Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 14, 2025 ...

Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

May 10, 2015, 02:42:52 pm

I removed the front wheel covers to check the oil level in the hubs.  The oil level may be low; it is about  1/4" above the bottom of the sight glass.  Where should the level be and what is the lubricant?
Gary

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Re: Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

Reply #1 – May 10, 2015, 02:47:31 pm

The clear plastic sight glass has a level marked on it .  Level should be at the ring on the plastic.
file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/571-3185HubCap%20(1).pdf
Gary B

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Re: Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

Reply #2 – May 10, 2015, 03:41:27 pm

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what is the lubricant

Gear oil, 85W140 - can be bought at NAPA and most auto parts places.  Many folks have been running synthetic as well.

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Re: Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

Reply #3 – May 10, 2015, 07:08:14 pm

Thanks for the info.  On both sides the oil level is tangent to a raised ring in the clear plastic "sight glass", and the lube is honey colored and does not look dirty.  Yippee! It looks like I'm OK, but how often should the wheel  bearing lube be changed?  The coach has about 95,000 miles on it and it is possible that the lube is original.  PS: No signs of any leakage.
Gary

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Re: Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

Reply #4 – May 10, 2015, 10:47:19 pm

Gary,
A bit of additional information:
There are (2) rings on the wheel hub;  LOW Level and FULL Level .  See the following thread:
I think I should get this hub seal checked out

My Meritor Manual says Wheel End Oil is 0-76A /gear Oil (GL-5, 85W-140) as Steve has already indicated.  That viscosity is good down to +10 degrees  F.  80W/90 is good down to -15 degrees F, and 75W/90 is good to -40 degrees F.  No upper degrees F limit on any of these three.  Of course the two "thinner" oils would be slightly more prone to leak by the inner wheel seals at higher temperatures.
Change interval is "Whichever comes first"

• Seal Replacement
• Brake Pads Replacement
• 100,00 miles
• Once a year

The Foretravel Owner's manual and Service Manual says:

• Once a year or at 14,000 Miles with checks of the oil level at each 7,000 mile interval

Meritor indicates that Synthetic Oil Change interval is only when seals are replaced. 
My FT materials do not address synthetics.

Neal

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Re: Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

Reply #5 – May 11, 2015, 07:56:30 am

I can't imagine any reason to change bearing oil yearly.  It's not as if it's being contaminated by combustion products.  Our brake pads last hundreds of thousand of miles, and seals also.  I'd go with the 100K change, and use synthetic when you make the change.

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Re: Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

Reply #6 – May 11, 2015, 09:25:24 am

Ours had been changed just before we bought it at 104,000. We had it changed and bearings adjusted at 150,000 and probably won't do anything else until 250,000. That's as long as no problems crop up. At our rate of driving that's about ten years off. Probably changed it in getting ready to sell it when we reach the 25 year full-timing mark.

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Re: Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

Reply #7 – May 11, 2015, 11:02:31 am

After much experience with lube for front wheel & tag axle bearings, I have settled n the Lucas Hub Oil.  A very deep subject full of gossip, wives tales and opinions. My first experience, I used 40wt engine motor oil per Greyhound manual, then on to the gear oil 75-90 and happiness for me happened with the Lucas Hub Oil.  The hand packed wheel bearings do fine also but require a little more attention.
Do the happy thing that Your comfy with

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Re: Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

Reply #8 – May 11, 2015, 01:34:55 pm

I have no concern when hub oil gets darker and I have more than a few.. I do change it when a hubs oil gets milky due to water contamination..I am a stickler for having the oil level up to where it should be.. Like Dave I started using Lucas hub oil years back because I have faith in the Lucas brand after millions of miles of use....

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Re: Lubrication in in steer axle bearings

Reply #9 – May 11, 2015, 01:46:18 pm

On front hubs and trailer wheel bearings, pretty much any type of oil will work. And any type of gear oil will definitely work. I just run whatever synthetic gear oil I can get. As the manual shows, the weight really doesn't matter. In theory, lower weight will give better fuel mileage.....if you could ever measure the difference.

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