GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799 Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 We saw 4 trailers with blowouts on the first 250 miles of our trip home. Remember to check your tire pressure every time! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy and Grandma 739 Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 We saw 4 trailers with blowouts on the first 250 miles of our trip home. Remember to check your tire pressure every time!And remember: Industry standards dictate tires with the ST designation are speed rated to 65 MPH (104 km/h) under normal inflation and load conditions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Millermouseketeers MaryAnn 150 Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 We saw 4 trailers with blowouts on the first 250 miles of our trip home. Remember to check your tire pressure every time!That's a shame. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Good advice!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
4Brians.....Todd 103 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 Check your spare, too. Heck...make sure you even have a spare.A spare you buy at your local shop during regular business hours will cost 1/4 what that same spare will cost after normal hours from a service along I-95.Cheap insurance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GAFortFans..Shawn 16 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 Checked pressure in all 10 tires this afternoon! I check all the time! Heading out tomorrow for the fort! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ImDownWithDisney 342 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 Get a TPMS....well worth the $ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 Get a TPMS....well worth the $ Amazon has several. Anyone recommend a specific brand? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duane 152 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 Also don't forget to check the tightness of the lug nuts.... you would be surprised how they can loosen over time... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AuburnJen 771 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 And remember:Industry standards dictate tires with the ST designation are speed rated to 65 MPH (104 km/h) under normal inflation and load conditions.And remember, just because you are going UNDER that speed doesn't mean you WON'T have a blow out either... (been there, done that) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Helmsey......Todd 134 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 Amazon has several. Anyone recommend a specific brand?I use the TireMinder system and have no complaints with it. I have it on all 6 truck tires and the 4 trailer tires.It stays on in the truck all the time since it does not have a factory TPMS system on it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mtnmanky...aka Leon 72 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 and dont forget to check the wheel bearings. dont ask how I got that one burned into my wee brain! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 and dont forget to check the wheel bearings. dont ask how I got that one burned into my wee brain! Wheel bearings.... newbie question, I believe the wheel bearings need to be repacked. Found this video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6ndN_9NQL4 Just wanted to ask opinions: is this how it is done? I found different videos from etrailer and it looks as though they took the wheel off completely to do this..? Guess the real question is, can I do this myself or should I have it done when we have new tires installed (price is $45/axle). Thoughts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mtnmanky...aka Leon 72 Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 A lot depends on what kind of bearings you have. I am a fan personally of taking the wheel off and getting lots of grease worked into both sets of bearings, inner and outer, but I am told there are some styles that can be done with a grease gun without removing the wheel. If the cost is $45 per wheel to do it, that is pretty cheap insurance to have it done right, if you trust the mechanic. There are others here with more expertise than me, and I am sure they will be along shortly! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arthuruscg 34 Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 The video is showing the Dexter EZ lube system. You can not convert a standard Axle to EZ lube. The axle has pathways drilled into it to direct greese from the inner bearing to the outer bearing. The EZ lube axle is nice becasue you can keep pumping in new greese untill all of the old stuff is removed and you see new greese comign out the opening of the axle. Dont even think about installing Bearing buddies on a trailer axle with brakes. The greese can get forced out the rear seal and contanimate the brake pads, reducign their effectiveness. Etrailer has the bearing, seals, and new cotter pins for cheap. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Helmsey......Todd 134 Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 I am a fan of taking the wheel off and pulling each bearing to pack them. That gives you a chance to look over the running gear inside the brake drum and see\feel the bearing to make sure they are ok.With that said, if I was going to be someplace already and they were going to charge me $45/axle I'd likely let them do it assuming they will pull the bearings to pack them. Maybe even see if you can watch\take notes to do it yourself in the future. If they were just going to add grease via grease gun I would pass. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tankpilot 9 Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 I just repacked mine with the help of a friend that is a mechanic, now I know how to do it. It is not hard, about 30 min per wheel. The local shop charges $52/wheel to do it. My trailer has a dexter axle with the ez-lube but I still pulled the hubs and hand packed them. I talked to the people at dexter and they told me the pumping is not a substitute for pulling and repacking. The ez-lube are designed more for a marine application to pump in more grease to displace water that may get in. If you do just the pumping method, be sure to spin the wheel as you do it, pump slowly, and have about 1.5 tubes of grease per wheel. You pump in a lot of grease that does nothing, just fills up the cavity in the hub and spindle. The only grease that does any work is the stuff inside the bearing. Hand packing the 8 bearings (2/wheel, 4 wheels) I used about 1/3 of a tube. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tankpilot 9 Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 As said above, if the shop was going to do it for $45/axle (not wheel) and they were going to hand pack them, I would have them do it. Making sure they inspect the hub and brakes while they have it off. If they are just going to do the grease gun, it is not worth it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 As said above, if the shop was going to do it for $45/axle (not wheel) and they were going to hand pack them, I would have them do it. Making sure they inspect the hub and brakes while they have it off. If they are just going to do the grease gun, it is not worth it. So I called the shop and they do not hand pack them. He explained that they have a machine that uses pressure to push the old stuff out, then they put the new stuff in (I guess they just squirt it in there). I know that hand packing is the best way... but is the machine better then nothing? I don't feel qualified to pull the wheel off myself. DH is no more qualified. Thoughts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tankpilot 9 Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 So I called the shop and they do not hand pack them. He explained that they have a machine that uses pressure to push the old stuff out, then they put the new stuff in (I guess they just squirt it in there). I know that hand packing is the best way... but is the machine better then nothing? I don't feel qualified to pull the wheel off myself. DH is no more qualified. Thoughts?I can't say that the shop won't do a good job, but using a pneumatic grease gun or whatever machine they are using is what will cause the problems. With the ez-lube axle the grease travels through the spindle and the out a hole between the inner bearing and the seal. You keep pumping grease until the new grease pushes out all the old grease and you see the new stuff coming out around the zerk. This is why you have to spin the wheel, if you don't the grease would not go through all the bearing, just the point where the hole is. Now the problem with using anything other than a hand pumped grease gun is that you can very easily pump in grease with too much pressure, blow out the seal, and voila you have grease all over your brakes rendering them useless and ruined. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 I can't say that the shop won't do a good job, but using a pneumatic grease gun or whatever machine they are using is what will cause the problems. With the ez-lube axle the grease travels through the spindle and the out a hole between the inner bearing and the seal. You keep pumping grease until the new grease pushes out all the old grease and you see the new stuff coming out around the zerk. This is why you have to spin the wheel, if you don't the grease would not go through all the bearing, just the point where the hole is. Now the problem with using anything other than a hand pumped grease gun is that you can very easily pump in grease with too much pressure, blow out the seal, and voila you have grease all over your brakes rendering them useless and ruined. Well...bugger. Okay, thanks.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigTom 76 Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Try another shop, any mechanic can pack wheel bearings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigTom 76 Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Too bad your not close, I would do it for you and teach you how so you could do it yourself next time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Too bad your not close, I would do it for you and teach you how so you could do it yourself next time. Oh... that would be nice, thank you for the offer though! :thank-you-smiley3: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arthuruscg 34 Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 So I called the shop and they do not hand pack them. He explained that they have a machine that uses pressure to push the old stuff out, then they put the new stuff in (I guess they just squirt it in there). I know that hand packing is the best way... but is the machine better then nothing? I don't feel qualified to pull the wheel off myself. DH is no more qualified. Thoughts?I am thinking they are refering to the 2 cone style greese packers (link below). They work fairly but they usualy waist a lot of grease, but for shops the grease is cheaper then paying the labor. http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-65250-Bearing-Packer/dp/B0002NYDYY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0H4RQ5PZ8E9W4XPSN75D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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