Bearing Buddies / Bearings Redux

Well, with a lot of filing on the sides of the caps and some serious deadblow hammer whacking, all of four of the stupid dust caps have been driven home into the hubs. Now my only fear is that we will never be able to get them out again!

Of course I cannot access the zirks in the spindles now but I don't plan a lot of driving, just to Bellingham and back, and I assume I will have the correct EZ-Lube caps in short order. I was able to order the correct EZ-Lube dust caps and rubber plugs from Pacific Boat Trailers online. All the local trailer places said the manufacturer said they were backordered and didn't know when they would become available, so we will see if Pacific Boat Trailers can deliver!

 
For the next time, you might try putting the caps in the freezer for awhile while you warm the the area where they fit on with a heat gun. Sometimes that tiny difference is all that is needed.

Mark
 
I wonder if they were hard to get on because there was pressure in the cap and no where for it to go. The one you get should have an open end with a rubber dust cap you remove to get to the zerk in the spindle.

When I had a dust cap get lost on a trip I just put duct tape over the the area to keep dirt out. Worked fine till I got a new cap. Also the after market ones I got do not fit exactly like the originals - they are a little tighter but not that tight.

Steve
 
Pat Anderson":3bb5fsze said:
Well, all water under the bridge now, and the next challenge will be to get the stupid domed caps OUT when the proper EZ-Lube caps and plugs arrive!
Click to expand...

At that point, I'd just drill a hole in them and put a screw/bolt in so I could yank them out and throw them in the bin.
 
Pacific Trailers has shipped the EZ-Lube dust covers and rubber plugs, but we are out cruising. Since I went two years without funtional bearing buddies, I assume I will have no problem with the non-EZ-Lube dust covers until I can change them out!
 
BrentB":12hqju6f said:
Great!

What was causing the noise? bearings, brake pads, sticky calipers, bad ju ju?
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There was one crunched bearing, and brake noise all around (a deduction, since there was only one bad bearing and noise on all four wheels).
 
The saga continues...the last installment had me struggling to put the round dust caps in, and finally with a little filing and lot of pounding, I got them in.

The EZLube dust caps with the rubber plugs arrived. I actually had no trouble getting the round dust caps out. But the new dust caps with the rubber plugs don't really fit either, and they are very tinny, and you guessed it, I completely deformed the first one, you CANNOT beat on these puppies like you can on the round dust caps.

The guy at Blaine Marine, who is a King Trailer dealer, said that King stopped using those Superlube hubs with the caps that had rubber plugs some time ago. I have no idea if that is true or not.

If anybody who has a King Trailer with Superlube hubs has an idea where they would go to get the authentic dust caps with the rubber plugs, I would love to hear from you.

I guess I will have to live with the round dust caps, and periodically remove them to lube the Superlube hubs. It seems to me the only practical alternative is to switch out everything yet again for a complete new Superlube hub / brake combo...

Feeling depressed again...

 
Did you look at the link from Dr. Bob for e trailer? I don't know if those are beefier than the ez lube caps you received or not, but may be worth a look.

Don't be depressed, you're learning some valuable techniques and trailer maintenance lessons.

Practice on another one of your new caps by using a small block of wood and your hammer. Just line up the cap on the hub so that it is not too deep on the edge you have tipped in. Easy taps with the hammer on the metal cap.

The goal is to just get the cap started and then carefully tap the opposite side of the cap. Once it starts to hold in the hub, carefully tap around the cap. Once you see it being seated in the hub with your gentle taps with the hammer, get your small block of wood and lay it across the diameter of the cap.

Gentle, but firm even taps on the cap should drive it onto and into the hub. You can do this, Pat!
 
Salmon Fisher":1i304lt7 said:
Did you look at the link from Dr. Bob for e trailer? I don't know if those are beefier than the ez lube caps you received or not, but may be worth a look.

Don't be depressed, you're learning some valuable techniques and trailer maintenance lessons.

Practice on another one of your new caps by using a small block of wood and your hammer. Just line up the cap on the hub so that it is not too deep on the edge you have tipped in. Easy taps with the hammer on the metal cap.

The goal is to just get the cap started and then carefully tap the opposite side of the cap. Once it starts to hold in the hub, carefully tap around the cap. Once you see it being seated in the hub with your gentle taps with the hammer, get your small block of wood and lay it across the diameter of the cap.

Gentle, but firm even taps on the cap should drive it onto and into the hub. You can do this, Pat!
Click to expand...

I did look at Dr. Bob's link, none of etrailer's lube caps are even close to the right size. The "right size" is a nominal 2.328", although dust caps that size just don't fit, at least not without filing a LOT. I did use a small block of wood, and gentle taps, but that still deformed the cap. No she go, it just does not fit!
 
I should have waited for Patty to come home from shopping! She always was the one with TOUCH. She got two of the four dust caps in before the Seahawk game, which were one seriously mangled one and one somewhat mangled one. After the game she got the other two in, which were not mangled at all! I am going to order some more from Pacific Boat Trailers so we won't be struggling with the caps in the mangled ones!.
 
I am on the road--so to say --but when I changed out my hubs with the disc brakes, I was able to use the old caps, with the rubber plugs...The new hubs came with "Brake Buddy" caps... I don't have calipers with me (might have a plastic one in the truck..), but there must be a standard size..

You might get a couple of extra caps and the rubber inserts--I believe if you change the bearings (pull the hubs), you are going to have to pull the caps, even though you have the rubber plugs on the center.

Sounds like using the 2# rubber mallet (Patty), worked better than the 10# sledge hammer (Pat) 8)
 
Hi Pat,

I have a King trailer for my 22 and I have the superlube axles. I lost one of my dust caps on a trip (just the rubber plug) and just covered the hole with duct tape until I got home - no problem.

I purchased a couple of new dust caps, don't remember where I got them, but they are slightly too large. The rubber cap says "Dexter E-Z Lube". I had a hard time getting one in. On my trailer the cap should be 1.980 and these are 1.982.

I just looked at pacific trailers site and it looks like they have the correct caps.
Here is the link for your size:

http://www.pacifictrailers.com/ez-lube- ... protector/

Steve
 
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