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Bearing Service 2015 178

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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=5938
Printed Date: 28 Mar 2024 at 9:18pm
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Topic: Bearing Service 2015 178
Posted By: Podster
Subject: Bearing Service 2015 178
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2015 at 4:10pm
This link should take you to my 2015 RP-178 initial bearing/brake service documentation intended to inform and educate owners about the service, it's not intended to be an authoritative guide on how to perform the service. I welcome any comments you have about the process. 
 
Additionally: The manufacturer recommends service every 12 Months or 12,000 Miles, whichever comes first. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2M4imcnGBJodjBTSE10NkxDcTA/view?usp=sharing - My 2015 178 Initial Bearing Service



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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)



Replies:
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2015 at 11:52pm
Looks good!  I thought general consensus here was to lift at the red arrow in your diagram?

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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual


Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2015 at 12:31am
Originally posted by techntrek

Looks good!  I thought general consensus here was to lift at the red arrow in your diagram?

Thanks Doug, OK...I'll update it accordingly.  


-------------
Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2015 at 9:01am
would this be the same or simular to a 2013 177?  hogone

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Jon & Pam
2013 RP177
2010 F150
2017 HD Streetglide
2009 HD Lowrider
CHEESEHEAD


Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2015 at 9:17am
Looks good!

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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171


Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2015 at 9:20am
Originally posted by hogone



would this be the same or simular to a 2013 177?  hogone


Yes, especially if you have a 3,500 rated Lippert axle.

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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2015 at 9:21am
Originally posted by Leo B

Looks good!

...thank you, Sir.

-------------
Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: codycountry
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 6:25pm
I am honestly very extremely confused about wheel bearing service on my Rpod from what I read on this web site. 
I want to figure out what is paranoia and lack of knowledge/experience amongst the web site posters, and what is reality.  I think it is much the former and little of the latter, but am open to find out and educate myself and others along the way.
Let me explain.
I have pulled big goose neck horse trailers for years with the ez lube type hubs and have had no problems.  I grease them once or twice a year and they have never had a problem.  I'm talking double axle trailers loaded that weigh probably 16K pounds and anywhere up to 5K miles a year, year after year.  I repack about every 20K and have never replaced a bearing or a bearing race.
New pickups mostly always come with wheel bearings that are "greased for life", and they last 150-200K miles or more.  You don't grease them at all.
So here I read that a little dinky light weight single axle trailer (that I pull with a Ford superduty v-10 btw) might not keep the wheel on, or is dangerous if you use the super lube or ez lube grease zirks and don't pull the thing apart and pack the bearings.  Yearly. A wheel might fly off.  Wow, I don't want that to happen, it might hit someone.  I might drag it for miles before I even realize it lost a wheel if I don't watch the mirror.  Yikes!
So then, why even have the grease zirks on these trailers?  What is the point?
Why do the bearings fail if you do grease the zirks appropriately?  (Seems to be great general discussion of the term "grease appropriately").
My local auto repair charges $35 a wheel for full service repack, so it's cheap insurance for me to have them pack them I guess, unless you realize that a mechanic might not be having a good day and leave an air pocket, or not torque the lug nuts correctly or any other paranoia you can conjure up why something might go wrong and wreck my little camper. 
Here we go......I would like to hear factual experience.......If I see someone along the road with an Rpod with a wheel off, I guarantee I will stop to help you and then explain what I have learned with this discussion and what they did wrong.  
Thanks and happy and safe travels.  Spring is coming.  I wave at all Rpods and horse trailers.



Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 6:47pm
Yes, you're right! There are many schools of thought and opinions on bearing maintenance, not only here, but on other forums as well. I was very confused as well so that is what led to the original post here. The only facts that I can offer now is that the OP is based on the manufactures specifications and guidance and nothing else. 

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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 7:30pm
Podster, do you want this added to the "manual"?

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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual


Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 10:18pm
Originally posted by techntrek

Podster, do you want this added to the "manual"?

Sure, if it fits. The reason it is set up the way it is now is because I didn't want to upload all of the pics. Cry
If you can link it to the manual in its current form that would be great. 

Thanks Doug, 


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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 10:21pm
Originally posted by techntrek

Podster, do you want this added to the "manual"?
 


 Thumbs Up

I'm glad I've done my before and have the knowledge and experience of how to do them.

I know I watched etrailer videos over and over before my first time.  This is a nice aid for someone wanting to tackle it themselves.

Kudos Podster!


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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: Podster
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 10:25pm
Thanks Travis, I appreciate you and Mark looking it over and giving me some feedback to make it better.  

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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 10:28pm
Originally posted by Podster

Thanks Travis, I appreciate you and Mark looking it over and giving me some feedback to make it better.  


Still don't know how you stayed so clean!

LOL


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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: Podster
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 10:33pm
Originally posted by kymooses

Originally posted by Podster

Thanks Travis, I appreciate you and Mark looking it over and giving me some feedback to make it better.  


Still don't know how you stayed so clean!

LOL

...a magician never reveals his secrets. Big smile


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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2015 at 11:08pm
That really is a great and detailed description, Poster! Thanks.

Not sure what kind of milage/time this is recommended. I've got 10K+ miles on my 178 over the last year and don't feel an urgent need to do anything. Should I?

fred


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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: 20 Mar 2015 at 8:54am
I will just add a link to this thread.

I looked at Dexter's http://www.dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/600-8K_Service_Manual/600-8K_Complete_Service_Manual.pdf - service manual , and on page 85 it says to repack the bearings every 12 months or 12,000 miles.  I believe axles that are subject to submersion (boat trailers) are supposed to be repacked more often but I didn't see that in the manual and I've never owned a boat.  Personally I stick more to the mileage recommendation.  If we have several summers full of local weekend trips I'll go 2-3 years.  If I'm about to go on a 7000 mile trip, they get it before we leave.  I'm sure Dexter's recommendation is more CYA, like my Generac generator's recommendation to change the oil and filter every year.  Oil oxidizes and does need to be replaced every year, but with only 20-30 hours of run time annually I see no need to change the filter then.  Cars on a 5000 mile schedule get over 100 hours of run time between oil changes.

Axle bearings on a car or truck are factory sealed, trailer axle bearings aren't - but obviously we have the technology so I don't see why they don't (other than the obvious - price wars between manufacturers, make them as cheap as possible).  I would pay a little more for a camper if they advertised that the bearings never needed maintenance.  But, this is again like my big generator.  Auto manufacturers perfected paint jobs by the early 90's.  In most cases.  Yet my genset after only a few years started getting rust spots.  Make 'em cheap, make 'em cheap.


-------------
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual


Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2015 at 5:33pm
That all sounds very reasonable to me...thanks.

-------------
Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: codycountry
Date Posted: 13 May 2015 at 6:37pm
Not so urgent update on the wheel bearings dilema.   I have 2013 model 177.
For my own peace of mind I took the rpod in today and had the bearings packed.  It cost $72 bucks and is worth the worry.  This place does lots of wheel bearing packs. 
And so, I asked the obvious question of why?  The mechanic said most people over grease the ez lube.  Inner and outer seals get old and grease leaks out onto the brakes.  To him it was more a brake issue than ever seeing a worn out wheel bearing.  He said that to do this once every 2-3 years is often enough for mechanic pack unless you haul a lot of miles. 
So I still don't see the point of ez lube hubs.  Maybe they are best on boat trailers. 
Most people around here have never seen an rpod, in the shop it caused quite a stir, so I opened it up, ran out the slide, and showed it to all that were circling around.  I may have even sold one today, at least the guy is going to call my recommended dealership. 
If you can't handle a little smiling positive attention, best not to purchase an rpod.  I think that is one of the best features of them, they make people smile.  And me too. 
Happy camping. 
Safe travels. 


Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 13 May 2015 at 7:18pm
I would agree to every 2 or 3 years, generally, under light use that is. I like the Superlube hub function. It provides an option to add grease in appropriate situations. E.g. A few thousand miles into a cross country trip with a few thousand more to go. I think the realization here is that the Superlube function was not designed to allow the owner to forego the required breakdown. You're fortunate to have a good mechanic do the job at a reasonable price. That kind of deal and competence is hard to find these days. 

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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: Luv2Q
Date Posted: 13 May 2015 at 11:34pm
Really nice write-up, Cliff.  I hadn't seen it earlier.  Good job.

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John & Teri
Tundra 5.7L V8 / RP 180
E2 WDH / Integrated controller (POS) replaced by Tekonsha P3


Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 15 May 2015 at 12:04am
Thanks John! Yep, thought I would go ahead and get that first service out of the way! Smile

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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


Posted By: Marx
Date Posted: 17 May 2015 at 1:50pm
Good write up, I'm getting ready to tackle mine soon as our POD is due for it's annual.  More importantly we are getting ready in a month and a half to move cross country 17 hour trip so I want to go through it personally.  Thanks for the post!

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2014 R-POD 177


Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 17 May 2015 at 3:57pm
Thank you Sir, and good luck!

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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178
(1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity)


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