Proper Bearing Lubrication Type

To increase the life of your Dexter axle, Dexter highly recommends that you perform annual bearing grease and oil as outlined in the maintenance schedule page 85. While attempting to do these service checks, keep in mind the importance of safety. If you are familiar with truck and trailer maintenance, feel free to follow the instructions below. If you do not feel confident performing truck or trailer maintenance, please take your vehicle to a service center to avoid injury. Closely follow along below with the correct procedures performed for each lubrication type.

Grease:

Proper lubrication is essential to the proper function and reliability of your trailer axle. Bearings should be lubricated every 12 months or 12,000 miles. You should repack your bearing cone by placing a small amount, roughly the size of a half-dollar, of grease into the palm of your hand. Then press a section of the widest end of the bearing into the outer edge of the grease pile close to the thumb forcing grease into the interior of the bearing. You will need to repeat this while rotating the bearing from roller to roller. You should continue this process until the entire bearing is filled with grease. Before you reinstall the bearing, make sure you apply a light coat of grease to the bearing cup.

CAUTION: Do not mix lithium, calcium, sodium, or barium-complex greases due to possible compatibility problems. When changing from one type of grease to another, it is necessary to ensure all the old grease has been removed.

Oil:

If your axles are equipped with oil-lubricated hubs, periodically check, and refill the hub as necessary with a high-quality hypoid gear oil to the level indicated on the clear plastic oil cap. The oil can be filled from the oil fill hole, if present, in the hub to through the rubber plug hole in the cap itself.

Whenever the hub is removed, inspect the seal to assure that it is not nicked or torn and is still capable of properly sealing the bearing cavity. If there is any question of condition, replace the seal. Use only the seals specified in our seal chart.

E-Z Lube® Lubrication

First, you will need to remove the rubber plug from the end of the grease cap. Then place a standard manual grease gun onto the grease fitting located at the end of the spindle. Do not use pneumatic powered grease guns as these can inject grease too fast and force grease past the seal, or in rare cases dislodge the seal. You will want to make sure the grease gun nozzle is fully engaged on the fitting. While you rotate the hub, pump the grease slowly into the fitting. The old, displaced grease will begin to flow back out the cap around the grease gun nozzle. When the new clean grease begins to come out, remove the grease gun, wipe off any excess, and replace the rubber plug in the cap.

Pro-tip: The E-Z Lube feature is designed to allow immersion in water. Axles not equipped with E-Z Lube are not designed for immersion and the bearing should be repacked after each immersion. If hubs are removed from an axle with the E-Z Lube feature, it is imperative that the seals be replaced BEFORE bearing lubrication. Otherwise, the chance of grease getting on brake linings is greatly increased.

Download the Chart: Hub, Drums, & Bearings Installation Instructions

Note: The convenient lubrication provisions of the E‑Z Lube® and the oil lubrication must not replace periodic inspection of the bearings.

Feel free to email our team information@dexteraxle.com for any additional service questions or concerns.

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