Hub type - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

almckinney · 03-31-2010, 08:47 PM

How do I tell what type of hub I have on my 2006 HiLo it's a 2006 T22 and how hard is it to grease the bearings..

Thanks,

Almckinney

Neal and Bev · 03-31-2010, 11:15 PM

almckinney -

I assume you're asking about the axle type, so you'd know what type of bearing design you have. I looked at the two owners manuals in our library and they both spoke of packing the bearings, so I'm guessing that Hi-Lo bearings are all close to the same, but I'm hoping for some other input here from other members.

I've done a lot of car wheel bearings, but I haven't re-packed my Hi-Lo bearings yet. I'll be doing that in the next few weeks.

You should install new grease seals, and be sure to use "wheel bearing grease". It's not the same as other types of grease. After you pull the seals you can take them to a auto store and they can match them up and sell you the correct replacements.

Remember to jack the trailer up by the frame, NOT the axle. Be sure to use jack stands. Safety, safety, safety

Don't get any grease on the brake shoes or the insides of the brake drums, if you do, wipe it off and then follow with brake cleaner.

Here's a couple of videos for you to look at.

YouTube - How To Pack Trailer Wheel Bearings

YouTube - Correct way to pack a wheel bearing

If you need more examples, Google, repack trailer wheel bearings - Google Search

Please wait a day or two to see what advise some of the other members might have to add here, before you start the job.

Neal

almckinney · 04-01-2010, 10:12 PM

Thanks,

I would like to repack mine as we've had it for two years and this hasn't been done.

al

kengsr · 08-04-2010, 09:04 PM

We have a 2306C (used) with about 16 thousand miles on the road. I was testing a new brake controller by pushing the manual button and listening at each wheel for the characteristic hum of the electrical bakes. Only 1 of 4 was humming. I found a broken wire at rear of one brake assembly so decided to take the wheel off. Well everything was pretty worn and frozen in place. So after a few hours of research using parts numbered found as a starting point, I ordered 2 new 10" Nev-R-Adjust Electric Brake Assemblies for 3.5K Axles - RH (Dexter 23-469) and 2 10" Nev-R-Adjust Electric Brake Assemblies for 3.5K Axles - LH (23-468). To my surprise it was not too difficult to get the existing brake assembly off the axle, as nothing was too rusted yet. Also ordered 4 Bearing Kits , with L44649/L68149 Bearings, and 10-19 Double Lip Seal. I will lightly sand the drums before reinstalling. Hope this info is useful to someone. I will post again when repairs are complete. Also intend to replace the break-away switch while at it (under $10).

kengsr · 08-10-2010, 03:09 PM

Now have one wheel completely rebuilt with new brake assembly and new wheel bearings. Second one is in process. This trailer (2306C) is only 4 1/2 years old and 3 of 4 brakes had broken wires behind the brake assembly. The wire leads coming from the electric magnets within the brake assembly are very fragile in the opinion of this old, retired, electrical engineer. A sure failure point with time (a few years of moderate use at best is my guess). I think there must be a lot of trailers on the road with some non functional brakes. So I will be replacing brake magnets often in the future. An ohmmeter comes in handy here as each magnet has a resistance of about 3.2 ohms. Looking into the trailer connector that would connect to the truck, you should see about 1/4 of this (.8 ohms plus .2 ohm for long wires) if all circuits are in tack. The factory did not use lock washers (may not be needed but one nut was missing or never installed) but I still had to work hard to get both wheel brake assemblies unbolted. But this was not really that difficult to do that it would stop me next time. I will use lock washers or "loctite blue" when I replace because I don't know for sure what is required to be safe. I replaced the bearings and bearing races on the first wheel to gain the experience but observed no wear on the old parts. Therefore, I will just repack the wheel bearings on the other 3 wheels (new grease seals). Getting the races out of the hub was not too difficult but certainly not the type of fun I am looking for without good reason. The wheel drums are only sightly worn inside and with light sanding should be good for another 16 K miles (16 K miles estimated based on talking to previous owner and myself). Note: inspect any new parts carefully; one of the new brake assemblies had a damaged/bare wire where it comes through the metal backer plate. Note: I am using a "Trailer Aid by Camco " on top of a piece of 2X12X48 wood as a ramp to get the second or other wheel off the ground to allow me to work on it. Works great.

rgelvin · 08-11-2010, 01:15 PM

Al Mckinney
I have a 2207 HiLo and repack the wheel bearings and replace the seals yearly. This gives me a chance to look over the brakes and to adjust them too. When I got the HiLo I ordered a Dexter manual(free) and it gives all of the specs on the bearings, grease, seals and torque method for all axles they manufacture. This is not too difficult and I can do all four axles in a couple of hours. It takes longer to order the seals and get my jacks out. When you repack the bearings, take a little time and clean them off and look for any spalling or chips in the bearings and if in doubt, replace them. They aren't too expensive. I've both hand packed the bearings and used a cone shaped tool from the auto parts store to pack the bearings with a grease gun. Both methods seem to work well. The important lesson I learned is just how to tighten the axle nut. Read the manual and follow the instructions and you won't have problems. I always look over the instructions before starting the job since my memory isn't always as accurate as it once way. Anyway, take time, have the right parts and you may find that maintenance is an enjoyable way to spend time with the HiLo.

Ralph

kengsr · 08-11-2010, 02:40 PM

My brake replacement project is now 3/4 complete and I am getting good at it. Here are some pictures since I know nothing is better that some shots of a project in process.

Updated 9-2-10 : Just returned from a camping trip. The new brakes worked perfectly. It was worth all the effort. You just need some parts and a good amount of time and you can restore your brakes and bearings to better than new (self adjusting) condition. I estimate I saved about $900 in labor and parts markup. I suggest a can of brake cleaner and a can of orange hand cleaner in addition to the parts listed in original post above to make the job easier.