DIY Network

Wheel Bearing Maintenance Learn how to maintain your RV's wheel bearings. From "RV Roadtrips" episode DRVR-105

Host Gary Bunzer shows Matt Burkey how to maintain his family's RV wheel bearings. The beach can wreak havoc on a road vehicle's brakes and bearings, so Gary and Matt perform some routine maintenance, which includes removing the grease seal and rear bearing, cleaning and replacing the seal with a new one.

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	Don't clean your RV's wheel bearings without placing tarp down to collect dust and debris.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Materials:

blue tarp
new grease seal

Tools:

large tub
tire jack
grease seal puller
brake cleaning solvent
stiff brush
wheel bearing grease

1. Jack up the trailer. Lay down the tarp so dust and debris doesn't fly up into the wheel bearings once removed. Drive the trailer over the tarp, and jack up the trailer.

2. Remove wheel and hub parts. Remove the wheel and then the following: the outer bearing, dust cap, cotter pin (figure A), bearing nut and washer. Place the parts into a tub to be cleaned.

3. Remove the grease seal and rear bearing. Add to the parts tub.

4. Clean and inspect. Clean all the parts in the tub with solvent and allow to air dry--or use compressed air. Inspect bearing and brake assemblies for wear. Make sure to look for score marks or missing bearings on the inner and outer bearings. A carburetor cleaner can be used to clean these items if you are having a difficult time removing the build up.

5. Grease the bearings. Use wheel bearing grease that's high temperature and high pressure. First pack the grease onto the inner bearing (figure B) because it goes in before the seal.

6. Replace the grease seal with a new seal (figure C) making sure it is flush before reassembling the wheel.

7. Reassemble the wheel and hub.