Q: JD, We own a 2005 Presidential Travel Trailer which we purchased new in '05. We have approximately 17,000 miles on the trailer and it is stored inside when not in use.
It has Dexter Never Lube Axles. Last Spring, before traveling with it, I removed the wheels and brake drums and cleaned the brake dust, checked the brake shoes, drums for wear, inspected the magnets and wiring and to look at the sealed bearings for any signs of leaking grease or wear. Everything was in good shape. My question, is there a time or number of miles when those sealed bearings should be replaced? My concern is simply getting caught in the middle of a trip, away from home with a failed bearing. I know no one can predict when a bearing like that will fail, but with your experience you may have a gut feeling when it is best to change them out to be on the safe side.
A: Ed, With the sealed bearing, you are correct that they are not supposed to be changed unless they have a failure. This does make it hard to determine when to replace them as preventive maintenance. Plus, with things like this, you wonder, "Do I change it if I have no issues?" and the new one fails faster than the ones you took out? I would say that, for the most part, I would change them at 50,000 miles or 10 years whichever comes first as long as you see no sign of leaking. If you do see leaking, make sure to take care of them right away.
