CAD193-F90F-4865-895C-4CCDB7D64F1C.jpg
Click to expand...
For awhile I briefly debating finding some single lip seals for boat trailers so we could just "flush" them with the air grease gun and let any extra just push past the seal as it warms up. Decided it was easier to just do it right. :laughing:
 
I have these same axles.

I pack them the old fashioned way, then, once done I give the 'zirc' a couple of pumps with the grease gun and that's all.

If I pump much more than that, it always blows out the rear grease seal and contaminates the drum.

Since I only pack my bearings once a year, and it really doesn't take that much time, I don't worry about the extra effort. I keep a spare set of grease seals on hand, but normally I just pop the inner bearing out by tapping it from the front side, so the seal also pops out without damage and I can reinstall the old seal just fine.
 
New brakes are showing up today. I think I’m gonna just pack em and do what others have suggested. I’ll pull em every year or two and redo em. The trailer doesn’t see that many miles a year and I don’t want to pour $250 into it every time. I just thought I must’ve been doing something wrong.
 
if you absolutely need to autistically grease everything, just put one single pump in each zerk per trip

I've started removing them from customer trailers and hammering on solid caps.
 
How thick is the grease you're using? Have owned/serviced a bunch of these style axles over the years, never had a problem with the seals blowing out, can purge grease out the end until fresh stuff comes through. I've always run a NLGI #1 grease or a "regular" #2 marine grease, could see trying to push a super tacky grease through the bearings being a problem.
 
[486] said:
if you absolutely need to autistically grease everything, just put one single pump in each zerk per trip

I've started removing them from customer trailers and hammering on solid caps.
Click to expand...
I can never find solid caps that fit right. Always either a bit too small, or too large.

I've tried stretching them with a ballpeen (thin out the edge an it "should" get larger) and shrinking them by using needle nose pliers to make pleats like a wood stove chimney.

I've had no success.
 
Dexter has a approved compatibility grease list to add to the OEM grease.
Mobil 1 (red) is on that list and its readily available at Auto Zone.

I wait till summer with 95+ ambient temps so the hubs are hottish just sitting there.
Jack up and roll the tires while pumping with a hand grease gun until it comes through the outer bearing and fills the cap.
Then I use a putty knife and remove that old grease in the cap.

THE FINAL STEP: Look through the brake adjuster slot on the backing plate to verify you didn't push any grease into the brakes.
If you pull the hubs down to "do it right" then make sure you glue the seal in with bearing mount etc. to prevent this in the future.
 
CarterKraft said:
Dexter has a approved compatibility grease list to add to the OEM grease.
Mobil 1 (red) is on that list and its readily available at Auto Zone.

I wait till summer with 95+ ambient temps so the hubs are hottish just sitting there.
Jack up and roll the tires while pumping with a hand grease gun until it comes through the outer bearing and fills the cap.
Then I use a putty knife and remove that old grease in the cap.

THE FINAL STEP: Look through the brake adjuster slot on the backing plate to verify you didn't push any grease into the brakes.
If you pull the hubs down to "do it right" then make sure you glue the seal in with bearing mount etc. to prevent this in the future.
Click to expand...

Pretty much how I do it...and i hand pump SLOW till I see the grease come out....

I use Lucas red and tacky

Had these on 3 or 4 trailers...and I'm always worried I'm going to blow the seal..but it has worked fine for me..:grinpimp:
 
Don't forget the guys who can't understand that pumping their bearing buddy full doesn't do the same thing...

Everyone here knows you can't use a manual grease gun. :flipoff2:
I would go all out on my last jobs company trailers with a DeWalt. Full power a tube through and I never had one blow the seal out.:homer:
Most of the trailers had no brakes so I would have known
 
ANGELO said:
Don't forget the guys who can't understand that pumping their bearing buddy full doesn't do the same thing...

Everyone here knows you can't use a manual grease gun. :flipoff2:
I would go all out on my last jobs company trailers with a DeWalt. Full power a tube through and I never had one blow the seal out.:homer:
Most of the trailers had no brakes so I would have known
Click to expand...
you are in florida
doesn't your #3 grease come in quart bottles?
 
Forgot to add the grease list.
 

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toocheaptosmoke said:
How thick is the grease you're using? Have owned/serviced a bunch of these style axles over the years, never had a problem with the seals blowing out, can purge grease out the end until fresh stuff comes through. I've always run a NLGI #1 grease or a "regular" #2 marine grease, could see trying to push a super tacky grease through the bearings being a problem.
Click to expand...
I use Red N Tacky, never had a problem. I did have a bearing itself explode on the way to Sturgis last year, somewhere between the SD line and Brookings on US 14. Had to get an idler hub to replace it in Volga and had a new brake hub drop-shipped to my house (it was waiting for me when I got home a week later). I can only assume that it was a manufacturing defect in the bearing, as it was well-lubed and the trailer had less than 10,000 miles on it, having never been overloaded, either.

Every time I go to use the trailer, I hit it with the M18 grease gun, one side jacked up and spinning the tire until I see the grease coming out, then hit the other side.
 
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