How Easy is EZ Lube?

[@dennisjennings7027]

44 year retired mechanic here, you are correct, disassemble clean inspection, repack and reseal.

[@mcdermottjon]

Great video. I have purchased 3 new trailers with EZ Lube hubs, not one came with instructions on how to use the system. So, no - I've never completely flushed the old grease the way you demonstrated. Thanks, I learned a lot.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

I’m glad the video was helpful! Thank you for watching!

[@michaelnaymik5318]

Thanks, great video. Reaffirmed my suspicion!

[@ryansmolensky5112]

I would be very curious to see an inspection of an ez lube that just got a couple pumps on a regular basis. It seems to me that the old grease would get cycled through. I'm thinking about equipment trailers that go out every day. So, greased weekly or bi weekly. Great videos, btw. I just found your channel.

[@bernardstevens3613]

I have Easy Lube on my trailers, BUT, I always tear everything apart, and inspect each part myself! Thanks for a Great Video! (Great Teaching Video!)

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Good to hear! Thank you for watching!

[@svictor7573]

Is it necessary to replace the rear seal every time you tear it down?

[@bernardstevens3613]

@@svictor7573 Pretty cheap insurance to replace it every time! (I carry a spare seal and set of pre-greased bearings with me!)

[@nathanurick8320]

Easy lube for some people can do nothing but harm. Take the time out to do the job right.

[@motor815]

@@svictor7573 It's difficult to get the seal out w/o damaging it. I never have been able to, but they are cheap enough to replace.

[@frank23103]

I jack my easy lube 3500lb Dexter axle up in the air- and slowly spin tire while manually greasing it. Works great. Very simple. Pump it till all clean comes out and keep an eye on the nut tension for top to bottom play. Zero issues in 2 years

[@jadesumsion]

Never done it like this ! I better start pulling some seals and repacking bearings! Great video

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@joedias-ih9xf]

I own a toy hauler and yes, I’m the one that only puts two or three pumps once a year😮 I’ve been so lucky never had an issue. Thank you for educating me. Keep up the great videos.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

I'm glad I could help! Thanks for watching!

[@jfitz9624]

You’re fine. I just pulled the drums on my trailer which for the first 15 years of its life before I owned it was neglected and probably not greased at all. I’ve been pumping some in once a year the last few years. After pulling them apart the bearings were still packed, no moisture in them. Yes the grease was black but still had good consistency. Nothing but grease in there, no dust or debris. Bearings, races and spindles looked mint too. I don’t think they would have had any issues for a very long time if I just continued to pump some in through the EZ lube once a year.

[@MichaelBrown-wx6zq]

​@jfitz9624 if there is no contamination it takes a LOT of use to actually wear through grease

[@frankvonfrauner]

​@@jfitz9624all depends on how much they're used and in what conditions

[@jimdavis406]

I have a 40' camper, You have given me the best amount of info to maintain my axles on my camper. Thank You Very much

[@DonnieRoebuck]

Thanks for the clear information, its just not as simple as the name "Easy Lube" implies. Like you, i was taught to tear them down, clean, thoroughly inspect, repack by hand and reassemble. One of the things I learned in my early days (the early 1980's) is that the space in the hub between the bearings is intended to be open to allow for air expansion as a result of heating and cooling cycles and to allow the air between the bearings to transfer heat to the hub and ultimately to the atmosphere. For what it's worth, i have three trailers with the easy lube system and have never used them.

[@waltermonical2653]

I pull a 50’ car hauler daily and I pull my drums off and repack every 10K miles. I jack, spin and pump grease every 5K. Have never had a bearing failure. I appreciate you showing this it just reinforces that I am doing it the right way. Keep up the great work and videos

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Glad to hear there are people out there taking a structured and detailed approach to preventative maintenance for their trailers. Keep up the good work on your end and thanks for watching!

[@RJspapa1]

How many pumps of grease do you add? I’m afraid of blowing out the seal

[@timvines7944]

Thank you so much for this very informative video. Some of the things you said about EZ-Lube I had never heard before and I’m 63 years old! Grant it, you obviously have more experience at this than I do. I love to learn new things. Especially the correct way to do things. This video caused me to subscribe to your channel and I look forward to watching past videos as well as future ones! Thanks again!

[@WA-mi3lt]

Guilty of using Easy Lube the wrong way. I will be changing my procedure going forward! Thank you for the education on Easy Lube.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

So glad you found the video helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@markglenn5589]

thank you for making this video i had no idea i was doing it wrong keep the great videos coming!

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@CubanRider]

I've used the EZ lube system on my RVs and motorcycle trailers for the past few years, but after watching your videos, I'll now be pulling off the hubs to inspect and regrease every single time. Thanks for the informative content.

[@DragonPilot]

I put probably less than 10,000 easy miles on our camping trailer. Every other year I do a full tear down and inspection. The other years I do EZ Lube using whatever grease is needed to push out the old grease. I remove the cap while pumping and don’t load the cap with grease. Over more than 10 years this has worked for me. After a recent 2000 mile trip my hubs ran cool to the touch at each fuel and bathroom break.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Sounds like you know what to do! Great job! Thanks for watching.

[@johndias6614]

You just earned my subscription!

[@nickkoop2466]

Great Video. So far I have only used the grease zerk to top off after complete repack. Even that will burn up 1/2 tube of grease per wheel on a 3500 axle. I agree that total disassembly and repack is optimum but occasional pumping has got to be a helluva lot better than total negligence.

[@tedfisk1211]

We bought a new Casita trailer last year and put about 10K miles on it. Several weeks ago, I got out in my driveway on a nice day and with my new grease gun bought at an auto parts store (it replaced a POS I bought at Harbor Frt) and I loaded it with a cartridge. Prior to doing this, I watched several KZbins to make sure I understood how to do it. Well, being retired, I have plenty of time and overall , I spent around an hour greasing both sides of the one axle. The new grease went in and the old came out, just like it is supposed to do, one cartridge per side. Now I do plan on taking my trailer next year or maybe at the end of camping season this year to an RV dealership shop for them to break it down and look at the brakes and bearings to ensure all is well. I know my limitations and do ask for experts to help. I did enjoy the EZ lube system, but used a lot of paper towels, cleaning up the mess. I did obtain from Dexter the rubber caps and will replace the ones on the axle. The current caps seem fine but I will replace them anyway. Thanks for your video on this and I am reassured that the EZ lube system works for me.

[@georgejr2640]

I never used it, I just always preferred to see the bearings, and concerned that the rear seal would not hold up to the greasing. If I put a whole tube of grease in I would have thought the seal was leaking, and have torn in any way. Great video. I learned my gut feeling was right.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Great point! Thanks for watching!

[@poundsonwood]

Nothing gets RV'r debate going faster than a EZL discussion. To me, it doesn't have to be yes or no. I use it sometimes, don't use it other times. I also think a full inspection and all new grease every year is overkill. So I will use the EZL for those in between years, and fully tear down about every 5 years. I would not ask the EZL to push all the old grease out. If I don't trust the grease that is in there, and that means knowing what type of grease it is, then a tear down is in order. If I think my existing grease is okay, I'll only pump in enough to see it start to ooze out of the outer bearing. That tells me I have filled the space between the bearings and the bearing rollers. There is no good that will come from filling up that cap. Then every 5 years, tear down, inspect brakes bearings and all. One other thing, if you have EZL spindles, you are going to need to use it even after a teardown and full hand packing. You cannot properly fill that inner space by hand, so you still need to finish the job with a grease gun on the EZL. And don't forget to turn that drum while pumping. I enjoy your channel, keep up the good work.

[@KX6D]

I have a PJ Car Hauler with 5200# EZ-Lube axles and they have been great..and you are NOT wrong! Odd years get fresh grease via the EZ-Lube method. Even years, like this year, get full disassembly and inspection. This is overkill for my trailer as it doesn't see commercial duty and the annual miles are low. No issues here. Really appreciated the video!!

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Sounds like you are on top of the maintenance game! Way to go! Thanks for watching.

[@Golfboy-ze3le]

Same for me. Low miles and get all the old grease out with EZ lube system. Trailer is 1994, and no bearing failures yet.

[@praevalerelibertatem6341]

I use the EZ lube for both my RV and boat trailers. I do it exactly how you demonstrated. I pump until I get all of the old grease out. I have my wife or daughter keep the hub spinning slowly as I pump. I also replace the rubber plugs every year. I grease the RV once a year, but we typically camp relatively local. I grease the boat trailer hubs twice a year. I’ve never had any issues. I think you are correct in your recommendations though. I think most folks just give a shot or two in each hub and call it good. Great video and great information.

[@slalomking]

Get Bearing Buddies for going under water. They are better than Easy Lube for going under water. They keep grease at 3 psig pressure so no water can enter the hub.

[@crazybill49]

I do a teardown and hand pack at the beginning of each season. I'm 74 years old and that is how I was taught. I also carry a full set of bearings and seals in case one gives out on the road. Those trailer bearings can be hard to find in the boondocks.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Very good point! I tend to lean toward the side of caution and always carry extra parts with me, whether its for my vehicle or trailer. Thanks for watching!

[@bkilpatr100]

I'm with you. I keep my spare mounted on a spindle with a brand-new packed hub assembly. If I ever have any issues with the hub, I have everything ready to go for a quick roadside swap, or I can just pull the parts I need from it. I've blown plenty of tires, but I haven't had to swap out the hub yet. It's cheap insurance.

[@gregorystone1439]

I bought a 22 camper new. It's a lippert axle with the ez lube setup. This is the first time I took everything apart for inspection and from the factory the bearings barely had enough grease in them. I like the ez lube set up because after putting everything back together it was easy to fill the void with grease and I am at ease that they have enough. I will redo this next year to inspect the brakes and bearing. I believe in preventative maintenance.

[@tmcblane]

I had contacted Lippert about this, their reply is enough grease is on bearings to get it to the customer, it is then their responsibility to lube the axle properly, which of course if no one tells you, you don't know. Perfect opportunity for them to deny an axle claim because you didnt lube it. Arseholes

[@gregorystone1439]

@@tmcblane it's amazing how companies will pinch pennies and spend dollars. A handful of grease is not that much more than a spoonful. Thanks for the info.

[@headdown1]

I bought a Compass cargo trailer 3 years ago with Lippert axles and EZ Lube. Lippert guarantees the factory bearing pack to last 30,000 miles. I am at the moment in Kansas, on the way from Quebec to Arizona for the winter. The cargo trailer has been converted to an RV. This afternoon at about 32,000 miles on the original bearing pack, I stopped when the bearings were nice and warm from driving for a few hours and the grease was warm from having the grease gun on the dashboard in the sun. I turned the wheel as I slowly pumped the grease in by hand, and continued until the grease was red again rather than black. I used Lucas Red n Tacky, which is supposed to be what Lippert uses at the factory. I did two of four wheels today and will do the other two tomorrow. So far it has expelled the old grease exactly as it should have. I used 1 full tube for two wheels on a 3500 lb axle. I will watch for decreased braking in the next little while, indicating blown seals. But I really think turning the wheel as you pump the grease, as well as having both the bearings and the grease nice and warm is key to not blowing them out.

[@tommykrutz3436]

I have a 2005 Jayco Travel Trailer 33 ft. I have been using the EZ Lube systems since I bought the trailer new. The camper only gets maybe 3,000 miles a season on it, and every year, I use Lucas green heavy-duty grease to regress it through the zerks. I do take off the dust caps when doing this so I can tell when new grease is coming out and also clean out the old grease that's being pushed out. It works great for me, and I always check the temperature of my Hubs and not have seen any problems with heat. Every 4 years I adjust the brakes and then I will spin the axle when greasing.

[@tester1ca]

I had a 2003 5th wheel with easy lube axles. Maybe 3 - 4 thousand miles driven per year. Annually did exactly what you showed in the video and never had an issue. Bought a 2018 5th wheel [same brand] and started doing the same routine annually. Noticed the brakes were not working as well after the 2nd year. Adjusted the brakes but no difference so I removed the hubs and found the inner seal had blown in all 4 wheels. From now on I will remove the hubs and repack the old way. You also save grease doing it the old way.

[@deborahledbetter3818]

Use a Milwaukee electric gun raise & spin wheel , watch until grease is color of new grease . Cap on done ! Manuel gun too slow why ? Don't worry about using half a tube per axle . Water ,or loose play in bearings ,require removal, cleaning& inspection, & packing . Ken. 50 + year vech. Ser. Pro.

[@poppasgarage484]

My son bought a travel trailer with easy lube axles. We tore it down yesterday and it was as you said. The grease was very thin and dirty. It was obvious that someone had been putting small amounts of new grease in them. When we pulled the hub the grease had been pushing past the seal. My opinion is to pull them off and inspect bearings. Very good video. Thanks

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Glad yall took the time to tear it down & check it out! Thanks for watching!

[@johndias6614]

Good info. I just saw a short video where the guy was crying because all 4 hubs blew out the seals and he didn't know why. I'm a long time maintenance mechanic and taught many classes on the proper way to lube sealed bearings on production line equipment. That knowledge transferred over to when I got my first trailer with EX Lube axles. I just bought a new double axle dump trailer with EZ lube hubs...so thanks for the refresher class.

[@galesams4205]

Large class 10 and 12 overroad trucks / trailers left grease years ago and went with axle gear/ oil 85/ 90 wt.Its part of the pre-TRIP inspection on all wheels.

[@kwmiked]

U mean class 7-8, nobody uses 80-90 anymore. It's synthetic 75-140 or whatever is recommended. 8k axles have oil bath, even 3k snowmobile trailer axles. Floe trailers been using oil bath in little 2 place snowmobile trailers since the 80s

[@JT-lq4yd]

Thanks for answering my question! The "old" way of packing the bearings with grease allows for for inspection of every single component of the assembly including brakes but also complete grease replacement.

[@deere3321]

Great instructional video. One thing I would add is when completely replacing grease by pumping is don't do it in cold weather. I think there is a better chance of blowing out the inner seal.

[@sl65amg08]

I just purchased a 1993 Ranger boat and trailer in great condition and once I got it home and parked it in the garage the first thing I did was check out the grease in the wheel hubs. The trailer is equipped with EZ Lube but has a needle style fitting. I tried pumping grease and no matter what I couldn’t get any grease through the zerk. I decided to put the cap back on and manual bearing repacking is on the to do list for this winter. The grease I could see was gray in color which certainly needs to be replaced but the hub seems to spin nicely with no play for now. Thanks for the great videos

[@markmandell4120]

Just stumbled on your videos today and am enjoying them. Moving on to your bearing repack one, but just a quick comment…. You seemed to struggle with the cotter pin a bit. I was in the airlines for a decade and we used cotter pin pullers. A hand tool with a twisted hook on the end. Very effective, and once you got the leverage twist motion down they made short work of just about any cotter pin. I still use mine to this day! Thanks for the other info!

[@billgates3229]

Thank you for this very informative video. I have a 2018 Jay Flight travel trailer with dual Lippert 3500 axles. Right after I bought it (used in 2021) I did an oldschool bearing repack, i.e. disassembled and cleaned all the old grease out and re-greased using Lucas Red n Tacky. Since then I've used the EZ Lube, and would pump Lucas grease through it until the fresh started to ooze out. Several things I've learned: a) warm up the grease tubes by e.g. placing them on the dashboard exposed to the sun for several hours to make the grease flow a little easier, b) after jacking up an axle and before lubing it, I grab the wheel and shake it side to side it to check for looseness, c) after jacking up an axle and before lubing it, I engage the breakaway switch to check to see if the brakes lock as expected, d) as I pump grease into the EZ lube, I check the old grease coming out for metal flake debris. Engaging the breakaway switch the other day I found that one of the wheels wasn't locking, which was due to a leaking grease seal. I'm going to replace that seal and backing plate/shoe assembly which requires burnishing (see www.lippert.com/blog/burnish-trailer-brakes ). I was thinking that the brakes could be tested by this burnishing procedure in conjunction with a temperature gun: get the brake drums hot then check their temperatures.

[@6gatornation]

been taking them apart and greasing by hand ever since my dad showed me when I was 10 never had a bearing failure I also like to check the voltage to the brakes First thing i do when I get a trailer is change out the wire connectors my 7 and 10-year-old grandsons will be helping me next time if they want to ride the four wheelers The oldest likes to help by the youngest I have to bargain with

[@Jbenhamracing]

I just re packed my bearings and replaced the seals. Mine has this system. I’ve always been scared to grease it like that cause I was afraid it would either blow the rear seal out or go out of the seal. Good info. Great video.

[@stevenhoover748]

I've had my tandem Dexter axle setup for about 5 years and have always hand packed. This year, I used the Ez lube system, but did it the way you described except that I removed the dust cap and used a catch pan to collect the blobs of old grease as they came out. I then pulled the drum off to make sure the grease did not blow out the back and inspect the brake system. I reinstalled the drum and gave it another 10 pumps or so to make sure the grease is still flowing. Reinstalled the dust cap. I will alternate old method and ez lube method each year to make sure the bearings are good.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Sounds like a plan! Just knowing and being aware that it’s not a grease it and forget it system will be invaluable when it comes to EZ lube axles. Sounds like you are very aware! Thanks for watching.

[@porkchop10]

I am the 3rd owner of a small 2018 Jayco. Previous owner said they only used it sparingly, and had never greased the bearings. I pumped slowly and turned the hub slowly the entire time, never stopped while pumping. Finally at the end of a whole tube, grease started to come out at the dust cap. It was just as red as what I was pumping in. So either the camper was as rarely used as he claimed, or the factory put next to nothing in from the start. I thought for sure I was filling the drum, but the brakes work great and like everyone says, it just takes a ton of grease the first time you use the ez lube system.

[@ryanmcguire9335]

I bought a new travel trailer with the EZ lube hubs and pumped 3 tubes of grease in them when I first brought it home. It obviously left the factory with very little grease in the hubs.

[@chrissuich7423]

Thank you for this video. I learned a lot. My 5th wheel I bought used has these spindles. I will be tearing them down to inspect.

[@jimegan7077]

Seven years of owning a 2006 RV toy hauler with Dexter EZ Lube axles. I was not pumping enough grease in. I was scared that I would pump in so much grease that it would blow out the grease seals. I now use a Dewalt cordless grease gun and it's working well. With one hand I gently pump in small squirts of grease and the other hand is constantly turning the tire. I pulled the drums to check my technique and the grease seals were just fine, no grease in the brake area. I respect what you're saying. A visual inspection of the components is the best approach. I pull the hubs and repack the bearings by hand in even numbered years and use the EZ Lube system in odd numbered years. I would like to know of a high quality grease seal brand to use. My local trailer shop has no-name brand seals that I'm reluctant to use.

[@RainbowMonumentCompany]

Pull one and cross reference at local parts store

[@Herbeez]

Same here. My trailer is 10 years old, towed about 65,000 miles. I’ve been doing it the wrong way for most of those years. I’ve inspected and hand packed the bearings a couple of times. I have had no problems and no leaking seals. It’s time for another inspection!

[@RidgeRunner5150]

I just pulled my 2 7k axles apart to clean and inspect because ain`t no way to know without looking. Good thing too because 2 seals were wonky seated and one came out on removal -makes me wonder if pneumatic job was done. As you said, the old way is `the way`. I am all about old school tried and true. Grease was not dirty and the only grease in there is new. Drums were like new but rusty brake hardware made me once and done new brakes complete. A lot easier done at home than a thousand plus miles away.

[@jamesreilly6379]

I thought it was a few pumps and good to go, that’s what they told me when I bought my new travel trailer. Now on my utility trailer I don’t have that system and of course I break it down and clean and repack/ replace. I learned something today.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

So glad the video helped! Solid preventative maintenance really is the key. Thanks for watching!

[@researcher4good]

I love EZ-Lube because it's the best way to pack fully, even if it's cleaned and inspected every time.

[@cycleguy666]

On my light duty trailers (single axle/ used ) i always do a a full bearing and seal replacement. And always add a set of bearing buddies!! After the repack a add grease to the buddies and i am pretty much set for a few years. I jack up the trailers and give the wheels a spin....check for bearing noises and bearing play. On a tandem heavy axle trailer (used) i usually renew all bearings and seals and check every year or two depending on use! In 45 years of trailer use i have never had a wheel/ bearing fail!! Have three trailers now.....looking for a fourth..... Take care of them they will take care of you!! 😅

[@mwelbig1]

thanks for info new to EZ lube system wasn't sure how much to use or how it really worked

[@GilBerkins]

Thanks for this video. Just bought an RV with these. I'm old school, gonna keep tearing them down. Worked for me so far.

[@johnsutjak8531]

Had not heard of EZL before today. Bought our 1st trailer, a new 2021 Towable RV (in 2021), and was "relying on annual warranty inspection" to check the wheel bearings. This year after getting tired of dealer not doing everything we discussed before hand when in for inspection I found a local RV shop and had them repack the bearings, was not cheap, but gave me a better feeling that at least it was done correctly before I start doing it myself again. It has been decades since I repacked bearings on any of my pick ups. Your video was extremely helpful in explaining what to do and why you are doing it, whichever method you choose. Now I have to go dig out my owner's manuals, as well as personally see what type of axles I have, and see what type of axles are supposedly on the trailer. I was really starting to get an uneasy feeling regarding the wheel bearings. Now I feel more confident in doing it myself. My big concern has always been if I was properly replacing/tightening the hubs. Will check out your other video to see what you recommend on how to repack, inspect and replace the hubs, etc. Thanks for the insight and help.

[@davidwelday3276]

Bought a pontoon boat last summer, trailer did not come with any type of instructions and they have the EZ lube caps. So yea, this was helpful.

[@checkhere8599]

hand pack.disassemble clean inspection, repack and reseal. i take the zerks off, as well as replace the dust covers with "old school" covers

[@chrisheffernan6600]

Very informative video. I am completely shocked at how bad the EZ lube, or bearing buddy systems work. I'm not a big fan at tearing wheels and bearings apart, but I guess to avoid a disaster, I will make sure to inspect them once in a while. Thank you

[@0GLK0]

Thank you so much for the clear, concise, easy to understand info on ez lube! I am old school also and have repacked a number of hub bearings. I purchased a new travel trailer several years ago. First time I had seen ez lube, but nowhere in any documentation, did it discuss how it was maintained...so I was one of those 3-4 pump people. I have not had any trouble, but I will be changing to the pull it apart method. Thanks, I subscribed!

[@ivanbg5167]

I always tear down the hubs(the old school way) even if the trailer is brand new. The robots at the assembly plant don’t add much grease in there, just enough to last the first year or 10k miles. Then I use the easy lube with the same brand grease every year for several years. Finally when 5 years or so comes around. I tear everything apart and start all over. Always use a label maker, label when the bearing were greased and what brand and type of grease was used. This make it easy to keep everything consistent and not mixing up different greases.

[@therealRustyShackleford]

I always take the dust cap off when I grease them and throw it away. They're cheap and a one time use in my opinion. I like to take them off because it reduces backpressure to the system (wheel seal), allows me to see the grease coming out to insure it's flushing the system, and I like an empty dust cap due to what you pointed out of them flying off from being too heavy. I also do it so once the hub heats up, there is room for expansion and not pushing on the little rubber plug or the wheel seal. I know the rubber plug will move out but I don't know how hot they're going to get or if that rubber cap has enough movement to allow for the grease / air to expand when heated.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Very helpful & informative. I have EZ Lube on both of my trailers, but no, I never knew how to properly grease this system. I knew about the complete repack, & do keep track, but I’ll now know how to properly use the system in between repacks. I will strongly reconsider just tearing down & repacking more often, based on how long it takes (+ how much grease needed) to use the EZ system.

[@MrJanobala]

recently rebuilt my 12 foot utility trailer with 2 new 3500 lb EZ lube axles. only purchased because they were the best value for the price. Really glad to have seen this video and all my future maintenance will be a full tear down. Sometimes the long way really is the short way.

[@DixieNormas]

I EZ Lube it the correct way then the next year completely tear down and inspect/replace parts as needed. Then rotate methods every other year. This is on a 14k trailer that never sees over 10k and at the most 5k miles a year. So far (5yrs) everything still looks great. My utility trailers while not seeing tons of miles get torn completely down yearly.

[@oneoldguy4299]

Good video. Our 5th wheel RV has Dexter 7K Easylube disc brake axles. Annually I alternate between pumping new grease and hand packing the bearings. The hubs have never been submerged nor have I found any moisture in them. I pull the caps to get a better look at the grease flowing from the bearings and to also not end up with a build up of excess grease in the cap. Note it appears to me that pumping new grease in leaves excess grease in the area between the bearings and with use some of the grease flows into the cap. When adding grease I continually spin the wheel while pumping (battery powered grease gun). I use about 3 - 14oz tubes of grease on 4 hubs. An advantage of the disc brakes is you don’t need to disassemble anything to check the pads for wear and you can inspect the grease seal from the backside of the hub. For parts I use National or Timken oil seals and Timken bearings. I keep a chronological log on the 5th wheel - noting date & mileage - where we stayed and work or maintenance performed on the trailer.

[@Lastcall115]

I have the EX Lube on my boat trailer. Grease in while spinning the wheel once a year until new grease comes out and have had zero issues over 8 years. I do use a bearing buddy rubber cap over the outer cap as added water intrusion protection and have never had water inside while doing the grease replacement.

[@brianpollard3500]

Thanks for the great advice. I've always did this job the old fashion way . I have not had issues with the bearings on my Cargo Trailer. Yes its time consuming and messy but I have peace of mind doing this job the way I was taught by my step father back in the 60's.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Sometimes, the old ways really are the best. Peace of mind is priceless! Thanks for watching!

[@brianpollard3500]

yes piece of mind is comfort to me. I'm very picky about who I take my vehicles to for repairs. I'm 68 years old and I can not do as much work on vehicles now that I use to be able to do. My brain says yes go for it you can do this... my body says OH HECK NO YOU AIN'T DOING THAT.

[@keysautorepair6038]

First time I greased my ez lube I just put a few pumps in it then I figured it out and this man is exactly right about how to use the ez lube system.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

I appreciate the feedback! Thanks for watching!

[@stevenwaller192]

I’m experienced with knowing bearing packing. What I see is that this would get you home on a long trip. But not 100% wheel bearing packing

[@scottjones7889]

I thought I knew how to use ez lube hubs, I stand corrected. I only pull around 2K miles each year so I assumed 3-4 pumps before each 500-800 mile trip was adequate. Sounds like I need to pull the hubs and check the bearings and seals. Thanks for the education!

[@werta5000]

Interesting, noted. Looks like I will have to add more time to the normal repack that I do as the mechanic at the shop I work at

[@4-LOW]

Interesting video and very good info here. Thanks. Having said that, I've been greasing my EZ Lube axles the "wrong way" for almost 30 years and I have never had a single failure of a bearing on any axle of any trailer I've had. I would never own an axle without EZ Lube because disassembling to repack was annoying. I do a few squirts of grease each summer and roll on. Zero issues. My largest trailer currently has a 10,000 GVWR.

[@jimletzring1685]

Just got educated about the grease "system" on the wheel bearings on my trailer. I just put grease in the hubs to put new grease in. When I get home, I guess I'm either going to follow the method you showed, which should get my trailer through the work season and then have it gone through by someone who knows what to do. 👍👍

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Knowledge is power. 😁 Thanks for watching!

[@Skilletface]

Thank you for putting this subject out there. I’ve used the EZ Lube in the past with varied success and never really felt good about it. I have gone back to the old school method for piece of mind and at the end of the day, the time saved with the EZ Lube is not worth not seeing what is going on inside that hub and axle.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Great point! And I fully agree. Peace of mind is priceless so it’s worth for me to do it the old school way and it’s what I prefer to do for my customers, as well.

[@jimgoodwin6440]

I just started working at a trailer shop a few weeks ago. When we pull the cap and see black grease, we pull the whole thing, clean and repack. I didn't even know EZ Lube was a thing and, after seeing the condition of some hubs, I'm glad I didn't know about it. I probably take way too long as it takes me two hours to do 4 hubs. I clean everything in the parts washer by hand and then go through 2 to 3 cans of brake clean to get all the old grease out of the bearings. I even use the shop air to blow the rest of the gunk out before they're repacked and reinstalled.

[@jackmason7518]

Good Morning. I found this info was very good. Even if you us the sys for 1 yr or 2 and then repack the old way will work for part time TVers. Jack

[@ricksteel6401]

Awesome video! Like most of the comments say, my cargomate trailer did not come with any info on greasing. Pushing the rear seal out and filling my brake drum was my worry but I will proceed with caution, with my hand pump grease gun.

[@ghostpepperrides4805]

I’ve had great success with easy line. If brakes don’t seem right. I pull the bearings. Every two years I pull bearings anyway. I also remove dust cap first.

[@zmotorsports62]

All of my enclosed race trailers have come equipped with some form of EZ Lube axles and personally, I am not a fan. Being a mechanic and old racer I much prefer to fully tear mine down for service. This allows me to put hands and eyes on every component in the system and verify their integrity. I've serviced mine that way in 30+ years and over 250k miles of hauling trailers behind our coach. Great video. Mike

[@tractortinkerer11]

Nope, was told not to over lube it ! " It only needs a few pumps of good grease to be ok.", It's only a single 2500# axel with no brakes but never has it been greased like that. Great video. Thanks.

[@m.cooper1854]

I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about repairing my vehicles and trailers, but never know how to properly grease an EZ Lube trailer axle. And I read the owner's manuals! Just did my Wells Cargo single axle box trailer, and I am certainly glad I did, flushing out a huge pile of black grease gunk. Here's a tip for easier cleanup. I use puppy training pads on the floor under the axle, allowing big globs of grease to fall down as it is squeezed out. Easy wrap up, clean up. Thanks!

[@robertweller2662]

I used my EZ-Lube as recommended from the owners manual for years. I pumped until I had all the old grease out. Unfortunately, I never gave any consideration to the age of my wheel seals. I eventually leaked grease into all of my brakes and had to replace all 4 brake assemblies as they were completely saturated with grease. I no longer use the Z-Lube system. I disassemble and repack the old fashioned way and replace my seals every single time. That's probably overkill. I could probably use the EZ-lube every other year, but once you've had what I had happen you tend to not trust the system anymore.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Man, I hate that you experienced that. As a trailer shop mechanic, I see this scenario played out almost daily. We appreciate you watching.

[@opaandomascampingadventures]

I use the rotate and fill until new grease comes out method. Every 6000 miles. I use a wire tie as a "dipstick" to make sure the seal held its integrity. I push it between the drum and backplate. If it comes out dry I'm good.

[@JamesChapman-p3n]

Thank you for your video, it really opens our eyes to the real deal. We bought a new 2024 Jayco . I wondered after receiving ownership if the barrings should be repacked right away or they can wait. Common sense says to repack asap! Thanks again.

[@machine7767]

I have had two snowmobile trailers with EZ-Lube. I put in 10-20 pumps per year into each hub. "Old" grease still comes out clean so basically I am just topping it off and checking the condition of the grease. Only tow about 1500 miles in the winter and not at high speeds so grease isn't getting much of a work out. I would add that I like to grease them with the tire on so you can keep the hub rotating the entire time, easier with the inertia of the tire. I also like to do it when in the late afternoon in the summer when its good and hot outside. That way the grease flows easier and is less likely to blow out the back seal.

[@petercampbell4220]

Thanks. I have those axles. And yes, normally I just pumped new gease until a quantty of old grease came out. Cleaned the cap out. Time to order some plugs.

[@jorgesilva5408]

Just had the axle replaced on our trailer after a bearing failure; New axle has EZ Lube, and I will be doing it as you showed. Seems it would save grease, time, and mess, if the cap is removed before pumping grease in there - you will see the clean grease sooner and will avoid the weight in the cap.

[@Jimmy_Jim_Jim_1234]

Just bought a new small cargo for motorcycles. Now i know what to do. Thanks!

[@teddahrable]

Well, I'm a cheap so & so. I have several trailers. One has just cone bearings. One has bearing buddies, and one has EZLube. The small trailer doesn't get a lot of highway travel, so every two years it gets pulled apart and checked (no brakes). My travel trailer has bearing buddies (again, we don't run 12K miles) it gets torn down every two years and topped up the years in between with the bearing buddy (I use extreme pressure marine grease only). My vehicle hauler has easy lube. I ALWAYS take the cup off (so that I don't waste grease filling it). I pump until grease is blue, with no black evident. Every 2nd year, that gets torn apart and inspected. Unless, of course, I suspect brake issues on either. This is my schedule. We bought the travel trailer used, and I thought people did proper (at least minimal) maintenance. It was a 4 hr drive home. We cleaned the trailer and checked the stove, furnace, A/C, and power. Loaded up and took off. Got 3 hours down the road and a guy was waving to my wife. Frantically. He told us a wheel was smoking. We eventually got pulled over a couple of lanes and stopped. Outer bearing had failed and the heat had popped a small piece out of the hub where the seal went. Limped into the next town, found a bearing kit and some extra tools. Changed the bearings on a side road. When we got home, replaced hub and installed new bearings. Then, tore down the other 3 and replaced all the bearings.

[@withbothfeet8593]

Great video. I have sold trailer parts and done trailer maintenance for quite some time. EZ lube is a waste of grease, in my opinion. You don't get to see and feel the bearing. And you're right, most people do not use them properly anyway.

[@mattsmith6828]

i had the choice of ez lube or the standard spindle, and i chose the standard spindle. i think for longevity, it's very wise to occasionally tear the hub down and do a full repack, and being that i only plan on doing this once a year, theres really no reason to go w/ ez lube. i think fully repacking the hub every year, religiously, will ensure it's all clean grease and theres also the correct amount of grease. i think if i chose the ez lube, i would get lazy and eventually damage my spindle. great video! thank you.

[@chad6504]

Great knowledge and experience! Earned a subscription! Now off to see what kind of axle setup I have on my grey wolf toy hauler. Got a driver side rear tire wearing hard on the inside ugh.

[@robertlenz7156]

Used ez lube last fall. Followed directions to a T This spring no brakes. Tore it down and grease on all 4 wheels. Seals were not blown. Still intact. So much for easy lube. Had to replace all 4 sets of brakes.

[@wornwater3537]

Thank you for a great video on EzLube it was extremely informative and the best video I've watched so far on this process. I have EzLube on my trailer and I remove the dust cap completely when doing this method so that I can see the clean grease better and not have a cap full of grease when done. I think for my application I will be switching how I do my bearings going forward as my trailer is a camping trailer and I never put 12,000 miles on it in a year. My plan will now be to do a teardown and old school clean/inspect/repack then next year EzLube and alternate every other year. If on the years that I just do the EzLube and the grease comes out mixed but never completely clean on the 1st wheel I would switch and do a teardown on all 4 just to see what's going on.

[@williamh9100]

I've used the EZ Lube quite a lot without issue but I do spin the hub and pump enough to get the old grease out of the front. I wouldn't do that for 10 years without a tear down and full hand repack but two or three years is fine if you are using the EZ Lube properly and you aren't putting a lot of harsh miles on the trailer. You have to use common sense as well based upon towing conditions, mileage, and storage conditions but the system seems to work pretty well. Even this old hub here in the video seems to have repacked fairly well, even though it took a lot of grease. If it had been done every 6 months to a year and done properly it likely would have been good for at least a few years before it needed a full tear down, inspection, and repack.

[@Nanabjfish]

I am guilty as charged. I was using a pneumatic grease gun and blowing my seals. I wasn’t getting all the old grease out. I had to replace my brake shoes. No one said every 12,000 miles. Thx for very informative video!

[@erichrogers4856]

Just got a new dump trailer. Great vid because I had no idea how to do maintenance on the wheels and axels. Glad I came upon your teaching. Learned a lot. Thanks

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Glad I could help! Thanks for watching & best of luck to ya on your new trailer!

[@m.a.sharpe9521]

Thanks for a great educational video. I know enough now to make educated decisions about bearing maintenance on my travel trailer with 2 Lippert 3500 pound axles with easy lube.

[@jumahl47]

We're buying a 2023 I Tech Sol Dawn travel trailer that comes with the EZ lube system, after watching this (great video) I'm thinking it makes sense to disasseble the drum and bearings, clean and inspect everything, replace any worn parts (new rear seal and rubber plug as a matter of course - we don't expect to put 12K miles a year on so once a year) and use the zirk to fill from the back to front thus avoiding mixing any new and old grease.

[@BG-bx4ey]

I used to have soooooo many bearing problems with ez lube axles. I would lose an axle or 2 every year. Not sure if it was user error or if these things are just a scam. I went back to repacking every 2-3 years and I haven't had a single issue in 10 years now.

[@rickmcculloch374]

Great video, just repacked mine on a 2015 Jayco RV for the first time ever. I wasn’t using the bearing buddy properly and understand now the correct way to “repack” but my method left me with completely fine bearings and no spindle issues. I replaced the seals and repacked and all is fine. I have one question and one comment: question, after you repack, do you pump the zero to fill the cavity? And comment, coming from a heavy equipment background, some grease is better than no grease?

[@douglasrooks2634]

I use the EZ lube most years, but every 3rd year have it disassembled and repacked. here the shops charge at least $100 per wheel if they don't use any parts. The difference I do is to remove the cap completely the grease has less resistance when coming out and you can clean the excess grease out of the cap. I use an air powered grease gun that gives short pumps and go until see fresh clean grease.

[@anthonyroberts9034]

I agree with your observation of how much grease on the inside of the dust cap - but silly question, why not just remove the dust cap when using the greasing procedure ? Less mess, less waste ?

[@georgehofgren6123]

I agree.. I was thinking to pump fresh grease until the cap is full of old grease, then pull the cap off and clean it out. Do it again until fresh grease is close and clean out the cap a final time.. No need to fill up the cap with fresh grease because A- it might fly off with the weight, and B- why fill that with fresh grease when that grease probably won't circulate thru the bearings. Also, i was thinking it might be best to first drive the trailer and brake it some to heat up the old grease before you pump it all out with the fresh stuff 💁‍♂️

[@FRZNTYM1]

2015 Tandem Road King Trailer for a marine application 3500lb axles EOH disc brake setup. Boat/engine weigh ~5500 loaded with fuel. I winter in the Keys and travel 1600 miles from up north every December for last 4 years. EZ lube setup I fill with grease just as you said until I see new grease. I do this procedure in the fall before Halloween to get ready for my trip. The boat gets dunked in Saltwater ~ 8 x month. I repeat the same procedure before leaving to return in May so I have fresh grease for the trip back home. If I see any compromised saltwater sludgy grease I disassemble and inspect and replace and repack with new bearings/seals and races. This has only happened one time prior to leaving for the trip down south where one wheel had compromised grease. I generally replace all bearings and races every 3 years whether they need them or not. I carry bearings, seals, races and at least one complete hub assembly with calipers and pads in the event a caliper locks up. I replace calipers every 3 years as well. I also check the hub temperatures with an infrared gun in the first 25 miles of each trip and periodically throughout the trip. Also replace tires every 2 years whether they need replacing or not rotating the spare out.

[@georgebergman6191]

I wish I had found your video 2 days ago it is awesome, I just finished the one about how to adjust the brakes. I value your knowledge and will try to put it to work for me. Thanks for the heads up about the rubber plug in the grease cups.

[@jimjusta7859]

1999 single axle snowmobile trailer with 8” wheels, no brakes and ez lube. Probably average 3,000 miles a year. I rotate wheels while hand pumping grease. I do once every year or two. I dont pump till all grease coming out is clean. Once I see new grease I stop. Last year I pulled hubs off to replace seals and the bearings and races still look good.

[@joeagri1]

I agree with you to tear it down and inspect. I have an 8K pound TT and do it every year.

[@TheTrailerSmith]

Glad to hear it! Tear down and inspection really is the best way to stay ahead of any problems that might pop up.

[@johnlagrega4435]

I pull the cap and remove a little grease from the cap as to not put undue pressure on the rubber cap, I do it every 7500 miles always get nice clean grease,I’m also retired so having time to do it is not a problem,great channel look forward to more tips 😎👍🏻

[@williamgray8054]

I agree 100 percent I've had customers come in with the drums full of grease

[@azcharlie2009]

We have easy lube axles on our Jayco. One of the axles failed this summer, and we almost lost a wheel. We had to wait 3 weeks to get a new axle. We had them check and repack all the other axles. The mechanic said the other 3 axles were dirty, but had plenty of grease. I usually grease them every spring. This last summer, I didn't. My first mistake! Besides that, I think where I went wrong is, I may have not turned that one axle enough to distribute the grease properly. Watching the video, I see there's only one or two holes for the grease to come out. You must keep turning the hub!!! It's really a two person job. One to grease, the other to keep spinning the hub. From now on, I'll do a complete repack at least every other year. Probably replace the seals, too? I also wonder, how long, or how many miles before the bearings themselves should be completely replaced? Do you need to replace the inner races, too?