EZ Lube Hubs EXPOSED! | Trailer Axle Maintenance

In this video I show where the grease goes when you grease an EZ Lube hub using the grease zerk on the end of the spindle.
This is on my 7x12 cargo trailer, which I'm doing a bearing repack and brake upgrade on.

[@shawnmenzenberg6442]

The trailer you bought had the rear seal totally worn out. Without the sealed hub installed the method you show for how it works is totally invalid. As long as the seal is good and the hub is in place 100% of the grease goes through the rear bearing and then through the outer bearing fully replacing all old grease with new grease. The EZ Lube method is sound. If grease doesn't start coming out of the outer bearing within a few pumps then you need to replace the inner seal. Then is a good time to clean and inspect everything. A light polish on the seal surface is always a good idea and then adjust the bearings. Then refill the whole assembly with a good quality grease. In 23 years of using my 24' enclosed trailer with EZ Lube axles about 10,000 miles a year over max weight I have never lost a bearing. Now tires is a whole nother subject.

[@TheRoostersGarage]

Without having the hub on, this test doesn't seem valid. If you had the pressure of the hub and the preload, the grease would have to squeeze around to get back out. I'd be willing to bet the previous owner never spun it which would blow out the inner seal. As long as this is spun while the grease is going in there, it will be applied to the innermost area and pushed toward the least resistance (the open hole in the hub where it's designed to come out) but the only way it can get to that least resistance area and escape is by pushing all the old grease out that in the way of the new grease, hence why it comes in at the innermost area.

[@henryassault1359]

I think, people pump grease with tires on the ground and blow out the seal or they used a pneumatic or electric grease gun over a recommended hand held grease gun. Dexter EZ lube, to this date, has a step by step video on how to use their product. Stop being lazy and repack by hand, then no worries? Nothing is EZ.

[@rchick9682]

I think you would need the inner axle seal installed to force the grease outward.

[@wooddawg4868]

You have the wheel off so no grease is going to move forward. The old owner did not rotate the tire while pumping grease in which forced it out the back.

[@philodox7599]

The Ez Lube axles can push the inner seal out. BUT #1 Dexter says do NOT use a pneumatic grease gun because they are more likely to push out the seal ( you are not using a pneumatic grease gun in the video so you are good there ) #2 I ALWAY grease put grease into EZ lube hubs on a very hot day and i leave the trailer in direct sun and also leave the grease and grease gun in the sun for a little bit because the more liquid the grease is the less likely it is to push the inner seal out. I also constantly spin the wheel and have the wheel jacked up off the ground. #3 no EZ lube hubs do not work 100% of the time but if done correctly they will work 95% of the time and it is a LOT easier and cheaper then taking everything apart every year just to repack bearings. #5 it does take a kind of long time because I i keep pumping in the grease until i see nothing but clean new grease coming out of the front of the hub.

[@sadlert]

Wrong conclusion. If a good seal is in place, the path of least resistance is through the bearing. The actual problem is that the hole where grease exits from is razor sharp an it cuts the seal every time the hub is installed. Soften the edge of that hole with 600 grit sandpaper, then take care not to overdo it with the grease gun and it works fine. Also, I make sure that the bearing cap has a very small hole in the center of it - the bearings can heat up very quickly under braking, and this makes sure that pressure does not build at the inner seal.

[@fknbossfabworx1067]

If you really want to see how it works assemble everything as you would with seal and all and new clean bearings. And grease with the zerk as you are supposed to while rotating then pull it apart and see how the bearing packed. The way your video shows is like trying to complain that a tire not mounted on a rim doesn’t hold air. Your trailers PO probably didn’t grease correctly. I see lots of people just jam grease in the and not turn the wheel and it builds too much pressure in one spot and blows the seal.

[@haroldhutchcraft8227]

The rear axle seal is what makes the grease go into the bearing. Once the bearing starts to warm up the grease will thin out, go to the bottom of the bearing and then go inside. Always start with a prepacked bearing and lube depending on the amount of use.

[@scottisaaks]

Just follow the ez lube manufacture directions. Who knows if the previous owner even jacked up the trailer, spun the tire when putting the grease in, or used enough grease to drive the old grease out, or even did it at all for that matter.

[@martyepperly5803]

Although I agree with the idea of disassembly and repacking manually on a regular basis, whatever that might be, I don't think your video supports your argument that the EZ Lube system is bad. The hub, bearings, and seals need to be fully assembled to truly test the system. Perhaps you should make a video where you disassemble everything, replace the bearings and seals, and reassemble. Then you can pump the grease per manufacturer's recommendations, disassemble once again, and then evaluate whether the bearings and axle got sufficient grease.

[@theusconstitution1776]

Put the rear seal in place as you can see by the clean spots it sits threeeights of an inch farther onto the hub and if the rear seals in good shape the grease has to go forward! That being said I have to pull them apart once in a while and make sure that the rear seal is actually doing its job! Good video thank you

[@anthonyhitchings1051]

Even with a new rear seal you can blow grease past it - I speak from experience. ALWAYS rotate the wheel, pump grease slowly, and do it in warm (overnight) weather when the grease flows more easily.

[@CNArea51]

Thanks I just took mine apart and I needed to see this. I was trying to figure out why my seals were blown and the grease was all flinging out. Previous owner over pumped it and blew them out...

[@TS-qd2uj]

If you have a nice warm or hot day and you raise the wheel and rotate it as you grease with nice slow pumps you should have no problems purging one wheel bearing assembly with one tube of warm grease.

[@garyp9906]

I have to agree with some of the other people that commented. If you take your time and don't pump grease like a madman and spin the tire, you shouldn't have a problem. I've been doing this on our travel trailer the last 5 years with no issues. When I'm doing this, if I pump one shot of grease into the fitting, I'll see about a squirt of old grease coming out. Obviously, it's working. It's a nice video to show where the grease exits on the spindle. I had no idea about that.

[@kenj.8897]

Some people use a power grease gun also which is a no no . I don't believe the grease could move fast enough , so it blows the seal out. Just a thought I could be all wrong .

[@TravelingMaritimers]

This was very informative. Sometimes I can't seem to get the zerk to take any grease from my grease gun. I'd had always thought..'well it must be full then'. But I can now see how these hubs work, that there could be many places where things could be blocked up. Thank you for this!

[@chrissensel7646]

Excellent video! You have produced some great stuff ,but this was so educational. I am so paranoid about being stuck on the highway between Spokane and the coast with camper and boat. This is fantastic. Thank you!

[@jimsteele7108]

Have you done an updated video with the hub and seal on the axel?