See previous videos: Bearing and Brake Check - th-cam.com/video/vs_34iFcE0g/w-d-xo.html Parts, Tools, and Supplies- th-cam.com/video/BvX-3LCgshQ/w-d-xo.html See the full blog post - www.loveyourrv.com/installing-new-trailer-bearings-and-brakes-on-our-cougar-fifth-wheel/
Oh my gosh Ray, what have you done. That brake job.... Thanks for the vid. This will really help folks out there realize they can do these types of jobs themselves, get the job done at ones own pace and save a pretty penny at the same time. Rock on......Thanks.
You did a pretty good job there, I've been a mechanic my whole life and have packed many wheel bearings and have done plenty of brake jobs. I would never let anyone do this for me, I do it right everytime and most people you would pay not only don't really care but honestly don't really know what they are doing. I always use a bearing packer I think it's so stupid that people want to do that in their hand. I've got over 30 yrs of experience and have never packed a bearing by hand. I like your by the book approach, you done it right. Keep on keeping on. Larry R.
Ray, I have finished my breaks (End of July). I put in a new brake assembly and drums. I am so proud. It was not braking well, spring had come undone, a magnet and drum were all grooved, one side was heating up to 180F and what not. Thank you so much for all your excellent and so complete work. Just amazing the quality detailed work you put in for us!! I ordered new Nev-R-Adjust brake assemblies with the letter K in front of the numbers. K as in Kit, it comes with the two rubber caps for the back of the adjustment drums holes and 5 new special nuts for the backplate. There is also a sheet inside the box with the specific torque specs. I then did the break-in period as per the Dexter manual; 20 to 30 times a 20 MPH decrease; from 40 to 20, allowing the brakes to cool between application then synchronize with a brake. Made several hark stops on the dry paved road free of sand and gravel. Lock slide decrease, don't lock slide increase, attain lock and skid. Not sure iI fully understand those last 2 actions but I don't think I skid yet. I do break strongly and smoothly now. I know more what to check now that I have done it myself. Big Job !
OK, all of this is awesome, but what made my day was the fact that I could jack each tire individually on the U-bolts. So I got me a 1/4" short bar of steel and put it across the top of my 20-ton bottle jack to span the two U-bolts and, voila! I was jacking at the center suspension point, but with all the slop in the leaf springs, it just wasn't always enough.
Thanks for the great tutorial! The RV shop wants quite a bit of loot so doing it myself and learning quite a bit about how these work is going to be great, especially if I get into trouble on the hwy or something, at least I'll know how to check them.
Magnificent job sir! The only thing I do differently is I adjust the brakes with the tire on. The added weight of the tire I prefer for the spinning and feeling the grab of the brakes. Be safe brother and safe travels.
excellent video Ray, step by step very well done. Dealer did mine and really messed them up. They used a power greaser and never took the wheels off, had to replace the breaks. After watching this, not gonna happen again. Thanks
Really good and professional job. I would recommend to freeze the races for couple of hours in the deep freezer before installing. This way you can slide them in position by hand without hitting. That's what we did for many years on equipment on deep sea tankers.
Nice job Ray. My dad taught me how to do a full brake job on my vehicles. If I had to give you a grade it would be A+. I can't see anything done incorrectly. It is always nice to do a job like this with all of the right tools. Keep up the good work! Definitely was Beagle approved!
I really enjoyed your repair video so much that I had to write to you. I have a 2017 Grand Design 303 rls and had a leaking seal on the rig. Had been looking at videos for awhile when I came across your Part two video. I wish that I would of saw Part one first because I would not have bought the Lippert bearing. Just didn't think that Lippert would be using bearings made in China. But the nice thing is that because of stumbling on to your video and another gentleman's video I changed out the leaking seal and clean out the grease that came with the axles and replaced with a better grease. I'm lucky that the rig doesn't have a lot of miles on it so the brakes and hubs so far are in good shape, only got two done today, But that was because of running into your video, the other two are going to be done tomorrow, hopefully no surprises . All the others were not showing enough to make me feel comfortable in attempting the repairs. Thanks again. PS: Nice new Truck. I pick out a GMC 2500 HD Duramax Sierra LTZ.
That's great to hear John, happy the video helped out. I've got about 6 - 8 thousand miles on the new bearings and brakes and everything is performing well. Cheers! Ray
@@LoveYourRV Finished up today but had two more that was leaking and no signs of it. Also the last one that I did seems to have a short in the magnetic brake some where. It wouldn't come stop the tire before I took it off but after removing the hub and jiggling wires it would hold my steel putty knife but when I got the tire back on it wouldn't again. fight that battle next weekend. Thanks again. Happy Trails to you.
147 comments ahead of me, so I may have missed someones reply. We always used blue Loctite on the backing plate bolts. Toss the old bearings and races. They must always remain a matched set. Great stuff Ray, love your vids.
Thanks for sharing. We had problems with our brakes squealing after driving (coming into the campground in the afternoon) and I solved it by backing off the brake adjustment. An RV tech I asked said electric brakes are not like hydraulic brakes and shouldn't be adjusted so tight. I now also use a non-contact thermometer to check the temp of the brakes whenever I stop, that way I can see which wheel is doing the braking and adjust them accordingly. Cheers!
Thanks, I do the IR gun things too and last year I added a wireless TPMS with temperature readout. The sensor is on a metal valve stem and picks up the heat transfer through the mag wheel pretty good. Comes in real handy. If I'm doing any heavy braking I can see the temps rise. I can see if any one wheel is running too hot or too cold versus the others.
I agree with Mark Jordan. Great video...You give me confidence in doing it myself, which I prefer if it saves me money. Keep it coming. I hope to meet you someday and shake your hand.
Totally agree on jacking technique. Much safer. Much easier too. Additionally, I always hook the track to the trailer. It keeps the trailer from moving at all. Just a bit more safety.
Thanks for posting this video, it gives me confidence to repack my own bearings. Haven’t done it in years, this refresher was all I needed to move forward. Thanks again
ya ray i use lock tight when i put any heavy nuts like that back on with all the harsh road abuse the system takes!!!! never lost a nut or bolt yet!!! oh an as long as u always jacked up on the u bolts an not the axel tube its self never had a problem!!! been a rv tech for 20 years!! cheers
I’ve seen plenty of loaded bearings stay that way and heat up beyond their point really quick and need replacing. Not everyone understands not all nuts remain tight.
Excellent work, I like to put a tiny amount of anti-seize on the star adjuster threads, love anti-seize compound. Incredibly I've seen it remain in place for years....
Well done Ray!! I think that this will be very valuable to others as time goes by. I put a pump or 2 of grease to the EZ Lube fittings every 2K miles. One Lonley Farmer showed me the value of WD40 professional grease that is high temp, high pressure and an all around great product.
Wow Ray, your races came out way easier than mine did last spring. On my Lippert axles I had to heat the drum with a torch to get the old ones out, and put the new ones into the freezer before install.
Great job, Ray! This was very helpful and consistent with all the best practices I've learned over the years. One minor thing, household electrical tape is not made for external use, especially the undercarriage of a vehicle. That tape will only last several months and you'll have tape and wires dangling everywhere. Just use wire ties to restrain the wires. If you want to avoid corrosion in those butt connectors use a bit of dielectric grease.
Thanks, definitely better than OEM all they had for connectors was plastic crimps like this totally exposed to the weather - sc01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1CW9vg5QnBKNjSZFmq6AApVXa3/Closed-End-Nylon-Crimp-Caps-Splice-Wire.jpg_350x350.jpg I've had several fail over the years. I've found a good quality electrical tape will last a long time. 3M super 88 is excellent - www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/Scotch-Professional-Grade-Vinyl-Electrical-Tape-Super-88/?N=5002385+3294355634&rt=rud Cheers, Ray
Another great video Ray. Great info for all and I was pleased to see you struggle with the castle nut. Sorry for you but man I thought I was the only one playing find the thread game. I just packed using the Dexter greasing method. I pull the wheel and cap. I checked for hub movement the greased slowly while spinning the wheel until old grease was forded out. I even used a Lincoln 18 volt grease gun. Like any tool we just need to know how to use it and how it works. A weak battery is key and one of the three I have will always be weak. I was a heavy equipment operator and have greased far too many grease fittings. Your information was great and I do NOT recommend a battery or air powered grease gun to any of your viewers unless they know the tool and use your slow and easy method. Thanks again Ray. Stay safe Joe
I didn’t know about using a big castle nut socket with a torque wrench. I have been using a large Channel Lock pliers to set the castle nut. I will switch. I have never heard about tightening the lug nuts to 2 intermediate settings before the final setting. I like the idea and will do that next time. I think the bearing seals need a coating of sealer around the edge only if your trailer is regularly submerged, like a boat trailer. I am amazed at how easily you pulled that bearing seal with the puller. My experience with an identical puller has been nothing but violence and deafening noise from the hammer blows on the handle. It was very surprising that no one at the RV park complained. It sounded like I was making horse shoes in a forge.
Thanks for the info Ray. I got the stickers today. I'm going to the Grand Design rally in Delaware next week, it'll be posted in a very visible place and I'll be happy to aim some folks to your TH-cam channel.
Great video! When I did my trailer, there were lock washers on each of the brake bolts. Really should use them. Also, etrailer offered me a set of nuts which included the lock washers. When I took the nuts off, several of them were badly damaged - and it was not damage that I had caused. Even though I was able to get them loose, they were so bad that they might not have come off and would have required grinding or cutting them off. So my advice would be to add new nuts and washers if the nuts look even a little bad - cheap insurance.
Thanks! I've since found out the nuts on my brake assembly were actually a type of lock nut called Two Way Reversible Lock Nuts so I'm good. :) "Two way Reversible Lock Nuts (also known as Centerlock Nuts) get their name because of their functionality and ability to be used either top-up, or top-down. Two Way Lock Nuts feature indentations on the outside flats of the nut, distorting the internal threads to increase resistance on the mating part. This creates a locking mechanism in the center of the nut.Having the locking portion within the hex nut offers several benefits including versatility in application, speed of application (which helps on assembly lines), and application environment versatility. All metal lock nuts can be used in high heat or highly corrosive applications where a nylon insert would not be suitable. Bolts or Screws used with Two Way Reversible Lock Nuts can also be shorter than the nut, because the locing occurs in the center. For this reason, the end of thee bolt or screw does not have to extend beyond the end of the nut."
Great video Ray! Remind me again, what kind of sound does a powered grease gun make? LOL! Seriously, my opinion is you did it the way it should be done! A professional job! Peace!
Great video Ray. This kind of video let’s folks see that the can do this job themselves. They can figure out for themselves and just like you, use the shop manual to set their own torque values. Love your videos!
Great video Ray! Your background maybe electronics but your a good mechanic too. You also work smarter not harder and that is very good with age. My QA inspectors where never as nice as your four legged inspector. If you want a surprise take that bad bearing cut the outer roller retaining ring off. You may be shocked at how the inner roller race looks. Sometimes there is deep pitting there and that’s where a lot of bearing noise originates from. ATB
Great video to watch as I'm replacing my brakes in the coming weeks. One thing I noticed is you used the Lucas polyurea grease which is one of the best on the market. If you need to add grease down the road though, you have to stick to polyurea grease as lithium grease won't mix with poly.
Thank you! You did a great job breaking it down and putting it back together. Keep it as a reference when it's my time to do my traveling trailer. Passport 199ML 2018
Great video. It's been a long time since I've had to grease bearings so it was a nice refresher. May I make one suggesting, jack stand. Just one would suffice when you only take off one tire but it could save a limb or your life. Otherwise loved it.
It has been about 35 or 40 years since I ever did anything like that, but when I bought bearings it seems to me the races were always a matched set. The tolerances may be a lot better not so that they don't do that anymore, but that would be my thought about keeping any of those used sets as they are no longer matched together.. great video and great job from a self proclaimed novice..
Looks good Ray. Only thing I do different is I check for play and spin tire when it's mounted. That will tell the tale on the preload. Good idea to check temps first trip out.
I had also thought of the Self Adjusting brake sets & have installed them before. I would of used High Temp Anti Seize on the brake adjusters, to keep them from locking up (encountered locked up adjusters on a trailer I picked up last year). Normally when setting preload torque on the bearings, I hit 50# & back off the nut 1/8th to 1/4 turn. I go by feel on this. This method was used for years on DND (Military) Trucks, with different preload of course & I spent 30 yrs working on those trucks.
Great video! As for your jack point, when you diagram the loads all of them are transmitted through the u bolt point anyway so jacking at that point should not harm the axle at all. If it did the axle would bend when you lowered the trailer down on the wheel. Again thanks for all the great tips.
There's actually a cradle accessory you can purchase that fits on the bottle jack that will transfer the pressure to both U bolts at the same time minimizing and axel tube damage. Also, while doing the bearings and or brakes, this is also a good time to lubricate all the moving suspension parts and finish that off with a torque check on the axel U bolts. Great video!
Great video, the only thing I was taught to do a little differently is to adjust the brakes with the tire on the hub but same technique. You'll find that you will crank the brakes a little further out with the tire on.
No criticism here... I'm new to the electric brake world but, I watched your video with keen interest, watching every step. Not having a seal puller, I hit the brick wall... except, from the other side, you can knock out the race, bearing & grease seal with a brass punch..... I've ordered a seal puller won't get it for a week... but I couldn't waste today.
Looked good from here. I was told years ago that the area between the bearings was just that... area. If you fill it up with grease it holds in the heat. One thing for sure grease does not flow like oil. If it's in the area it will pretty much stay in the area. Of course they've been using those Bearing Buddies on boat trailers for quite a few years haven't they. On that note boat trailer seals are double seals also.
This system is different than bearing Buddies as bearing buddies are spring loaded and once they are full there's nowhere for the grease to go. This system when you rotate the tire it purges the old grease forward and you can remove it with your finger or screwdriver then you put the Rubber seal cap on. It is not pressurized so less of a chance of it bursting through the seals.
I understand the concept, however you still end up with grease filling the cavity in between the front and rear bearing. I'm not saying that is bad because I am a retired Computer Systems Analyst that grew up in a sawmill that now blacksmiths, I am not a mechanic. Just saying I was told by a mechanic about 40 years ago it builds up heat.
Excellent series of videos Ray!! Tools and procedures all well thought out. I see that you waited till the last wheel to "work the kinks out". Probably took half the time for the last one compared to the first. 😀 Only thing I could see that I would do differently would have been (while the whole brake assembly was removed) to pump enough of your Lucas lubricant into your zirc fitting on the spindle until it pushed as much of the old lubricant out of the rear hole as possible. I realize that you can't remove all of it, but the less cross-contamination of lubricants, the better. Great job. Just for interest, how long did it take for the four hubs?
Just a bit of advice. DO NOT put grease on the spindle before you slide the hub back on. Even though there is a small amount of room before the seal starts to fit tight onto the seat. No matter how careful you are you are going to get grease on the outside of the seal which will put grease into the brake shoe area and when it heats up will get onto your new shoes rendering them useless and in need of replacement again. Just a suggestion. And the nuts on your brake assembly are lock nuts. They are similar ro unlock nuts but are generally meant to be a one time use nut. It is good practice to replace them with new ones. I would also be very careful about backing off the nut to accommodate the keeper ring. The bearings should be zero tolerance for play so if the keeper will not line up I would try to tighten the nut a bit first. This bering said it is very much dependent on the installer. You truly finger tightened the nut after loosening it from the preload torque. this giving you some wiggle room to tighten it up for keeper alinement. Some people finger tight swings to the higher side of tight and puts them in the position that loosening the nut is the best way to go for keeper install. Sorry if my explanation is confusing. Over all this is a very good video and I can see it helping a number of folks from experiancing undo heart ache on the road. WELL DONE SIR.
Most likely left comment 2 years ago..... anyway rattle can of rustoluem black on that drum!! Quality work!!! And the race can be reused if not marked up. Pitting, replace with Timken or Dexter. And, locate a solid work bench and do the work standing up. Better to be standing when using hammer. Bad bearing is a Chinese Cheapie!! Never too early for a beer!
They must look different on video. I physically took one to a mechanic that sold me the trailer brakes and runs a trailer and automotive repair shop, and he told me they were fine. I've towed over 10,000 miles since and brakes have worked great. Cheers, Ray
Thanks, I've appeared quite often actually, but of course, the beagle is the star. :) I usually rotate my trailer tires front to back about halfway through their life. Usually get around 2 years out of a set, we travel a lot. Cheers, Ray
A job well done. Give yourself a big old pant on the back! you now have the piece of mind knowing it was done right. Make sure you check your adjustment after a few hundred miles.
The two that were up to 129 f when the others were in the 60 to 80 f range got taken apart and checked. Both got backed off, some extra grease that got flung around inside was cleaned off and both re assembled. Now there is no noise of anything dragging on those 2. The breakaway works on both but am not sure if the service brake pedal will apply them. I may hook up the truck today and jack up 1 side at a time and try to spin the wheel then run to the truck to jump on the brakes to see if hey grab. Temps were all around 79f on the way to Campbell River a couple of days ago. But pressure got up to 104-106 to set off the high pressure alarm. Pressure on all 12 was set at 90 psi cold but all got up to 105 which triggered the alarm. I'll check the book of words to see if I need to drop the pressure or raise the temp alarm. A 15 degree rise in temp shouldn't be such a big deal. For those running full pressure cold, I could see that being a problem running west to east in the US. Not that there are plans anytime soon to go there. Those 12 x 3" drums and 17.5 wheels and tires are not easy to muscle around without damaging the threads on the spindles.
Hi Ray, I am just doing the whole replacement routine as I write, well, I had to come in 'cause when the temp hit 96 degrees, I decided to wait a few hours until someone turns the oven down a notch or two....but here's a few comments you or your subscribers might appreciate... or not. First of all, I hunted around for the Dexter replacements for my 3.5k axle, which were 2 1/4 "x 10" & the best deal I could find was online from "Trailer Parts Superstore", Newark, DE. I bought L/H & R/H brake assemblies, one hub, a couple of dust caps & inner & outer bearings & a grease seal....a package weighing 20 or 30 lbs. The parts were $328 + & shipping was $33+ Total $362.09...& couldn't find a better deal, even if there was one! I ordered on Tuesday, May 25th & was told to expect delivery around June 1st or later... & the stuff arrived of Friday 27th May... The brake assemblies were the "NEV-R-ADJUST" models, which cost a few bucks more but saves having to keep checking your brakes & these replaced the manual adjust models that I removed.Don't ask how or why it happened but, on one side, with hub off, I the adjuster & two other pieces of scrap loose inside & between the guts of the assembly falling apart, the brake drum was scored... that's why I bought a new one. In the process, did see the advice, in the casting of the drum that states that you can skim the drum to a maximum of 10.09 inches.... a job for later, if it isn't damaged too much. Apologies for the length of this comment but it's best to say everything in one hit. Having no experience at all with electric trailer brakes, when I took one side apart, I was looking for part numbers on the components & I couldn't see anything & that made me wonder about the actual axle. That's when I discovered, right in the middle, on the rear side, after I'd cleaned the rust & debris off, a 9 digit number. I then phoned Dexter to see if they could identify it... & they did. Meanwhile, on the brake assembly, I finally discovered, etched in small print, that you need eyes like an osprey to find,...10" x 2/4" 3.5k. Now, I'm 100% sure of what parts I need to order. Back to your video, which was very good by the way.... I agree with all you said about removing the retaining nuts for the brake assembly. I used 3 different toots to take off 4 nuts....& had no lock washers either & when it came to installing the new brake, yes 40-70 ft lbs is the recommended torque & I could only get my torque wrench on one of them.... Wiring, I was surprised to see you use crimp fittings & then tape. My stock trailer wiring is all twisted pairs & tape (from the manufacturers) but I am about to go through it & solder the joints & cover them with heat-shrink...& they will be waterproof....but first, I have to finish the brakes... then replace the flat battery for break-away control...replace the trailer 7-way cable & then change out the 7-way on the pickup & maybe by Christmas I'll have lights & brakes.... Regards Mike
See previous videos:
Bearing and Brake Check - th-cam.com/video/vs_34iFcE0g/w-d-xo.html
Parts, Tools, and Supplies- th-cam.com/video/BvX-3LCgshQ/w-d-xo.html
See the full blog post - www.loveyourrv.com/installing-new-trailer-bearings-and-brakes-on-our-cougar-fifth-wheel/
@35:20 you did not tighten you nuts in a STAR .... Badge would not let you get away with that! ! !
Quick question, did you have the RV connected to your truck while doing this work?
Oh my gosh Ray, what have you done. That brake job.... Thanks for the vid. This will really help folks out there realize they can do these types of jobs themselves, get the job done at ones own pace and save a pretty penny at the same time. Rock on......Thanks.
I wish I had your patience and calmness. Awesome work
Clever of you to do three of them and then film the fourth one. By then you knew the drill !
Honest fella right there. Most would’ve claimed it was the first. Lol.
You did a pretty good job there, I've been a mechanic my whole life and have packed many wheel bearings and have done plenty of brake jobs. I would never let anyone do this for me, I do it right everytime and most people you would pay not only don't really care but honestly don't really know what they are doing. I always use a bearing packer I think it's so stupid that people want to do that in their hand. I've got over 30 yrs of experience and have never packed a bearing by hand. I like your by the book approach, you done it right. Keep on keeping on. Larry R.
Thanks :)
My only regret is that I can only give one thumbs up. Another great vid Ray. Keep up the good work!
Excellent video. You are the first that I have seen actually use a torque wrench to tighten the spindle nut. Bravo!
Ray, I have finished my breaks (End of July). I put in a new brake assembly and drums. I am so proud. It was not braking well, spring had come undone, a magnet and drum were all grooved, one side was heating up to 180F and what not. Thank you so much for all your excellent and so complete work. Just amazing the quality detailed work you put in for us!! I ordered new Nev-R-Adjust brake assemblies with the letter K in front of the numbers. K as in Kit, it comes with the two rubber caps for the back of the adjustment drums holes and 5 new special nuts for the backplate. There is also a sheet inside the box with the specific torque specs. I then did the break-in period as per the Dexter manual; 20 to 30 times a 20 MPH decrease; from 40 to 20, allowing the brakes to cool between application then synchronize with a brake. Made several hark stops on the dry paved road free of sand and gravel. Lock slide decrease, don't lock slide increase, attain lock and skid. Not sure iI fully understand those last 2 actions but I don't think I skid yet. I do break strongly and smoothly now. I know more what to check now that I have done it myself. Big Job !
OK, all of this is awesome, but what made my day was the fact that I could jack each tire individually on the U-bolts. So I got me a 1/4" short bar of steel and put it across the top of my 20-ton bottle jack to span the two U-bolts and, voila! I was jacking at the center suspension point, but with all the slop in the leaf springs, it just wasn't always enough.
Thanks for the great tutorial! The RV shop wants quite a bit of loot so doing it myself and learning quite a bit about how these work is going to be great, especially if I get into trouble on the hwy or something, at least I'll know how to check them.
Magnificent job sir! The only thing I do differently is I adjust the brakes with the tire on. The added weight of the tire I prefer for the spinning and feeling the grab of the brakes. Be safe brother and safe travels.
excellent video Ray, step by step very well done. Dealer did mine and really messed them up. They used a power greaser and never took the wheels off, had to replace the breaks. After watching this, not gonna happen again. Thanks
I've heard that isn't uncommon. :(
Really good and professional job. I would recommend to freeze the races for couple of hours in the deep freezer before installing. This way you can slide them in position by hand without hitting. That's what we did for many years on equipment on deep sea tankers.
Wow, cool tip! :)
Nice job Ray. My dad taught me how to do a full brake job on my vehicles. If I had to give you a grade it would be A+. I can't see anything done incorrectly. It is always nice to do a job like this with all of the right tools. Keep up the good work! Definitely was Beagle approved!
Thanks! Gary. :)
Thank you very much for this video Ray! First time doing this task and your step by step instructions allowed me to complete the task very easily!
Glad it helped!
I really enjoyed your repair video so much that I had to write to you. I have a 2017 Grand Design 303 rls and had a leaking seal on the rig. Had been looking at videos for awhile when I came across your Part two video. I wish that I would of saw Part one first because I would not have bought the Lippert bearing. Just didn't think that Lippert would be using bearings made in China. But the nice thing is that because of stumbling on to your video and another gentleman's video I changed out the leaking seal and clean out the grease that came with the axles and replaced with a better grease. I'm lucky that the rig doesn't have a lot of miles on it so the brakes and hubs so far are in good shape, only got two done today, But that was because of running into your video, the other two are going to be done tomorrow, hopefully no surprises . All the others were not showing enough to make me feel comfortable in attempting the repairs. Thanks again. PS: Nice new Truck. I pick out a GMC 2500 HD Duramax Sierra LTZ.
That's great to hear John, happy the video helped out. I've got about 6 - 8 thousand miles on the new bearings and brakes and everything is performing well. Cheers! Ray
@@LoveYourRV Finished up today but had two more that was leaking and no signs of it. Also the last one that I did seems to have a short in the magnetic brake some where. It wouldn't come stop the tire before I took it off but after removing the hub and jiggling wires it would hold my steel putty knife but when I got the tire back on it wouldn't again. fight that battle next weekend. Thanks again. Happy Trails to you.
147 comments ahead of me, so I may have missed someones reply. We always used blue Loctite on the backing plate bolts. Toss the old bearings and races. They must always remain a matched set. Great stuff Ray, love your vids.
Having done bearings before and having watched my Dad do them, I deeply appreciate your video. Thank you!
You're welcome. :)
Ray: "I also got a really nice jack stand up there..."
Me: *looking around trying to see the jack*
Ray: "... called a tire."
XD
Thanks for sharing.
We had problems with our brakes squealing after driving (coming into the campground in the afternoon) and I solved it by backing off the brake adjustment. An RV tech I asked said electric brakes are not like hydraulic brakes and shouldn't be adjusted so tight. I now also use a non-contact thermometer to check the temp of the brakes whenever I stop, that way I can see which wheel is doing the braking and adjust them accordingly.
Cheers!
Thanks, I do the IR gun things too and last year I added a wireless TPMS with temperature readout. The sensor is on a metal valve stem and picks up the heat transfer through the mag wheel pretty good. Comes in real handy. If I'm doing any heavy braking I can see the temps rise. I can see if any one wheel is running too hot or too cold versus the others.
I agree with Mark Jordan. Great video...You give me confidence in doing it myself, which I prefer if it saves me money. Keep it coming. I hope to meet you someday and shake your hand.
Good Job from a certified ASE and Porchse/Audi Master Tech.
Great job Ray. Thanks for sharing your video with us. Keep up the good work. I enjoyed your video. Bill
Dang Ray, you make it look too easy!!! Defiantly my go to video when the time comes!!!
Totally agree on jacking technique. Much safer. Much easier too. Additionally, I always hook the track to the trailer. It keeps the trailer from moving at all. Just a bit more safety.
Thanks for posting this video, it gives me confidence to repack my own bearings. Haven’t done it in years, this refresher was all I needed to move forward. Thanks again
You bet. Have fun. :)
ya ray i use lock tight when i put any heavy nuts like that back on with all the harsh road abuse the system takes!!!! never lost a nut or bolt yet!!! oh an as long as u always jacked up on the u bolts an not the axel tube its self never had a problem!!! been a rv tech for 20 years!! cheers
31:04 Great job explaining how to tighten the castle nut and back it off. I think it's the most misunderstood part.
I’ve seen plenty of loaded bearings stay that way and heat up beyond their point really quick and need replacing. Not everyone understands not all nuts remain tight.
Very GOOD! Have done this many times and you are a pro!
"Contact a beagle if you have any questions" Yes, that's a great one, Ray!
Excellent work, I like to put a tiny amount of anti-seize on the star adjuster threads, love anti-seize compound. Incredibly I've seen it remain in place for years....
Well done Ray!! I think that this will be very valuable to others as time goes by. I put a pump or 2 of grease to the EZ Lube fittings every 2K miles. One Lonley Farmer showed me the value of WD40 professional grease that is high temp, high pressure and an all around great product.
Interesting, I never even knew that WD40 made grease. Cheers, Ray
Wow Ray, your races came out way easier than mine did last spring. On my Lippert axles I had to heat the drum with a torch to get the old ones out, and put the new ones into the freezer before install.
Much easier than I expected that's for sure. Maybe it's because the trailer has never seen winter weather.
Another excellent video Ray! Thanks for taking the time to show us how it's done.
Thanks Ray, you give me inspiration to try it myself
It looks to me like you did a great job, with attention to detail. Much better than you will get at any shop you take it too. I give you an A+ also.
Thanks. :)
Great job, Ray! This was very helpful and consistent with all the best practices I've learned over the years. One minor thing, household electrical tape is not made for external use, especially the undercarriage of a vehicle. That tape will only last several months and you'll have tape and wires dangling everywhere. Just use wire ties to restrain the wires. If you want to avoid corrosion in those butt connectors use a bit of dielectric grease.
Thanks, definitely better than OEM all they had for connectors was plastic crimps like this totally exposed to the weather - sc01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1CW9vg5QnBKNjSZFmq6AApVXa3/Closed-End-Nylon-Crimp-Caps-Splice-Wire.jpg_350x350.jpg I've had several fail over the years. I've found a good quality electrical tape will last a long time. 3M super 88 is excellent - www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/Scotch-Professional-Grade-Vinyl-Electrical-Tape-Super-88/?N=5002385+3294355634&rt=rud
Cheers, Ray
3m electrical tape will last several years out in the elements...lineman approved.
Another great video Ray. Great info for all and I was pleased to see you struggle with the castle nut. Sorry for you but man I thought I was the only one playing find the thread game. I just packed using the Dexter greasing method. I pull the wheel and cap. I checked for hub movement the greased slowly while spinning the wheel until old grease was forded out. I even used a Lincoln 18 volt grease gun. Like any tool we just need to know how to use it and how it works. A weak battery is key and one of the three I have will always be weak. I was a heavy equipment operator and have greased far too many grease fittings. Your information was great and I do NOT recommend a battery or air powered grease gun to any of your viewers unless they know the tool and use your slow and easy method. Thanks again Ray.
Stay safe Joe
Thanks! Joe :)
I didn’t know about using a big castle nut socket with a torque wrench. I have been using a large Channel Lock pliers to set the castle nut. I will switch. I have never heard about tightening the lug nuts to 2 intermediate settings before the final setting. I like the idea and will do that next time. I think the bearing seals need a coating of sealer around the edge only if your trailer is regularly submerged, like a boat trailer.
I am amazed at how easily you pulled that bearing seal with the puller. My experience with an identical puller has been nothing but violence and deafening noise from the hammer blows on the handle. It was very surprising that no one at the RV park complained. It sounded like I was making horse shoes in a forge.
Yeah, they all came out pretty easily. Maybe yours was in there a long time or something. :)
Thanks for all your effort putting this video together for us, super job!
Excellent Excellent Excellent.....Nice and professional
Thanks for the info Ray. I got the stickers today. I'm going to the Grand Design rally in Delaware next week, it'll be posted in a very visible place and I'll be happy to aim some folks to your TH-cam channel.
Thanks! Have a great rally. Cheers!
It's really shaping up to be quite a big function. They sold out the entire camp ground months ago just fir Grand Design owners.
it is a good skill, and you know its done right ! no corners cut. peace of mind !
Great video. Thanks for the step by step. Can't imagine anyone giving a thumbs down on this. Great info. 👍👍👍
Thanks 👍
Great video! When I did my trailer, there were lock washers on each of the brake bolts. Really should use them. Also, etrailer offered me a set of nuts which included the lock washers. When I took the nuts off, several of them were badly damaged - and it was not damage that I had caused. Even though I was able to get them loose, they were so bad that they might not have come off and would have required grinding or cutting them off. So my advice would be to add new nuts and washers if the nuts look even a little bad - cheap insurance.
Thanks! I've since found out the nuts on my brake assembly were actually a type of lock nut called Two Way Reversible Lock Nuts so I'm good. :)
"Two way Reversible Lock Nuts (also known as Centerlock Nuts) get their name because of their functionality and ability to be used either top-up, or top-down. Two Way Lock Nuts feature indentations on the outside flats of the nut, distorting the internal threads to increase resistance on the mating part. This creates a locking mechanism in the center of the nut.Having the locking portion within the hex nut offers several benefits including versatility in application, speed of application (which helps on assembly lines), and application environment versatility. All metal lock nuts can be used in high heat or highly corrosive applications where a nylon insert would not be suitable. Bolts or Screws used with Two Way Reversible Lock Nuts can also be shorter than the nut, because the locing occurs in the center. For this reason, the end of thee bolt or screw does not have to extend beyond the end of the nut."
Really great video mate you are a great teacher .. loved it 👍
Thanks!
Great video! Thanks from Florida!
Thanks! Everything has been working well. Cheers, Ray
That was much appreciated sir. I will be tackling that by spring. Thank you
Great video Ray! Remind me again, what kind of sound does a powered grease gun make? LOL! Seriously, my opinion is you did it the way it should be done! A professional job! Peace!
Thanks. :)
Great video Ray. This kind of video let’s folks see that the can do this job themselves. They can figure out for themselves and just like you, use the shop manual to set their own torque values. Love your videos!
You back the what?! 😅 (3:20)
Thank you for sharing the video! 🙏🏼
great video! thanks for covering every step in the process.
You're welcome, put on 5000 miles since the job and no problems. Cheers, Ray
Great job ray, good detail, covered all the steps!
Thanks :)
Nice work Ray. Love your stuff and learned a lot from you.
Thanks for the video... great video and information. I’ve learned a lot from your videos.
You're welcome, Sam. :)
Great video Ray! Your background maybe electronics but your a good mechanic too. You also work smarter not harder and that is very good with age. My QA inspectors where never as nice as your four legged inspector. If you want a surprise take that bad bearing cut the outer roller retaining ring off. You may be shocked at how the inner roller race looks. Sometimes there is deep pitting there and that’s where a lot of bearing noise originates from. ATB
Very good job and detailed I'll follow up with you to do mine. Thanks Ray.
Thank you for excellent tutorial!!!
Nice job, I love good brakes.
Great job I use to do my boat wheels and drums and bearings all the time because of the water even with buddy bearings. I haven't done my trailer yet.
Great video to watch as I'm replacing my brakes in the coming weeks. One thing I noticed is you used the Lucas polyurea grease which is one of the best on the market. If you need to add grease down the road though, you have to stick to polyurea grease as lithium grease won't mix with poly.
Yes, I plan to stick with the same grease, seems to really last. Haven't had any issues with it. Cheers, Ray
Nice job Ray! Happy Hour time! 😀
Thank you! You did a great job breaking it down and putting it back together. Keep it as a reference when it's my time to do my traveling trailer. Passport 199ML 2018
Another great how-to video, thanks for sharing! 👍
Thanks for sharing. As always an excellent job on the video!
Great video. It's been a long time since I've had to grease bearings so it was a nice refresher. May I make one suggesting, jack stand. Just one would suffice when you only take off one tire but it could save a limb or your life. Otherwise loved it.
Great job!!! Very entertaining (not educational) video!!!
Great job Ray!
Job well done Ray, cheers
It has been about 35 or 40 years since I ever did anything like that, but when I bought bearings it seems to me the races were always a matched set. The tolerances may be a lot better not so that they don't do that anymore, but that would be my thought about keeping any of those used sets as they are no longer matched together.. great video and great job from a self proclaimed novice..
Good point. The new Timken came packaged as a set. So I think I'll pick up some new ones and an extra seal to have on board for backup. Cheers, Ray
Another great video Ray!!! Thanks so much for sharing!! W.
Looks good Ray. Only thing I do different is I check for play and spin tire when it's mounted. That will tell the tale on the preload. Good idea to check temps first trip out.
Thanks, I'll watch my TPMS temps indicator and also stop and check things with an IR gun, too.
Where do you shoot the IR temp gage?
Ray Nice work... Thanks for sharing.
I had also thought of the Self Adjusting brake sets & have installed them before. I would of used High Temp Anti Seize on the brake adjusters, to keep them from locking up (encountered locked up adjusters on a trailer I picked up last year). Normally when setting preload torque on the bearings, I hit 50# & back off the nut 1/8th to 1/4 turn. I go by feel on this. This method was used for years on DND (Military) Trucks, with different preload of course & I spent 30 yrs working on those trucks.
Excellent job Ray!!!! I'm in the process in changing my old hubs out to Disc Breaks. Safe Travels!
Nice!
Nice job , thanks Ray.
Great video! As for your jack point, when you diagram the loads all of them are transmitted through the u bolt point anyway so jacking at that point should not harm the axle at all. If it did the axle would bend when you lowered the trailer down on the wheel. Again thanks for all the great tips.
There's actually a cradle accessory you can purchase that fits on the bottle jack that will transfer the pressure to both U bolts at the same time minimizing and axel tube damage. Also, while doing the bearings and or brakes, this is also a good time to lubricate all the moving suspension parts and finish that off with a torque check on the axel U bolts. Great video!
Great video, the only thing I was taught to do a little differently is to adjust the brakes with the tire on the hub but same technique. You'll find that you will crank the brakes a little further out with the tire on.
Thanks, I have to readjust after a short break in period so I'll do that. Cheers, Ray
Good job Ray. I have the same Endurance tires. Luv em.
Very well explained thank you
As you mentioned the savings will buy some useful tools plus most RV'rs have nothing but time at the RV park to do this type of job...win win
No criticism here... I'm new to the electric brake world but, I watched your video with keen interest, watching every step. Not having a seal puller, I hit the brick wall... except, from the other side, you can knock out the race, bearing & grease seal with a brass punch..... I've ordered a seal puller won't get it for a week... but I couldn't waste today.
Looked good from here. I was told years ago that the area between the bearings was just that... area. If you fill it up with grease it holds in the heat. One thing for sure grease does not flow like oil. If it's in the area it will pretty much stay in the area. Of course they've been using those Bearing Buddies on boat trailers for quite a few years haven't they. On that note boat trailer seals are double seals also.
This system is different than bearing Buddies as bearing buddies are spring loaded and once they are full there's nowhere for the grease to go. This system when you rotate the tire it purges the old grease forward and you can remove it with your finger or screwdriver then you put the Rubber seal cap on. It is not pressurized so less of a chance of it bursting through the seals.
I understand the concept, however you still end up with grease filling the cavity in between the front and rear bearing. I'm not saying that is bad because I am a retired Computer Systems Analyst that grew up in a sawmill that now blacksmiths, I am not a mechanic. Just saying I was told by a mechanic about 40 years ago it builds up heat.
Looks great! Nice Canadian content :)
Question: How often should you rotate a beagle, every 10 duck feet ?
They auto-rotate all on their own! Sometimes too much. :)
Awesome video very helpful!!!
Excellent series of videos Ray!! Tools and procedures all well thought out. I see that you waited till the last wheel to "work the kinks out". Probably took half the time for the last one compared to the first. 😀 Only thing I could see that I would do differently would have been (while the whole brake assembly was removed) to pump enough of your Lucas lubricant into your zirc fitting on the spindle until it pushed as much of the old lubricant out of the rear hole as possible. I realize that you can't remove all of it, but the less cross-contamination of lubricants, the better. Great job. Just for interest, how long did it take for the four hubs?
Good point forgot about the little channel. I'd say the total time spent was around 4-5 hours.
Just a bit of advice. DO NOT put grease on the spindle before you slide the hub back on. Even though there is a small amount of room before the seal starts to fit tight onto the seat. No matter how careful you are you are going to get grease on the outside of the seal which will put grease into the brake shoe area and when it heats up will get onto your new shoes rendering them useless and in need of replacement again. Just a suggestion.
And the nuts on your brake assembly are lock nuts. They are similar ro unlock nuts but are generally meant to be a one time use nut. It is good practice to replace them with new ones.
I would also be very careful about backing off the nut to accommodate the keeper ring. The bearings should be zero tolerance for play so if the keeper will not line up I would try to tighten the nut a bit first. This bering said it is very much dependent on the installer. You truly finger tightened the nut after loosening it from the preload torque. this giving you some wiggle room to tighten it up for keeper alinement. Some people finger tight swings to the higher side of tight and puts them in the position that loosening the nut is the best way to go for keeper install.
Sorry if my explanation is confusing. Over all this is a very good video and I can see it helping a number of folks from experiancing undo heart ache on the road. WELL DONE SIR.
Thanks for the tips and advice, put 8,000 miles on the trailer since the job and no problems. Cheers, Ray
Angie is pretty confident you ain't gonna crush her. LOL
Looks good Ray
Most likely left comment 2 years ago..... anyway rattle can of rustoluem black on that drum!! Quality work!!! And the race can be reused if not marked up. Pitting, replace with Timken or Dexter. And, locate a solid work bench and do the work standing up. Better to be standing when using hammer. Bad bearing is a Chinese Cheapie!! Never too early for a beer!
Very good job Sir ! Cheers!
You did a good job up to the part where you put the old junk drums back on. You did notice how badly worn the magnet surface was.
They must look different on video. I physically took one to a mechanic that sold me the trailer brakes and runs a trailer and automotive repair shop, and he told me they were fine. I've towed over 10,000 miles since and brakes have worked great. Cheers, Ray
3 comments:
1 - we finally see your face!
2 - rotate tires?
3 - love your channel...
Thanks, I've appeared quite often actually, but of course, the beagle is the star. :) I usually rotate my trailer tires front to back about halfway through their life. Usually get around 2 years out of a set, we travel a lot. Cheers, Ray
A job well done. Give yourself a big old pant on the back! you now have the piece of mind knowing it was done right. Make sure you check your adjustment after a few hundred miles.
Will be keeping a close eye on them for sure. Thanks! Ray
Very well done
When you get the new truck your certainly going to run faster and jump higher
The two that were up to 129 f when the others were in the 60 to 80 f range got taken apart and checked. Both got backed off, some extra grease that got flung around inside was cleaned off and both re assembled. Now there is no noise of anything dragging on those 2. The breakaway works on both but am not sure if the service brake pedal will apply them. I may hook up the truck today and jack up 1 side at a time and try to spin the wheel then run to the truck to jump on the brakes to see if hey grab. Temps were all around 79f on the way to Campbell River a couple of days ago. But pressure got up to 104-106 to set off the high pressure alarm. Pressure on all 12 was set at 90 psi cold but all got up to 105 which triggered the alarm. I'll check the book of words to see if I need to drop the pressure or raise the temp alarm. A 15 degree rise in temp shouldn't be such a big deal.
For those running full pressure cold, I could see that being a problem running west to east in the US. Not that there are plans anytime soon to go there.
Those 12 x 3" drums and 17.5 wheels and tires are not easy to muscle around without damaging the threads on the spindles.
Thanks for the update
I'm needing to do bearings and brakes on my camper. But my pug is not much of a mechanic. Anyway I could possibly borrow a beagle?
Hi Ray, I am just doing the whole replacement routine as I write, well, I had to come in 'cause when the temp hit 96 degrees, I decided to wait a few hours until someone turns the oven down a notch or two....but here's a few comments you or your subscribers might appreciate... or not. First of all, I hunted around for the Dexter replacements for my 3.5k axle, which were 2 1/4 "x 10" & the best deal I could find was online from "Trailer Parts Superstore", Newark, DE.
I bought L/H & R/H brake assemblies, one hub, a couple of dust caps & inner & outer bearings & a grease seal....a package weighing 20 or 30 lbs. The parts were $328 + & shipping was $33+ Total $362.09...& couldn't find a better deal, even if there was one! I ordered on Tuesday, May 25th & was told to expect delivery around June 1st or later... & the stuff arrived of Friday 27th May...
The brake assemblies were the "NEV-R-ADJUST" models, which cost a few bucks more but saves having to keep checking your brakes & these replaced the manual adjust models that I removed.Don't ask how or why it happened but, on one side, with hub off, I the adjuster & two other pieces of scrap loose inside & between the guts of the assembly falling apart, the brake drum was scored... that's why I bought a new one.
In the process, did see the advice, in the casting of the drum that states that you can skim the drum to a maximum of 10.09 inches.... a job for later, if it isn't damaged too much.
Apologies for the length of this comment but it's best to say everything in one hit.
Having no experience at all with electric trailer brakes, when I took one side apart, I was looking for part numbers on the components & I couldn't see anything & that made me wonder about the actual axle. That's when I discovered, right in the middle, on the rear side, after I'd cleaned the rust & debris off, a 9 digit number. I then phoned Dexter to see if they could identify it... & they did.
Meanwhile, on the brake assembly, I finally discovered, etched in small print, that you need eyes like an osprey to find,...10" x 2/4" 3.5k. Now, I'm 100% sure of what parts I need to order.
Back to your video, which was very good by the way.... I agree with all you said about removing the retaining nuts for the brake assembly. I used 3 different toots to take off 4 nuts....& had no lock washers either & when it came to installing the new brake, yes 40-70 ft lbs is the recommended torque & I could only get my torque wrench on one of them....
Wiring, I was surprised to see you use crimp fittings & then tape. My stock trailer wiring is all twisted pairs & tape (from the manufacturers) but I am about to go through it & solder the joints & cover them with heat-shrink...& they will be waterproof....but first, I have to finish the brakes... then replace the flat battery for break-away control...replace the trailer 7-way cable & then change out the 7-way on the pickup & maybe by Christmas I'll have lights & brakes....
Regards
Mike
Thanks for sharing you experience Mike, safe travels :) Cheers, Ray