Changing To Wet Hubs On Steer Axle

[MikeCanter]

I have a 2004 Monaco Signature and want to change the front hubs to wet hubs.

Has anyone changed their steer axle to wet hubs?

I know I need hubs from Stemco out of Longview, TX. Was it a big job or easy?

I also know the stock hubcaps are not going to fit over the new wet hubs on my Accuride aluminum wheels has anyone found hubcaps that will fit?

Thanks

[NavyDad89]

I have not seen any Monaco Class A Diesel chassis as far back as 1999 that had grease filled front hubs. Our '99 and '04 Endeavors both had oil filled front hubs on them. The '99 was on a Freightliner XC chassis and the '04 was on the Roadmaster 8 bag system. I'm sure your unit is on the 10 bag Roadmaster chassis and I am wondering if you have checked to be certain that a change is required at all. On our '04 unit the chrome hub cover had to be removed to check the oil level in the hubs, but I am certain they were wet hubs.

[MikeCanter]

Ed, Yes it is a 10 bag chassis and it has regular grease packed front bearings. I wish it didn't. Attached is a picture of my front hub.

[wolfe10]

Mike, Unless you have the dial indicator to set bearing end-play and are comfortable pulling the wheel and hub, removing the old grease, etc., this is a job for a truck shop. The actual installation of the Stemco oil bath parts is not that tough. But, bearing end play alone would suggest this is a truck shop job unless you have way more tool than I have. Brett

[MikeCanter]

Brett, I agree 100%. If I took that 310/80R22.5 off it would fall on me and you would hear about it on the news. I was going to take it to a local Freightliner place and get them to do it. Need somebody who has done it before. I have all the dial indicators and tools like that and I can build and tune 3200 hp blown alcohol motors but I know my limits.

Thanks for the warning.

[Guest BillAdams]

Sorry, but why? Aren't there 1,000s of owners using what you are using without complaint?

[NavyDad89]

Ed, Yes it is a 10 bag chassis and it has regular grease packed front bearings. I wish it didn't. Attached is a picture of my front hub.

Mike, I guess I'm not too old to learn that what I thought I knew about Monaco coaches, based on the Holiday Ramblers I owned, was completely wrong.... My apologies for the assumption. Ed

[MikeCanter]

Bill,I have several reasons why I want to switch to wet hubs. I already have them on my tag axle.

1.They are easier to maintain. One does not have to pull the wheel and hub to repack the bearings at a set interval. All you have to do is drain the oil and replace it at a set interval. This can easily be done so you don’t have to pay $300+ to have someone to do it.

2.You can easily see if the oil level is correct by looking at the level on the window prior to a trip or during a trip. No guessing that the grease is OK in the other grease hubs.

3.They are safer and help prevent wheel bearing lockup and resultant fires which happens more than we want to hear about with trucks and buses.

Ed, I really would have thought that Monaco would have put them on also.

[Guest BillAdams]

I am not arguing or suggesting that you not do this, but what do you expect this kind of a change would cost? How often would you have to repack the bearings? How long would that pay back be at a savings of $300 every 5 years (speculating on how often you would have to repack the bearings).

[MikeCanter]

Actually the cost of the wet hubs are reasonable. The Stemco Sentinel Premium hubs is around $35 each and the type Stemco on my tag axle are $22 each. The labor to change them over is the same as to repack the wheel bearings and replace the inner seals. So the initial cost is about $44-$70 more because you have to buy the hubs. Monaco state that the front wheel bearings need to be repacked and seals replaced at 30,000 miles or annually. Wet hubs only need the oil drained and replaced at 30,000 miles. Realistically I don't think anyone repacks their front bearings annually. I am right at 32,000 miles on my MH so I need to repack them and have the bearing preload done now. To drive another 30,000 miles is probably going to take 4-5 years. The cost savings is not a big unless you do them annually.

[Guest BillAdams]

Thanks for the info. I am amazed that any kind of a repair/replacement can be done that cheaply. Sounds like a good upgrade option.

[rorr1821]

Mike:

I have owned several Monaco products and each one had grease packed bearing. I had the oil bath and grease packed bearing discussion with an engineer friend of mind who retired from a large bearing and seal manufacture. I had entertained the idea of changing out my front seals to oil bath. In the discussion it was pointed out that oil bath is a great option for units that are driven often like 18 wheeler's. However, unit's that are parked more than they are driven, oil bath may proved to be a bad choice, because the oil only covers about 1/3 to 1/2 of the bearing. The oil covering the top of the bearing will drain so when you start up you have basically dry bearing startup. Also, even though these bearing are in a sealed environment when that oil drains from the bearings you risk the possibility of oxidation of the bearing surface which could lead to failure. I have also had this discussion with Monaco tech support who have seen a number of oil bath bearing failure in unit's that are parked for long periods.

This along with cost maybe the reason Monaco has chosen to use grease packed bearing on the steer axle as a standard even on their current production models. In my tag axle I also have oil bath bearings and often wondered why Monaco did not use grease packed bearing. I can only speculate in was engineering decision based on use and load factors.

One other consideration. When I was investigating this oil bath issue a few years ago I was told the same seal is used on the grease packed bearing and the oil bath. In fact I purchased two new seals before I changed my mind. If these seals start leaking it will not take two long to lose the oil and then the bearing. So you really need to have that sight glass available for daily inspection.

This is just another point of view on the issue.

[MikeCanter]

Rorr1821, you bring up some valid points on dry bearings and also on oxidation. I try not to leave my MH sitting too long but if the price of diesel goes up I will probably be driving it less. I think that it would be a good idea to raise the tax axle once a month while in storage and spin the tires to get the oil over the bearings again. Also, if front wet hubs maybe to move it slowly after storage for about six feet and let it sit a few minutes to get the oil moving over the bearings again before you get out on the road. I would think that backing it out would be enough to get the bearings covered in oil again. If in storage maybe move it back 10 ft and forward ten feet to get that oil circulating once a month. Thank you for sharing your point of view.

I did find replacement hub caps with holes in them to inspect the oil level every day. I would like to put those on the tag also.

http://www.realwheels.com/babymoons.html

[MikeCanter]

I bought some Lucas Hub Oil the other day to put in my tag axle wet hubs and maybe later in the steer axle hubs. I noticed that no where on the Lucas bottle did it state the weight of the oil or if it was petroleum based or synthetic so I checked the Lucas Tech Data Sheet and it also doesn't tell you much (see below). I sent an email to Lucas and asked them and they said that it was petroleum based and 140 wt oil. I am really surprised because Dana axles and Monaco both call for 75w-90 GL-5 gear oil. It would seem to me that sure is thick oil to be running in hubs especially in the winter time. 140W regular oil is going to get thick in the cold and is sure not going to offer much immediate lubrication. Also I was really surprised that they don't say it is GL-4 or GL-5. I have sent another email back to Lucas to ask more questions. I think I might run Mobil 1 Synthetic 75W-90 GL-5 in my hubs if I can't find out something more concrete on the Lucas oil.

http://www.lucasoil.com/images/medialibrary/21FCAC0B18AE519BF6D3E8C99DB079CD.pdf