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Goose View Drop Down
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Joined: 24 Sep 2010
Location: Arizona
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Posts: 672 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Wheel bearings
    Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 12:09am
  Bill, I looked on the web site for the type of axle that is on our POD (Dexter) and found a trailer dealer close to home that sells them. They have all the parts in stock on the shelf from whole brake assemblies or parts to bearings and seals. There is also some one on hand that knows about trailer axles if you have a question.
   This was a whole lot closer than going back to the RV dealer.  Goose
Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
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TIDALWAVE View Drop Down
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Mar 2013 at 3:21pm
WinkMake sure that you use a high quality axle grease!  WalMart Bearing Grease is not good enough!
Lippert (and Dexter) recommend a "high Dropping Point" grease (230C/446F) minimum.  If you look at some of the big box store grease...their grease doesn't even come close to this!

Specs:
Lithium Complex Grease
Dropping Point: 230C/446F minimum
Consistency: EP, Corrosion& Oxidation Inhibitors
Base Oil:  Solvent Refined Petroleum Oil
Base Oil Viscosity: @40C(104F) 150cSt(695 SUS) Min.
Viscosity Index: 80 Minimum
Pour Point: -10C(14F) Minimum

Approved Grease:
Mobilgrease XP
Ronex (Exxon) MP
Kendall L-427
Valvoline (Ashland) Val-plex Grease
Penzoil Premium Bearing Grease 707L

When I first went over to my local 'axle repair shop' to buy a couple of grease containers,  the workers there could not find any of their brands that came close to the required specs.  I ended up going to my
local RV dealer...they only used the brands listed above.  They said that they found using cheaper grease caused more trouble than it was worth...and sometimes the warranty companies would not back the warranty if cheaper grease was used. 
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Goose View Drop Down
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Posts: 672 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2013 at 6:02pm
  I use Mystic JT6 which meets the same specs that Tidalwave listed. It can be found at O'Rielly Auto Parts or Auto Zone. Saves a lot of miles down to the RV dealer.   Goose
Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
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Thinker View Drop Down
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Posts: 171 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Mar 2013 at 4:28pm
Never repacked an rPod hub, so take every thing I say with that disclaimer...  
 
1) rPod hubs are no different than front wheel bearings on rear wheel drive cars.  I have owned many of them and replacked many.  I would never consider once per 5000 miles to be necessary.  More like once per 25,000 miles if you know they are done right to begin with.
 
2) Any recommendations for boat trailers do not translate.  Many boat trailers back down into the water to launch.  Rapid cooling of warm bearings cause intake of water into hub.. this is a problem.
 
3) rPod trailers should be no different than utility trailers and horse trailers.. I  have repacked a bunch of them.
 
4) Repacking has two great dangers for the novice...
4a) Getting grease on the brake shoes.... can be a disaster and cause big problems.
4b) Getting the castle nut too tight and causing bearing failure.  Seldom is too loose a problem as you can feel the wobble.
 
Other than these thoughts the previous instructions are great... 
 
 
Tow Vehicle: 2013 Pathfinder 4WD R-POD Model 171
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Bill-GA View Drop Down
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Posts: 214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Mar 2013 at 8:08pm
Originally posted by Thinker

Never repacked an rPod hub, so take every thing I say with that disclaimer...  
 ......
Other than these thoughts the previous instructions are great... 

Thinker, I "think" I agree with your basic guidelines. However, I bought my rPod used and I'm not sure how long it sat in someone's back yard. I greased via the fittings last year, but opening the hub, checking the state of the brakes and knowing the bearings have a good grease job will give me lots of "peace of mind" when I'm on the road. I'd hate to discover the brakes or bearings were deficient 1000 miles from home base.

I'm like many rPoders and like the DIY style of maintenance to know it was done right. Just because you pay top $ at a shop, doesn't mean it was done right. That's what is great about these online discussions. Again, thanks to everyone for your comments.
Bill & Bev
13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa'
2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out)
2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV
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dsmiths View Drop Down
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Posts: 866 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Mar 2013 at 9:29pm
I am with Thinker, as an A C Delco shop owner of 24 years, he is correct at to it is the same as a good old chev c 10 pickup. G.M. recomends repacking front wheel bearings every 30,000 miles. Now use common sense and if you have been through deep standing water, or if the pod has been setting for a long time that is different. My pod has a grease fitting that puts grease to the back of the bearing and forces out the old toward the front. Use the grease that Forest River recomends and I doubt if you will have any problems. If you want to do it every spring, its no problem unles you get the bearings too tight then they will wear out rapidly. I am going into season 2.5 we got ours late in the fall of 2010, I will jack up the axle one side at a time, check the free play, lube the bearings through the zirk fitting, check the brake adjustment and we will be good to go. Happy podding
Dane and Donna Smith
2011 RP-172
2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4
lift kit
prodigy wireless brake controller
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TIDALWAVE View Drop Down
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Mar 2013 at 1:47pm
SmileI agree with the 'dsmiths'.  Before each trip, I give the axle zerk fittings a couple of gentle pumps from my hand grease gun.  I add (if needed) just enough high quality grease to have some of the old grease come out of the hub exits.  I bought my Pod new and know that it has never been driven through deep water, etc.   I also add grease before storing the Pod for the winter. After two seasons, I brought my Pod in for bearing repacking.  The shop mechanic commented that the grease appeared to be 'new' (whatever that means).  In his opinion, I didn't have to bring it in every two years.
By the way, I do bring my grease gun with on long trips...I give the axles a couple of squirts of grease every 1,000 miles.  And whenever I stop for gas, I do a 'walk-around' the Pod to make sure everything looks ok.  I gently touch the hubs for over-heating.  Even in 90F weather and traveling for a couple hundred miles...the hubs have never been hot, barely warm.  Another member talked about buying an infra-red temperature gun.  Harbor Freight carries them, I may buy one and carry it on trips.  Just aim the gun at the hub and it will tell you the hub temp.
I am a 'belt-and-suspenders' person.  For my longest trip of more than 5,000 miles, I bought a replacement hub from the manufacturer (cost me $55 plus shipping). I carried it in the back of the pickup.  That way, if a bearing did go out...I could replace the hub immediately, rather than waiting in some small out of the way town in a wilderness for a hub to be ordered and shipped out.
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Bill-GA View Drop Down
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Posts: 214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2013 at 9:27pm
I found this basic grease your trailer video with a hub which looks exactly like mine.  Some of the recent comments and this video gives me more confidence to just grease the bearing and wait a while to do a complete bearing repack.
Bill & Bev
13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa'
2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out)
2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV
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Thinker View Drop Down
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Posts: 171 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2013 at 11:28am
Originally posted by Bill-GA

I found this basic grease your trailer video with a hub which looks exactly like mine.  Some of the recent comments and this video gives me more confidence to just grease the bearing and wait a while to do a complete bearing repack.


 
Good video...   here is the non mobile version
 
Tow Vehicle: 2013 Pathfinder 4WD R-POD Model 171
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