Pre-trip maintenance and tools

WilliamA

Hi all,
I've been busy getting things ship-shape for my winter sojourn and thought I'd post a couple of photos of some of my onboard tool selection.

I pulled the wheels to do my bearing maintenance and also remove the hubcap from the factory wheels. To be sure, I like the hubs and hardware of the Dexter axle and most like the grease-able spindle. But in order to get access to the grease zerk on the end of the axle, one needs to pull the bearing cap off and to do that, one needs to get the factory center cap off the wheel. This step is probably overkill as once the bearings are serviced, there probably isn't much need to grease them for a trip or two. But I like to be able to spritz in a bit of gooey-go from time to time and removing the center cap means I can do a quick grease and go without removing the wheel.

Here's my hubcap removed from the wheel. I won't put these back on for now. If I get a set of hub-saver bearing caps, I can put them back on and still access the zerk through the removable end of the center cap. Until then, I'll stow them.

Here's my midget grease gun that travels with me. It's a cartridge type and, yes, it leaks all over the place. I pack it in a ziplock bag. If your greasegun isn't leaking, you need to fill it.

I wanted to make sure the jack on my new Tow Vehicle would do the duty on my trailer so I put it to work. With the addition of my clever pieces of 2x4 underneath, it works just fine.

Here's a handy little prybar that I use for a multitude of things, not the least of which is getting the bearing caps off. In lieu of a hammer (which I don't carry) I use the biggest socket in my set.

I got this cheapo socket set so I can be reasonably assured that I'll have the correct size 6 point deepwell socket for taking off wheels. The big socket works great as a bludgeon too. This thing is heavy but the multitude of lugnuts of various sizes makes it necessary to have more than enough for the job. Always use a 6 point socket on your lugnuts. A 12 point socket will likely strip the nuts. I have a long 1/2" breaker bar and ratchet that I drive them with.

WilliamA

LuckyJ

@WilliamA said:

I wanted to make sure the jack on my new Tow Vehicle would do the duty on my trailer so I put it to work. With the addition of my clever pieces of 2x4 underneath, it works just fine.

WilliamA

Did you try to remove tye snap cap (tag) of the cup? Prety sure that it woul fit over tha hub cap, you would just need to find one with a serk on it. Would look a little better.

As for the pic where you use you jack under the axle, You will soon here about it. But I would place mine in the exact same position. And this part is stronger than the frame.

LuckyJ

I just wanted to add, when you get to that frame off, show us pics, I am very curiuous about the bolts holding the habitat to the frame. When I pass the 12v wire from the back to the front using the basement, I have removed the veneer support the holds the bed so the wire would be hidden, but nevr found the bolts head.

I would asume that they are carriage bolts under the vinyl flooring.

Anyway, I will follow this!

WilliamA

Lucky,
Yeah, I've been waiting for the drubbing I'll ultimately receive for the jack placement. Here's the reason: Most automobile jacks nowadays are designed to sit over a "pinch seam" in the body. This jack for my Jeep is no different. It's got a slot cut in it to girdle the pinch seam on the body. The problem with that for use on trailers is the pinch seam goes lengthwise on the body and the slot is designed so the jack sits perpendicular to the body line. The top piece of the jack only has strength as designed and if put sideways, would collapse on the upper lift pad if put anything but that way. I've positioned the jack under the axle on the "flat" of the jack top pad. I'm directly below the axle mount pad so the lift force is transferred straight up from the jack point into the frame. What's not shown here is that I've got my Jeep hooked to the hitch to prevent fore/aft movement of the trailer. With this jack and this trailer, it's the safest point to lift without putting a 12" pile of cribbing between the jack and ground.

As to the pop off cover for the hubcap, once you pop the cover off the hubcap, you must still remove the bearing cap to expose the grease zerk. In order to get the bearing cap off, you otherwise would still need to remove the wheel. Having the bearing caps with the zerks on the outside would preclude that problem. Until then,, the low budget alternative is to run with the wheel center caps off.

As with all things automotive (and otherwise) there's how you "should" be able to do it and how you "can" do it. Dealing with the differences between those two points is the sandbox within which mechanics live...

WilliamA

WilliamA

LuckyJ,
Well, I made it to Az. Took a whoopin in the snow and wind but slogged on and eventually came out of the tundra and into the light.

I just want to ride my bicycle, drink wine and soak up 3 months worth of sun in 2 weeks. Oh and Lucky, my bike is a Norco... Eh?

WilliamA

LuckyJ

Nice to know you made it safe and sound!

Enjoy that time over there!

TomD

William..the correct order of activities is soak up the sun while drinking the wine then consider the biking.😜

willbingham1

William, I am going out for a 4700+ mile round trip out west from Kentucky to ramble and roll with a 2017 T@G. I just greased and filled the wheel bearing with High temp red grease on both sides (one side was not nearly filled and the other just required a few squirts with wheel twirling). With this much mileage, do you recommend to check and squirt the bearings while on the road and at about what mileage. Love to hear before I leave in mid-August on the trip. Bill

WilliamA

@willbingham1 said:
William, With this much mileage, do you recommend to check and squirt the bearings while on the road and at about what mileage. Love to hear before I leave in mid-August on the trip. Bill

Bill,
The short answer is no, you probably don't need to worry about them. For my money, just occasionally checking the hubs with your hand for heat after pulling off the highway is good enough. I over-maintain my rig. If, on the other hand, you're sitting bored in a campground and wanted to jack the trailer up and check for bearing play while squirting in a dab of fresh grease....Well.....no wheel bearing ever failed from over-greasing. Heat is the enemy of wheel bearings. If you touch the back of your hand to the hub (wheel next to the hub is fine) and its cool or warm, keep drivin... If it's hot, checky checky...
WilliamA

willbingham1

Thanks for the help. I still will carry my grease gun and if some heat is noticed somewhere in the trip at the campground I will shoot a little grease after checking the play. Really like how easy it is to maintain the bearings on these little fellows. By the way I am pulling it with a CRV for the TV and with the CVT transmission. I get between 19-20 miles pre with the Turbo 1.5 engine and so far I am well pleased with all. Vehicle does not strain to pull at all. The issue for me is my very limited tongue weight and have to make sure to not load up tongue of trailer and use a little physics to counter any load. I have measured the weight to make sure I am at about 150 pds. as the hitch on the CRV requires as max. So things must be loaded at the rear or even use the water tank with water to counter balance. Thank goodness even with the propane tank on the tongue I am still at the max tongue. I can remove it reducing about 30 pounds on tongue, but I like to keep some weight to control any sway issues, which I have not experienced even once. Really enjoy your posts and have learned much from all you've done with your rig. Thanks again, William.