Spring 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=4323
Printed Date: 17 May 2024 at 3:19am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Spring maintenance
Posted By: shroomer
Subject: Spring maintenance
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2014 at 9:43pm
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Took my pod for a trip yesterday. Moved the tires a quarter of a turn to give another spot a chance to be flat. Waiting for another warm day in March... Question: How often do wheel bearings need repacking? Only going 1,000 - 2,000 miles a year in it. ------------- Larry and Debbie w/Rosie the mutt. Old: '13 177, '06 Silverado V6 New: '15 Whitehawk 20MRB '14 Silverado V8 |
Replies:
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2014 at 9:24am
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Some do it every year, which can't hurt. I go every 2-3 years with normal use but with 5000+ mile trips scheduled each summer I'm back to annual. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: wingnut2312
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2014 at 9:58am
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Do you have that done at a dealer or yourself? ------------- 2014 rpod 182G Ford Expedition |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2014 at 11:31am
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With our popup I did it myself, but since I bought the pod I've had either the pod dealer do it, or my local mechanic. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2014 at 6:48pm
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I have it done and the brakes checked over every spring. I don't think it needs it but it is cheap for the ability to sleep at night.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: wingnut2312
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2014 at 7:11pm
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Doug-is it easy to do or would I be better off just having the dealership do it? I can't imagine a huge charge for that ------------- 2014 rpod 182G Ford Expedition |
Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2014 at 7:48pm
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Outbound would be a good r-pod owner to answer that question I believe he does the wheel maitnance himself. David ------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2014 at 7:50pm
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I did ours, took a couple hours the first time. I'll be doing it again this season and I do not expect it to take half the time it did originally.
It's simple just messy. Having done it successfully once I wouldn't pay someone else to do it, that's just me though. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: wingnut2312
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2014 at 8:06pm
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So kymooses, since you did such an unbelievably amazing job of the winterization video (is this thick enough?), do you think you would be willing to show off some more of your awesome videography skills by posting a vid of repacking the bearings??? Lol, or possibly post a link of how to? Thanks!! ------------- 2014 rpod 182G Ford Expedition |
Posted By: Goose
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2014 at 9:09pm
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If you have done wheel bearings in the past it is not to hard to pull apart, clean all parts, replace the hub seals with new ones, inspect the bearings and the races, grease the bearings and reassemble and then readjust the brakes. Plan an afternoon to do it the first time.
Make sure to get new hub seals before you start as you will destroy the seals taking them out even with a seal removing tool. There is a tag on your axle, on the pass. side facing forward that will tell you what axle manufacturer made your axle so you can get the right seals. I have way more time than money so I grease my own, it can be a little bit of a mess. With that in mind I can see Travis's camera as he pulls apart the bearings with one hand and tries to shoot video with the other, wiping the sweat from his forehead, gets grease on his forehead then on the camera. Oh what a mess.  Goose------------- Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee 
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Posted By: shroomer
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 6:01am
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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. ------------- Larry and Debbie w/Rosie the mutt. Old: '13 177, '06 Silverado V6 New: '15 Whitehawk 20MRB '14 Silverado V8 |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 7:55am
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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 ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: Jdub
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 8:45am
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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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Posted By: ron_whitt
Date 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?  ------------- Ron & Shirley 2020 Tacoma 2012 177 rpod |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 10:09am
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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! ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: wingnut2312
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 10:33am
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Sounds like marriage...lol ------------- 2014 rpod 182G Ford Expedition |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 6:27pm
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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. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 7:18pm
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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 ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: Bill-GA
Date 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.
------------- Bill & Bev 13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa' 2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out) 2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 8:40pm
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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 ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 9:03pm
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It usually takes me 3 hours to repack the bearings and adjust the brakes on my r-pod. That includes all the time fiddling around getting equipment together and finding jackstands from where I last hid them in the garage (plus at least one coffee break). Repacking bearings is not difficult, but it is messy work. I agree with kymooses: etrailer has some excellent videos and goes into great detail on repacking bearings and adjusting breaks; the 3500 pound axles are all about the same anyway, check out a few videos to get an idea of how much work is involved.
Anecdote: I did once have utility trailer bearings fail on my dirt bike trailer. It was while I was towing on the highway at 60mph. The driver-side bearing exploded, the trailer swayed violently back and forth; somehow, the wheel stayed (somewhat) on the axle until I managed to get everything stopped. The bearings had been repacked 2.5 years before. Ever since, I've been a bit paranoid and religiously inspect and repack bearings on all my trailers annually. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: wingnut2312
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2014 at 9:55pm
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Does anyone know a ballpark for having the dealer do this? Just wondering if it's worth three hours. ------------- 2014 rpod 182G Ford Expedition |
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2014 at 11:39am
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We have our bearings repacked at the end of each season. The last two years we put on about 5k miles, per year. I believe I did read something about repacking every 5-8K miles. The local dealer quoted $250. but I think he also included his last mortgage payment. Interestingly, I took it to Camping World where I am of the opinion, that they hate to part with whatever they are selling, unless you really, really, need it. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised to have them do it for $150. I'm sure If I invested the time I could find someone lower. However, my thinking is that they do more of these each year than most dealers do in a lifetime. Also someone with deep pockets if I have a bearing problem in the future. Hope that helps. Safe Travels. ------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund) 2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod) 2016 Lance 1685 2015 Nissan Pathfinder |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2014 at 12:19pm
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OK, I got a question. Our 2014 178 has about 600 miles on it. We will probably put another 300 miles or so on it before embarking on an epic 7500 mi journey. What, if anything, would you do or have done maintenance/inspection wise prior to leaving. My TV will be thoroughly checked out and a brand new pair of sneakers added. Thanks! fred P.S. Realized I should have added that the Pod will get a new set of 6 volt GC batteries before we go.
------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2014 at 4:06pm
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we did an 11,000 mile,. 10 wek trip in Sept-Nov. One thing that I think really helped was to balance the Pod's tires-no shimmy or rattles. Vann Evans |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2014 at 4:57pm
11,000 miles!! Wow! That's great. The wheel balance tip is a really good one. I think I'll have that done and breaks inspected before we go. I think they were adjusted pretty tight when we first got the pod. Thanks! fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2014 at 7:22pm
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Have your TV fully inspected, too. Brakes, belts, fluids, hoses. Keeping water in the pod's tank will give you a backup to refill the radiator, plus carry extra of the other fluids like oil, brake fluid, etc. For the pod, carry a torque wrench with you to re-check the lug nuts every morning. Eventually they will seat and you won't have to check as often. Inspect the tread wear and tire pressure at the same time. Pressure should be at the max rating on the tire's sidewall. Every time you stop, go back and feel the hubs. If they are too warm to keep your hand on them they need to be repacked. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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