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Topic ClosedHas anyone done their r-pod's wheel bearings?
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Has anyone done their r-pod's wheel bearings?
    Posted: 28 Feb 2010 at 3:05pm
The weather's been improving lately, and the itch to get the trailer ready for camping will be coming on strong soon.  Has anyone done their bearings yet?  What size is the spindle?  What type of bearings does the r-pod use?  Is there anything unusual that I should be prepared for?

Thanks!
Craig
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2010 at 12:40pm
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2010 at 9:04pm
Personally I wasn't planning on doing this until next year since we got our 'pod in August and only went on 5 trips.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Joined: 10 Jun 2009
Location: Owosso MI
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Posts: 704 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2010 at 9:29am
We bought our pod last May, and took several short trips within the state before the snow started to fly and we put her to bed. So we weren't too worried about brakes/bearings then. But we just got back from a 2000+ mile winter getaway trip with the pod, and I'm taking it to the dealer today. Although we didn't have any problems on our trip, one of the things I've asked them to do while the pod is there is check the bearings and brakes.
 
I'll let you know how they held up.
.: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :.
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2010 at 1:13pm
I've only once had bearing problems, and that was on a dirtbike trailer that I had neglected for several years.  The  bearings disintegrated and the hub came free.

But, my concern isn't so much with how far the trailer has been towed (which was only a few thousand miles last year).  Instead, I'm concerned about the 5 month period that its been sitting.  Oh well, I guess that I'll do it blind this weekend.  Hopefully I won't wreck a seal by accident.
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2010 at 1:53pm

If its like my popup, you probably can get away with leaving the inner seal.  I know some people feel that since they are in there already they might as well change it, and I can't disagree.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Joined: 10 Jun 2009
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Posts: 704 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 9:19am
Dropped our pod off at the dealer yesterday after our FL trip to have the window leak fixed, and at that time he said he doubted the bearings or brakes would need any special attention. We've got a grand total of about 3000 miles on it since we bought it last May.
 
But they're going to pull the wheels and give them a quick look see while it's in the shop.
 
BTW, he had a baseball jacket on that had the rPod logo on it ...
.: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :.
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Joined: 21 Nov 2009
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Mar 2010 at 12:46pm
Do you really have to dis-assemble and re-grease axle bearings once a year? I understand the reason for that, if you had no other method to get new-clean grease to the bearings. But there is a 'zerk' fitting behind the cap to add more grease if needed.  The manual, I received from the axle manufacturer, simply stated that I should wipe out any old grease, and carefully inject more clean grease until it came out from the relief valves.  They did say to do a complete maintenance on them if the axles were ever completely submerged.
TIDALWAVE
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 2010 at 12:06pm
The zerk fitting comes out beside the inner bearing and manages to squeeze a little bit of grease on the inside of the bearing.  It does very little toward forcing grease through the bearing and does nothing for the outer bearing.  Using the zerk fitting does next to nothing compared to proper bearing maintenance.

As an update, I pulled the wheels & looked at the bearings on Sunday.  The inner bearing seal has to be destroyed in order to pull the inner bearing (way too tight to tap out), and unfortunately I wasn't able to find replacement seals, so I put everything back without doing the bearings.  I'll have to do them another day after I've found the proper bearing seals.

For those that are interested in doing this maintenance themselves, I found these videos to be very useful and accurate for the r-pod:


-edit-

Yes, I know that the guy in the first video says that you can re-grease your bearings by just squeezing in grease into the zerk fittings... but, no, not on the r-pod.   You could use a whole tube of grease and never fill the void between the bearings.  If you tried this, you'd also end up squeezing grease through the inner seal onto the brakes, which would be incredibly dangerous.
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Joined: 22 Jul 2009
Location: Catskills NY
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Posts: 235 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 2010 at 12:17pm
This does not sound like any type of DIY project project to me. Disapprove So when should it be taken in to the dealer- after a few seasons?
John and Linda
One 14 lb Cockapoo
2010 RPod 174
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