Dexter Axle Bearings

[dewdev]

After seeing a past post about bearings and if they are made in China, I did some research as I want to have a spare set of Temkin bearings on hand and be able to change out my bearings when I hit around 12,000 miles on my newly purchased 2018 Oliver Elite II.

Here is what I found:

- On my first call to Dexter they refered me to Southwestwheel.com. South West sold bearings made in Japan and Timken bearings made in the US.

- A week later, I contacted Dexter again and they told me they sold bearings that are made in China.

- After hanging up from Dexter, I contacted South West Wheel and they gave me the following information for Dexter's 3500 lb axle (but they said to compare these part numbers with the ones printed on my existing bearings):

South West Wheel, Part #  KT84 for Timken bearings_complete kit = $102.60

Timken Kit Contains:
2 - HL154A Grease Caps
2 - L44649 Timken Outer Bearings (1 1/16" ID)
2 - L68149 Timken Inner Bearings (1 3/8" ID)
2 - L44610 Timken Outer Races
2 - L68111 Timken Inner Races
2 - 55846 Seals
12 - X1023R Nuts
2 - 90601 1" Spindle Nuts
2 - A1W Spindle Washers
2 - 18X134CP Cotter Pins

2 - FS622P Torsion Axle Grease Caps w/Rubber Plugs

2 - FS122 Torsion Axle Tang Washers

My first  question - Since I do not want to buy the bearing kit and then start the bearing removal just to find out they are the wrong parts, can anyone confirm that these are the correct Oliver/Dexter 3500 lb axle bearings?

Second question - Does this price look reasonable?

Third question - South West Wheel also has a larger kit that also includes the wheel hub (the part that the breaks press against). For those that have replaced bearing (or repacked their bearings) is it necessary to replace the wheel hub when replacing wheel bearings?

Thanks

 

 

 

Edited February 11 by dewdev

[John E Davies]

You drive out the rear seal and bearing to service it (clean, inspect, and grease it) and replace the seal with a new one every time. If either bearing is bad, you drive out the races and install two new bearings and races. Never change just a bearing or race, they are matched sets. Never change only one bearing set if it is bad, the metal particles have already damaged the other set.

You can carry a complete spare hub assembly with bearings, it would be very awkward and heavy. When you install a new drum, the worn shoes will not match the curve of the new drum, so that brake will never work right. If you replace a drum, both drums on that axle should be replaced AND both brake assemblies. $$$$

This is why disk brakes make so much more sense.... they have none of these “mismatched” wear pattern issues, and are super easy and inexpensive to service.

John Davies

 Spokane WA

Edited February 11 by John E Davies

[bhncb]

There are a lot of unnecessary parts listed in that kit, some you can't even use. All you need are the bearing cones and races and a grease seal. Everything else can be reused unless you damage or lose something. The bearing sets are available for $5-6 and a seal is around $3-4.

Those bearing part numbers listed are correct for your axles but they are also industry standard numbers that every bearing manufacturer uses. Timken specific numbers to search for a cone and race set are: SET17 (for the inner), SET4 (for the outer), and then 473336 for the seal, which may be in either a National or Timken box.. Sometimes pricing will vary between buying a SET part number and the individual numbers. For instance: SET4 versus L44649 and L44610.

[topgun2]

What bhncb said above if you are doing this service at home.  However, if you are interested in carrying an "emergency" pack to be used in the event you have a problem on the road, you can either simply buy a third (or forth ) set of bhncb's recommended parts, wrap them up in bags and rags, or you can get something like the picture below to carry around with you.  I've been carrying two of these for the past five years for the "just in case type of thing" plus a small can of bearing grease and (thank goodness) have never needed them.

Bill

 

Edited February 11 by topgun2
added detail

[bhncb]

Another point to remember is that bearing don't have a recommended change interval. Don't just assume because they have 12,000 miles on them they're shot. The number one cause of  trailer bearing failures is infrequent use and the subsequent corrosion or pitting that can occur due to grease contaminated by condensation/moisture forming inside the hub. Routine inspection and repacking, or more frequent supplanting of old grease, are the accepted ways to extend bearing life.

[dewdev]

This information is great. Thanks ALL!!

[AndrewK]

Dexter recommends Permatex High-Temp Red RTV Silicone Gasket to be used on the bearing seal before installation.  Is this needed on Timken bearing seals?

Thanks,

Andrew

[NCeagle]

If you are going to use Timken's, they make their own brand of grease:  https://www.timken.com/products/timken-mechanical-power-transmission-products/lubrication-lubrication-systems/automotive-wheel-bearing-grease/

Not sure if it's better or not (probably not), but I picked up some Timken specific grease for when I replace my Dexter's.

[John E Davies]

I am sure the Timken grease is really good, and also really expensive. But it is still a regular lithium based product, with all the limitations that come with that kind of chemistry.

 

If you are going to invest in a premium brand of lubricant, you should probably get the most premium one available.

I have been using CV2 in just about everything for several years now, and I am not going back. I used to pay $14 for a dinky 3 ounce tube of special Phil Wood  bicycle bearing grease, for just $2 more I get 14 ounces, so now I just use the Redline.

John Davies

Spokane WA

Edited February 18 by John E Davies

[2008RN]

John,

Thanks for your input on Grease,  I repacked all of our bicycles this winter, and of coarse I used Phil Wood Grease.  I love it, using CV2 on most of my grease needs.

[Ralph Mawyer]

They still make Phil Wood grease?  I'm still using a tube from my bike mechanic days from the mid-70s. 😉

 

[2008RN]

I bought 3-4 tubes back in the early 80s, back with ordering through a Nashbar catalog.  Back then there wasn't that many great bike shops to buy good gear, so I would save up and make large purchases a couple of times a year.  I still buy more tubes than I will ever need. I bet I have at least 8 brand new tubes on hand. I end up scrapping  some now and then due to age. I keep enough parts on hand to repair any problems on our bikes that would arise.  I also went through a time starting in the late 80's with hubs with sealed bearings, so the headset was the only thing that got re-greased.  Now we have 4 bikes that are back to loose bearing.  Back in the early 80s I even had a tools for lubing the old clusters, I could hook up the tool with the tube and grease the cluster.  Oh ya back on topic, this is  an Oliver forum. 

[KeysConchs]

On 3/27/2021 at 10:12 PM, 2008RN said:

I bought 3-4 tubes back in the early 80s, back with ordering through a Nashbar catalog.  Back then there wasn't that many great bike shops to buy good gear, so I would save up and make large purchases a couple of times a year.  I still buy more tubes than I will ever need. I bet I have at least 8 brand new tubes on hand. I end up scrapping  some now and then due to age. I keep enough parts on hand to repair any problems on our bikes that would arise.  I also went through a time starting in the late 80's with hubs with sealed bearings, so the headset was the only thing that got re-greased.  Now we have 4 bikes that are back to loose bearing.  Back in the early 80s I even had a tools for lubing the old clusters, I could hook up the tool with the tube and grease the cluster.  Oh ya back on topic, this is  an Oliver forum. 

It seems I find a 1/2 used tube of Phil Wood grease every 6 months or so somewhere around the shop. Also used it more than once to lube the freewheel and on emergency bottom-bracket repairs on a tour in some backwoods town in the 70s. Graduated to roadside bearing replacements for our boat trailers at work.  God awful job in the Florida summers. Our bearing failures were always due to too much weight on the axles. An important lesson for towing anything including an Ollie.

[SeaDawg]

So, is redline cv-2 comparable to phil woods? I'm confused 

[John E Davies]

1 hour ago, SeaDawg said:

So, is redline cv-2 comparable to phil woods? I'm confused 

What do you mean by comparable? Phil Wood waterproof grease has been around for decades, the recipe is secret but it is petroleum based. It is used on bicycle ball and roller bearings mostly, where it excels at staying put in extreme conditions (doesn’t wash out). CV-2 is a full synthetic, I think it is better but the main reason I would choose it over PW is you can’t buy that grease in containers larger than 3 ounces. Plus the price per ounce of of PW is way way higher.

BTW I carry my hitch spares and tools in a steel ammo can, there is a 3 ounce tube of Phil Wood grease at the very top, I put a smear on the ball every other time I connect. I do like it. I also carry a can of brake cleaner to remove it from the ball and my finger…. 

John Davies

Spokane WA

[rideandfly]

Been packing all of our trailer bearings with Redline CV-2 Full Synthetic grease for a few years, we have four trailers including Ollie, no bearing issues.

[Wayfinder]

This thread has great information.  Thank you.  But, I do not see specific part numbers for JUST the seals AND from trusted vendors.  This will be my first time packing my bearings on this trailer.

I will likely pick up the BK2-100 bearing kit, either from Dexter themselves or the RedLine brands which @topgun2 listed.  I did inspect one set of bearings so far, to get an idea of their overall condition.  All looks well enough, but definitely in need of new grease.  I'll see if I can find the Redline CV-2 grease locally.  I only have 7 days before I leave my current location and now afraid of driving too far. At least it's not the hot summer.  I was monitoring the hub temps on the way from NC to GA.  All hubs remained cool on the 5 hour trip.  But it's time to pack the bearings.  

I'm looking forward to doing it, but would like to ensure the correct seals first.

I cannot purchase this on Amazon, but is this correct? 

 https://www.amazon.com/Dexter-01003600-Grease-Seal/dp/B007HRI5W4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=33V4N3IQECSCC&dchild=1&keywords=dexter+axle+seal&qid=1633088850&sprefix=dexter+axle+seal%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-5

This is should be correct, right? It seams that these axle parts are somewhat common and interchangeable between different brands, like Lippert and Dexter for example.

http://www.dexterpartsonline.com/product/BK2-100

 

Or this Redline

https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Bearing-Spindle-Redline-BK2-100/dp/B002PNJZN8/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2ZNA1G0I4X7B1&dchild=1&keywords=bk2-100+bearing+kit&qid=1633088622&sprefix=bk2-100+be%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-5

Will these seals be right for 2016 EL-II?

https://www.amazon.com/Lippert-333961-Trailer-Grease-3500LB/dp/B00JMHIYY6/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=473336+seal&qid=1633088351&s=automotive&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExS0pIRk1aRU5STE01JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTI0NDQ1MkJBSDhWUU5ERkswSiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTY2Mzk1MjkxWTFDTjNQV1BOQiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

I was really bummed when I discovered I have NO zerk fittings anywhere on the trailer.  Not even on the hubs.  I see upgrades are needed.

Details on these parts with options will certainly help all the new buyers out there.

It would be great if Oliver themselves added videos to their University training pages, just for repacking the bearings; since it's so important to do and needed so often.  Oh sure, there are tons of videos on the subject on YouTube, but being specific to Oliver and the different axles they might use would be great.  Especially with part numbers listed.  I found no paper work on the axles in the mounts of manuals that came with the trailer. These types of videos would ensure Oliver stays at the top of the list in regards to high quality and customer-focused.

Thanks again folks!

Chris

[John E Davies]

Chris, just go to your local industrial bearing supplier, ask for genuine Timken seals and bearing SETS (bearing and race matched pairs) for a standard Dexter 3500 pound trailer axle, they know exactly what is needed. Buy four extra inner seals to carry as spares. buy some extra cotter pins. Then you are good to go. This is not rocket science, these parts are ubiquitous, but finding high quality parts is the real problem, not Chinese crap with zero quality control, or worse yet, Timken branded counterfeits. The bearing store will have the genuine ones. A bearing or seal with Dexter stamped on it is crap too. 

Use Redline CV2 and repack every 12K to 15K miles. There is NO need to repack more often if you keep an eye on bearing temperatures.  IMHO. Boat trailers need that frequent servicing because they get dunked into deep water while the hubs are warm, and the sudden drop in pressure sucks water in past the seal, contaminating the grease. I don’t think this is an issue with your Ollie. Use high quality parts, and a  high quality lubricant, no worries.

You do need to recheck your hub bearing play after say 1000 miles, the new races can shift ever so slightly and you may need to tighten one more slot on the adjuster nut. I rechecked mine and three of the four needed a little extra tweak.

FYI you can remove and drive in races and seals with a big hammer and an old screwdriver, but proper tools make the job SO much easier, and you will not swear nearly as much. A seal puller, bushing driver set and an axle cap tool are great to have, if you have room to carry them.

Buy this for sure, check prices because they vary wildly: …

If you also buy a water heater pressure relief valve removal socket, you can nest the two parts, wrap them in movers stretch wrap (U-Haul), and they don’t take up much space at all.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Wayfinder]

Yeah, I tried two industrial bearing companies here in Augusta, GA, and they almost chuckled.  No, they have no clue.

I will check with the local camper centers too.  They certainly should know.

I was able to get NAPA to cross reference one, but it's a bit thinner than what I took out. This was cross referenced with a Dexter 01003600 Grease seal.  NAPA called it an oil seal.  They are short on parts too.  Parts right now might be difficult to get.

I even have a call into Oliver.  Nothing back from Mike yet.

Hey, if you all have so many extras, what is the part number of the seal?  

A direct link to the seal at reputable site online would be great too.  Maybe I'll call eTrailer. If this is so damn easy, and a common axle, then why does no one knowing the part part number?  Oh wait, I am in Georgia, that might be it.  Smack!

Angry eyes are going to put on soon.

This is NAPAs reference.  Which is only 1/4" compared to the 1/2 inch thick seal I took out.  Also the original seal I took out.  what not much grease in the seal.  The seal felt better made too compared to what I took out.  Again, I will only do this one set just to get the hub back together.  I was kind of fun.  I've not done this stuff since the 80s.  

A bearing packer would save lots of time and ensure they're packed as good as one can do.

 

 

 

 

 

Everything looked and felt good (smooth).  I got to this job just in time.

 

Shaft looked and felt great too.

[Wayfinder]

Finally. I have a part number to the seal. I leave in a week and needed to find local.

O'Reilly Auto Parts had what I needed. But again, they only had four left in stock. I bought all of them. These seals are heavier duty compared to what I took out. 

National Oil Seals

Part number 473336

Approximately $12.50 each

[mossemi]

Looks like you already found the seals.

Mossey

[Wayfinder]

Ha, yeah. Where were you @mossemi when I needed you?  Lol. Camping I bet. LoL

 

Also, I took the second tire off and discovered a very abused grease cap. I mean, could grief, how hard do you have to hit a aluminum cap to get it back on. Mechanic must have had anger issues. 

[Geronimo John]

John Davies Wrote:  "

• Use Redline CV2 and repack every 12K to 15K miles. There is NO need to repack more often if you keep an eye on bearing temperatures.  ....
• Use high quality parts, and a  high quality lubricant, no worries.  ....
• You do need to recheck your hub bearing play after say 1000 miles, ,,,,,,,you may need to tighten one more slot on the adjuster nut. ."

I have run 21,560 Ollie miles in the past four seasons.  As a Professional Mechanical Engineer and amateur wrench turner, here is what I have found to work well ... I.E. zero issues on the road during the past four seasons with my 2018 OE2 bearings:

• I use Redline CV2.  However Mobile 1 synthetic is likely just as good, and some may say better.  All I know that after four cross USA trips in the last four years, the JD recommended CV2 works just fine for me.

• My Chinese Dexter bearings "bothered" me as it does many new owners.  I over-serviced mine annually (new grease and seals).  The Dexter bearings and National seals ran 16,000 miles with no issues.  But this was my personal limit of comfort for them.  When I changed them at the beginning of my fourth (May 2021) season , I had a full set of Timken bearings and two sets of National ready for use depending on what I found upon disassembly.  I was rewarded in doing so as they were ready to be replaced. 

• My recommendation is to keep track of your trailer miles, service the Dexter's annually or every 5,000 miles, and be ready to replace them with better bearings and seals based upon what you see.  But have the Timken's and National's in hand by 10,000 miles for sure.

• Buy real Timken and National seals, a bearing punch, and extra CV2 or Mobile 1 synthetic grease. 

• When you get in the 10 to 15K zone, replace the bearings with Timken's.  You will travel confident knowing you will likely not have to do a bearing/seal job on the side of the road. 

• SAVE the best two old bearings, clean them up well, grease them well, and put them into a plastic jar.  Wrap them in Sarane Wrap if you like, but keep two just in case.    Have your grease and gun with you at all times.  Basically free insurance.

• I recommend that once you upgrade t the Temkin's and Seals, you can stretch out the service interval to 10,000 miles or so.  Just always have four spare seals available. 

• I recommend replacing the Timken's every 50,000 miles just for grins.

• Get a digital IR hand held temperature meter.  Just easy to stop and zap the temperature of your hubs.  Cheap insurance for bearings or brake issues.

• The ONE item that I have a recommendation that is contrary with John's is rechecking the bearing "play".  I recommend stopping after just 100 miles and rechecking your bearing play.  I found three of my four too loose after only 200 miles.

• Grease the EZ Flex zerks every 5,000 miles or annually! 

Guys, this is about the 4th time in four years that this subject has been asked and answered.  Maybe if a moderator has some spare time this winter, all these threads can be consolidated and we can put this subject to bed.....at least until the next crop of owners joins our family.   🙂

 For the new owners, here is a nice hand-out to have when you are working your wheel bearings.  

Geronimo John

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[Wayfinder]

I'm looking forward to trying the Redline CV-2 grease, when I can get my hands on it. The schedule is tight and didn't want to drive any farther without some sort of new grease. The bearing look great, so that's good. 

I enjoyed doing the repack. It's therapeutic in a way. And greatly satisfying. 

[SeaDawg]

10 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Maybe if a moderator has some spare time this winter, all these threads can be consolidated and we can put this subject to bed.....at least until the next crop of owners joins our family.   🙂

How about we just add some links to some of those threads?