GREASING front end, Class A, Gas RV Motorhome the RIGHT WAY
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- Demonstrating how to grease the front end of a Class A, Gas RV Motorhome, LOADED and UNLOADED, which is the right way.
Greasing the front end is an important PM item on our 2012, Winnebago Vista 35F, RV gas Motorhome which is on a Ford F-53 Chassis and we do it the right way. We do our own grease jobs on our Class A motorhome while we travel on the road usually in a RV camp ground that we stay at from time to time. We do this at the same time we do our oil changes too. It’s not hard to do if you have the right equipment and you’ll save a ton of money over the long run. Besides nobody is going to take care of your Class A, V10, Gas Motorhome better than you will. We are shooting this video in RGV on our new winter RV site.
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EVEN IF WHAT YOU NEED IS NOT IN OUR AMAZON STORE, YOU CAN STILL CLICK OUR STORE LINK BELOW, THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO OUR STORE, SHOP AND SEARCH ON AMAZON LIKE YOU NORMALLY WOULD, PUT YOUR ITEMS IN THE CART AND CHECK OUT. Using our Amazon Store to buy your RV gear, parts, maintenance items “AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED” is a great way to say "Thank You" Martin for making these videos and helping the RV community.
EVERYTHING I USED IN THIS VIDEO IS IN MY AMAZON STORE:
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HOWEVER, I'VE ALSO LISTED THE-INDIVIDUAL LINKS-TO THE PRODUCTS USED IN THIS VIDEO BELOW
• Astro Pneumatic Digital Tire Inflator Gun - amzn.to/390yCv0
• Lincoln Pneumatic Grease Gun - amzn.to/359xJOQ
• Vavoline Multi-purpose Lithium NLGI #2 Grade Grease - amzn.to/34ZJbfO
• Premium Guard Nitrile Grip Disposal Gloves - (Pack of 50) - amzn.to/3dLbp23
ABOUT MY AIR COMPRESSOR
• VIAIR 40045 400P Air Compressor - amzn.to/2ORvxUO
• VIAIR 450P-RV Silver Automatic Portable Compressor Kit - amzn.to/2WXiB4d
NOTE: I feel from a money and convenience perspective the 450P-RV is-probably-the better deal. Why? Because you get (2) 30' air hoses and a carrying bag that will hold them both. Plus if you expect to use yours more than 15 minutes at a time you're covered there too.
Now the 40045 400P isn't nothing to sneeze at by no means. It's the same unit I have now. The only down fall I see here is, for big rigs you need 60' of air hose to reach everywhere, and this unit now only comes with (1) 30' air hose. Now of course you can buy an extra 30' air hose (see below) for about $25 bucks. You might be able to cram this extra air hose into the new carrying bag where the air compressor resides or maybe not. So for me, I just like having everything in one neat package. That's why I lean towards the 450P-RV unit. So it's really your choice. But either one will easily deliver the power what any RVer will need for a pneumatic grease gun and all your tires, regardless of what type of RV you have. If you want to see a more in depth review of these Viair air comressors go here: • TOP THINGS RV OWNERS S...
• Both of these VIAIR Air Compressors puts out 150psi.
• If you want even more hose, you can buy an additional 30' VIAIR air hose here - amzn.to/39opRLq
THE DIGITAL AIR INFLATING GUN (This is the one I use, It's perfectly calibrated and I luv this inflation gun)
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DISCLAIMER:
We are in no way experts or professional mechanics. But being a journeyman millwright for years & being EX Military, has proven to be very helpful in my lifetime learning how to care for & maintain all sorts of machinery & equipment like: helicopters, airplanes, tanks, motorcycles & many types of other vehicles. That, along with 18 months preparing & upgrading our RV before we went full time, & now traveling for several years has gained us a lot of knowledge. Regardless of what we recommend, consult a professional if you're unsure about working on your RV. Work you perform or products you purchase based on any information we provide is at your own risk.
I have watched a few F-53 grease videos and this is by far the most informative, well done and best instructional video by far. I do not have a pneumatic gun but before I buy one, I am trying with a manual gun. Just an excellent job. Thanks
God, I love this dude he’s so smart can’t believe he’s gone
I find it hard to believe he is gone also. His videos will live on though, I will keep the channel open because Martin loved helping people.
The proper military mindset: Take care of your equipment and it'll take care of you. Thank you for your sacrifice on our behalf. 🙏
My honor.
Every time I grease my RV I come back and watch this video so I get it right, Thanks Martin R.I.P.
Love revisiting these videos for refreshing my memory. We miss you Martin😢
Doing it now for my F53 lube job. I miss Martin as well
Oh man how sad I didn't no he was gone I've been thanking him for the past two months now RIP my awesome friend.
I try to read and reply to all comments if at all possible. I'm not all that good at the technical questions but I try my best to answer when I can. Thank you for reaching out to me.
Miss this guy.
Me too Joanie💔
Damn I miss you brother. But as each day goes by I'm learning from you. God bless you Joney. ❤❤
Thank you ♥️
You really do have some of the BEST DIY RV videos. And I must complement the professionalism of your production. Sound, lighting, editing, notes etc. just FIRST CLASS! Many thanks for everyone that is lucky enough to have found your site!
Wow, thank you so much Scripp. We really try to think out all our video's before we shoot to try to cover all the bases. But even then sometimes we fall short.
So appreciate your super kind words.
Excellent video. I recently had my Vista greased and I'll bet they missed some of those fittings. I'll be checking them tomorrow. Thanks for the information...
My rig has been officially Martinized! Thank you for this very informative video. I have never done this on any of my 4 motorhomes in the past, I didn't know it needed to be done. Thanks to you, I have now completed my 1st lube job! I really enjoy your very well done videos, keep up the good work. Thanks again!
I can't thank you and Joanie enough. You are filling a huge need. Your videos are outstanding. 2001 Fleetwood
thx Joe so much. 😜
Nice video sir! We are considering a Gas Class A. Your tips and instruction may keep this coaches at the top of our list. And Thank You for your military service and selfless sacrifice! God Bless.
Drive shaft & spline center bearing too
Love your content has helped me immensely!! Bob 71 yrs young!!
Great info and well done. Probably won't do my own anytime soon but if I do I will return to this video. Thanks for sharing
Very clear and concise useful information for rookies!! Appreciate it, thanks.
What a great informative video! I love watching your videos! Keep up the good work!
Martin I miss your videos and all your great advice. Getting ready to do some PM this weekend and was reading the manual (yes men do read the manual :) ) and I thought I should look up a video to see how its done. Pop over to RV street and sure enough you have a walkthrough as always. We all miss you! Joanie I hope you are doing well
Many times I have thought to myself (I sure wish you were here right now because I could use your help) I do miss him horribly but over all I"m doing ok.
Thank you for all these great videos! I'm a new owner of an F53 chassis. Because your expert advice and testimonials, I have added Sumos and SafeTplus. Changing my oil and greasing fittings today! Thank you for your service too. You're a good man sir!
My honor. 🇺🇸 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Made me want to get under my 2014 Southwind Fleetwood 34A and clean up those zerts so i can get ready to pump that grease in them. But its cold outside so ill wait but you made it look easy. Thanks.
It's not a hard job but it is a messy one. I would wait until it warms up also 👍
This was a really good and informative video. Now, even a sub-genius, as myself, can grease my F53 chassis. Showing the complete process, with all the "tricks" is a big help. I have a manual grease gun that kicks my butt, so I see a pneumatic one in my near future. I have the Viair 450P and love it. I have enjoyed your other videos, as well, so please keep up the good work......Howard
Hey glad I could help ya HBB.
When you get ready to buy that Pneumatic greaser...we sure would appreciate you coming back here and using our affiliate link to buy that. It really helps us keeping these video's going and help a retired couple.
Stay safe my friend.
Martin love your videos. Thank you for serving our country and defending our freedom.
My honor. 🇺🇸 🙏
thanks,..... just bought the same air compressor now I see I can use it for more than fill tires :)
Very informative! And thank you for your Service🇺🇸
Can't tell you how much I've appreciated all the great video's you and your wife have put out there! A ton of info and how to do it is priceless! Thank you for all the hard work....best wishes for continued success! Looking forward to your next one:)
Thank you so much Sandra. 💋
Good video, you were vert thorough!
I did not know about greasing kingpin unloaded! Thanks. I had my pu truck greased at dealer for years. Top of gearbox wore out. Lack of grease! I had them replace my u joints 200,000 miles. A year later, I had to replace rear joint again! It never got greased! The crease fitting was turned and there was no way to grease it. They said, out of warranty. Thanks for video! Kevin
Thanks for the tutorial Martin. Today I just did this job with the pneumatic grease gun and compressor you recommended. Went off without a hitch. Appreciate you both.
Good job Doug. Having the right tools makes doing these PM items a snap.
Thanks for a very informative video.
Glad it was helpful!
Fantastic . I have a 2017 Vista. I have only watched 2 of your videos so far and will be back for more . Nicely done.
thx Dennis.
BTW...if you go to our main YT Channel Page, click "Playlists". When you land there, you'll see a Playlist called Upgrades, Maintenance and How-To's. Click view all and I have a bunch more right there.
Outstanding video! I haven't used a grease gun in 40 years and didn't even know about a pneumatic grease gun. ! Thank you!
Yep it's a world of difference and when you get older...and it really matters to start making things easier to do.
Nice job Martin...where would I be without my RV Homies!
I watch your videos are very informative, Wife and I don’t own a a RV yet but are thinking about it. Been watching a lot of videos I really do enjoy yours.
Thanks for all your help.
Love the tech videos...A+ Also...thank you for your service brother!!!
My honor. 🙏🇵🇷
I see you have installed some Tejay plates on your ASB. I also do my own oil changes, but i never knew about the king pin greasing in loaded and unloaded. I am going to follow your channel because there are hardly any that cover gasser motorhomes.
Yeah that king pin greasing tip is not common knowledge even in most grease shops. They just lift you up on the rack, grease away and off you go. It's all about getting as many rigs in and out in a day. Glad to have to have you aboard.
i noticed that. i just completed the CHF on my coach...what are those plates that use both holes?
@@sdmedicscott Please be more specific. I don't quite understand what you're asking.
Great video ! I subscribed to your channel a couple of weeks ago ! Great information and have learned a lot! My motor home is a diesel pusher I purchased in February with a Freightliner chassis. I’m sure there is some different. But basically the same. Planning on doing my on Matinance. I have the same air compressor and love the grease gun you shared with us! Thank for all the Awesome information! God bless you and your wife. May the good Lord keep you safe in your travels!
Thank you so much Lester. 👍
Man you should hook up with Matt’s RV reviews and do a mini siminar at one of his rv rallies. I think it would be awesome for newbies to know how to take care of their new rvs and your the best I ever seen anyone better at explaining/teaching how to do that
When it comes to maintenance on my rv I have you on my computer while I’m working on mine
Had been connecting negative first until I saw this SMH. Great tip 1 method
Hello Martin,
After watching this greasing video, I set to following you instructions. I found the reason for lubing with the weight on and off the front axle. The grease came out of different places when I did it. My rig is a 2017 Fleetwood Storm 32A. When I moved to the drag link I found both boots blown out and full of moisture. And my right lower king pin needed 28 pumps of grease. I did this zerk third so I know the gun was pumping. I’ll be doing my own work from now on, following your helpful instructions. I’m changing the drag link myself. Carl
Yep and doing yourself you'll know for sure it's done right. 🔧 👍
Thanks for sharing. Very well done tutorials
With the help of my 14y/o grandson we did an oil/filter change and front end lube on my 2012 F53 yesterday using your methods. He is nimble enough to reach the top king pin and steering box zerks so I’m confident we got a good grease job. We also did a generator oil/filter change while we were there. Thanks for this video.
That a boy. That's the way to teach them early. Not many young folks know how to do much of anything concerning fixing stuff or what needs maintenance or how to do it. It's the key to keep stuff running a long time and save buckets of money.
We've got a real good 3 part series coming up tomorrow night @ 8:30pm.
thx Barry. Good job. 👍
Also remind people not to OVER fill the fittings as to blow out the rubber boots
That could cause moist and dirt into the bushings
Luv ya brother praying for you
Thanx for the info…good to know…just bought the Vista 31B…I will make sure I get what I need …thanx
Another great vid, Martin. Thank you sir!
Thanks for showing us how to do this. Thank you for your service!
🇺🇸 🙏
Always excellent maintenance information.
Thank you
Thanks for this video... I greased our 2014 and remembered this video. When I went to do the upper steering grease fitting, it had never been done. In fact I had to remove the fitting cover to do it.
Thanks
Ps I did purchase a pneumatic grease gun first
Thank you guys so much for supporting us and our channel 🙏
Thank you for showing the diagram of the grease points, very informative video. I bought a creeper to get under our RV. Keep up the good work.
Thanks you two for watching and being constant commenters. Yes we see them......all of them. We love reading comments and it helps others too. Good luck next year when you start your new adventure. You have plenty of time now to get this stuff done before you leave. It will pay many dividends. Trust me.
Great tutorial we learned a lot. Thank you so much!
Love those chf plates
Another excellent video --- THANK YOU!
Nice job boss. Just a quick FYI. I bought a Dewalt battery grease gun and it is fantastic. Eliminates thr need to drag a long hose around plus, in the event that there is any hardened grease in there, it has thr power to blow through it. Lastly, good point about wiping off the zerks before and after the job. A step that a lot of folks omit thinking they are doing the right thing. Quite the opposite. The grease inside the joint is where the good happens, not outside.
Thanks Chief.
Ya that unit is an option but just to let you know, the reason I recommend the Pneumatic Lincoln unit is because full timers and a lot of part timers already have an air compressor on board. No more batteries to worry about and another thing to charge. But I'm glad you watched that video and I'm really glad you took greasing your own rig into your own hands. Now you know it's done right and you'll save money over the long haul too. 🔧 🙏
@@RVstreet I have a question for you bubba. Do you use the Lincoln to air up your tires as well? I currently have a Porter Cable pancake unit but because of your use I am strongly considering the Lincoln. Looks like it would be a great lighter weight option. We are in Burleson and have been full timing it for 2 years now and just swapped over from a travel trailer to a class C so it seems like a lot of your views and suggestions will apply to my wife and I as well. I'm a fairly new subscriber to your channel so I've got a lot of catching up to do. Maybe we can compare some notes as we go along. For now I really would appreciate your view on the Lincoln. Thanks Brundage. Mike
@@chief7839 My pneumatic Lincoln is my grease gun. If you watch this video it will tell you everything you need to know about air up tires and what we use.
ruclips.net/video/2kCXRbvtoYA/видео.html
Found your channel last week. We have a 2013 Vista 35B. Your videos and tips are great. Thanks for sharing.
Your Welcome!
Great advice Martin, I have a F 53 chassis also so your channel is very helpfull, Cheers
This was amazing
Thank you
Good video .... nice explanation.
Hi Martin Mike. I have a Ford with a f53 chassis 06 Damon was watching How to grease the front great
Job. Saw the blue brackets that hook to the tr
Good info. I selfishly wish you had a DP as this would be even more applicable for me. Safe Travels.
Loved it however I use gloves .Thank you
Great information and thank you.
Awesome video thank's for the info. Great follow up video of the oil change.
Very informative. Thank you.
Unsure of the differences both in the front end components and the rest of the undercarriage between a Class A Gas & diesel motorhome, as I have the rear diesel version. I've greased my own in the past, and thought I'd see if there is much difference, but one thing I noted was my rear drive shaft universal has four grease fittings, where I hear some have one, others have two. Thanks for the informative information on the 'loaded/unloaded' portion, as that was new to me.
So....ya, gas coaches have a sealed U joints on the drive shaft from the factory. So no greasing is necessary. But if a U joint is ever replaced, then those do have zerk fittings for greasing.
Great video!!
I just took my 2018 Thor ACE 30.3 in to get the alignment checked because it wandered around on the road a bit too much. I just purchased it September 2018 with only 3900 miles on it. When the shop put it on the rack to check the alignment, they found too much slop in the kingpins. I was absolutely floored. After all the ACE only has 3900 miles. The mechanic showed me that the kingpins were nearly dry. The coach was not properly maintained, and I suspect that ford did not put enough grease in the first place nor did the original new seller perform any predelivery service. I wonder now whether it ever had an oil change. Clearly the poorly done factory grease job and 4 years of sitting around contributed to the premature wear on the kingpins. I am having the Kingpins replaced and trying to have the extended warranty pay for the kingpin replacements. This experience has taught me some very valuable lesion.
1. Buy the extended warranty.
2. Insist a predelivery service including a full grease job, be performed before taking delivery of a new RV.
3. Do a full grease job with each oil change.
Fords recommended service intervals are inadequate for vehicles that spend substantially more time sitting than driving.
With only 3900 mikes I find it nearly impossibly that the kingpins need replacement.
Wandering can be caused by misalignment though.
How did the mechanic show you that the kingpins were nearly dry? You’d have to totally disassemble that area to see anything and I know they didn't do that at an alignment shop.
Are your front tires showing excessive wear?
It possibly could be the king pin bushings and they can be replaced easily in a day. Vertical movement, ie up and down movement is not caused by king pin wear though.
King pin wear is top and bottom of the wheel rocking back and forth across the vehicle, and assuming the bushings were reamed properly at installation, only wear through lack of grease.
Vertical movement is controlled by a thrust bearing and shims as necessary.
When cars had king pins, you jacked up the front end, you grasped the top and bottom of the tire and tried to pull the top out with the upper hand and push the bottom in with the lower hand, then quickly reversed the action, trying to rock the top and bottom back and forth. If movement was felt, you needed an assistant to check where the movement was while you where rocking it, as a loose wheel bearing gave the same feel. Sometimes we would nip the wheel bearing solid to take that out of the equation.
I describe this so you can get an idea of the motion needed to do the test.
With heavy vehicles like your motorhome the wheel assembly is just too heavy to do this. So by raising the motorhome so the front tires are barely off the ground a pry bay is used on a 45 degree angle, the bottom of the bar against the ground under the tire, with the side of the bar pushing against the edge of the tread. Again a loose wheel bearing give the same result so someone who knows what to look for is needed to see exactly where the slack is. The main thing is that you are trying to put a horizontal force on the tire edge, not a vertical force.
Being a 2018 it should be covered under Fords chassis warranty. I’d take it to a Ford heavy truck dealer and have them look at it.
In any case, I suggest you get someone a second opinion who knows what they are looking at to recheck.
Sorry I mentioned kingpin bushings. The shop had the coach on the alignment rack and had lifted the Axel so both front wheels had no weight. They were able to rock the tire back and forth by push / pull on the top and bottom and I could see movement. I only added the original comment as a warning that we can not count on every thing being properly lubed from the factory
You could see that the area around the pivot points was almost completely dry no external grease showing whatsoever.
U guys rock!!!
Just a quick note...I did my first grease job on my 2017 Winnebago LX 35F yesterday...all went well until I tried to do the steering gear...could not feel a zerk fitting when feeling around where it was...finally used a little mirror tool and found out that zerk fitting has a rubber cap on it...that's why I could find it blind...took off the cap and got it done...great video everything worked like you said, however by ViAir and grease gun combo didn't work that well like your's seems to do...my gun seems to be blowing out air around the trigger and I don't seem to get the consistent 3-4 second burst like you do...finally got it done but I think a grease gun update is in my future...
I had my brake fluid changed and the Ford dealer lubed the chassis for free. Otherwise I do it myself too. Manual grease gun for me works fine
I hope they did it loaded and unloaded.
@@RVstreet One would hope a Ford dealer would! I didn't ask but now I know
@@joethecomputerguy1 Ya you'd think they would but I have met some people that have taken their coach to a dealer and they didn't. Some are trained one way and that's what they do. Plus it's get the coach in and out to get the next coach in. That's why I do it myself. Greasing loaded and unloaded is really important and if you're in real dry climates a lot like in AZ, NV, UT and states like that, the coach needs more frequent greasings because the grease can dry out.
Thanks Martin. Bought the compressor and the grease gun from your store. Did you need more than one tube of grease?
Thank you Doug so much. You just don't know how much Joanie & I appreciate your support 👍 🙏
One tube will get you about 2 lube jobs or so. Now if you do the leveling jack wiper seals and your tow bar maybe 3/4 of a tube per lube. But you should be fine with one tube to do everything.
BTW...you're going to love that compressor.
I use a Milwaukee 12volt grease gun works great and no air lines to pull around.
Yep that will work too. But most full timers already have an air compressor so getting an pneumatic grease gun makes more sense. Plus they are much cheaper than a 12volt, don't have to have batt's recharged, or have batteries replaced when they get old.
thx for commenting. It all matters.
Hey Martin great job boss!! So, i noticed AMAZON no longer has the one you had on the video. i know this video was made 3 years ago but I agree with everyone below "very informative" indeed! But AMAZON has the Lincoln 1162 Fully Automatic Heavy Duty Pneumatic Grease Gun, Air-Operated, Variable Speed Trigger, 30 Inch High-Pressure Hose, Combination Filler Coupler/Air Bleeder Valve? Will this one work as well?? Thanks!
The one I use and that was in this video IS in my Amazon Store in the "Tire, Engine and Chassis Care" category.
www.amazon.com/shop/rvstreet
Why grease loaded and unloaded? 😊
Man, I had no idea I could use my viair compressor like that! Last time I greased, I used the harbor freight special manual gun. I don't remember it being bad but I was also in a lot better shape then. Have had a few surgeries since last time so this will help!
Dumb question...are there other tools I can just hook up to my compressor like that? Like maybe an impact wrench?
Thanks!
Thanks for the great videos. I just wanted to comment that the grease you recommend seems unavailable at parts stores and is 2x the "normal" price on your Amazon store. I went ahead and ordered because I cannot find it anywhere locally. Again, thank you for the very helpful videos!
When do you repack grease in the wheel bearings
Thanks for a well prepared presentation. Appreciate you. Quick question: you mention that you also lube the jacks while you're at it; do you switch lubes or do you use the same valvoline lube? Thanks.
Same lube...just one shot
Excellent and thanks:)
Great video. Subscribed. Just FYI: some motorhomes have grease fittings on the u-joints too.
Yeah I was going to mention this but it varies a lot. If you still have OEM "U" joints most of them are sealed and can't be greased. Ours is that way. But if you replace them later on then yes they will have Zerk fittings and will need to be greased. I just decided to not cover this since this was a front suspension video. But good point. Hopefully others will see your comment.
Thanks so much for subscribing.
Do you change the rear end housing oil
I have just recently started watching you videos and I know this one is a couple years old now. I also don't know if you have covered this in another video as I have only watched a couple. So don't know if I have a 1993 Fleetwood Pace Arrow on a Chevy Chassis (P30 Van). A couple extra places I have to grease are the U joints on the drive shaft. Is this something you have to do as well or do you have the ones you have to replace every so often because they don't have grease spots?
Not sure about the Chevy chassis b/c that's obviously an older RV. But on Ford F53 chassis's the "U" joints come sealed from the factory and there are no grease points. If the RV is driven and maintained properly, the factory "U" joint should be good for at least 100K miles. However, if the drive shaft ever has to be pulled for whatever reason, that's when you'd replace the "U" joint and the replacement would have grease points.
I have it on pretty good authority that Ford recommends NOT greasing the kingpin unloaded. Unloading creates a cavity, at least at the lower zerk, into which the new grease flows. Then loading the axle creates something like a hydrolock, where the grease has no place to go.
Normally I'd let this comment go but for our YT followers sake, I have to respond.
Ok, so if what your "pretty good source" says is true, then why do so many Ford authorized shops raise the coach up on a rack-all wheels way off the ground and then grease? That's just number #1. With all due respect I don't know who your "good authority is" but their advice is just flawed and wrong.
Ford along with many other manufacturers recommend a lot of things for liability & warranty issues and many other reasons as well. Any PROFESSIONAL shop will do what I showed in this vid.
This is actually a very timely comment because just TODAY actually I went to have my front end alignment checked by a top notch heavy truck service company-the best there is here in the Houston area IMO-and the owner said that my alignment not only was just fine and within spec, but went on to say that all of our front suspension parts and the kingpins were some of best he's ever seen at our age of coach. No slop, no play, great condition and he said it was obvious that these areas have been well cared for. He's been doing this for 40yrs., used to have 8 shops but now has reduced it down to one shop with 10 service bays getting ready to retire.
Greasing loaded and unloaded insures that the kingpin gets properly greased.
So...sorry Mark, I totally disagree with your "pretty good authority" but everyone has to make their own decisions.
thanks for your comment. 👍
Thanks also a Vista owner great video. How often should u grease the chassis?
once a year
Very good video i have a pneumatic grease gun but i dont have a small compressor i have to buy one any recommendations?
This one here: ruclips.net/video/2kCXRbvtoYA/видео.html
It will not only serve you well for your tires and is perfect for the grease gun.
This is the air compressor I have used for the past 5yrs. and you just can't go wrong with it and it has a small foot print. I carry it in my Amazon Store.
www.amazon.com/shop/rvstreet
Thx Ed
I worry that I have over greased my Pittman gear. Anyway to tell if I damaged it? I see a lot of grease around it as I always greased until grease revealed itself around the seal? Also these F53 tie rod and drag link boots in the 2014-2018 era seem to have a bad tendency to rupture. I've already had one rupture on the drivers side tie rod end. Unfortunately I can not find a replacement (OEM or Universal) boot to replace them. Ford wants to sell an entirely new tie rod or tie rod end for many many $$$$$ and all I want to do is change out a boot. Frustrating. Great video and very helpful info on the king pins- I never knew of the loading-unloading need. Thanks for another great video!
I would not worry to much about the ruptured boot. If you do this grease job every 3K-to 4K miles like we do those areas will always have grease in them. But it you have a hole in one of those boots, clean it really good. Get off all the grease so the rubber is super clean. Then apply a strip of Gorilla Tape to the hole or around the bottom seal part. That's just one way to plug up a leaking boot. Be creative because I hear ya about frustration of just not being able to buy a new boot. There are even some creative ways to grease a sealed boot with no Zerk fitting at all. There's always a way to get a job done.
I don't know of any particular symptoms or way to tell if you have a damaged Pitman gear seal. Just be careful from now on and give it a small shot or two of grease.
Thanks for watching Joe.
Anyone have the diagram for the 1997 F53? the 2012 is quite a bit different.
Excellent video. I have trouble getting grease into the top steering box - it just comes out the sides (the other fittings load up fine). Also, on my fittings with the rubber boots, the boots are all shredded - should that be repaired? I use a DeWalt cordless battery powered grease gun and it seems to work fine.
Is your RV a F-53 like ours? If so when you grease that steering box, go easy with the grease and yes you'll see a little come out behind that arm
Would that compressor power an air-actuated bottle jack, do you think?
Well I'm totally sure but my gut feeling is NO. This compressor is for tires, not a continuous flow of air like for a paint gun or a bottle jack.
Don’t forget ujoints
Factory U Joints don't need greasing. They're sealed and don't have Zerk fittings. But if you ever replace the the U jonts later on, then yes. They will have grease fittings. thx Camut. 👍
Are there other points on the RV you have to grease? Back wheels? Drive shaft?
The back wheel bearings are oiled/lubricated by the oil in the differential. The drive shaft "U" joints are sealed from the factory and there's no greasing them. However, if you ever replace them they will come with Zerk fittings and they will need to be greased ever so often when you do the front end. Whenever I grease the front end, I also give one shot of grease to the wiper seals that are on my Power Gear Leveling chrome ram shafts and my tow bar.
Martin, this was very helpful. I have a question about King Pins. How long do they last? I have a 2012 Tiffin Allegro Open Road with 50,000 miles. How can you tell if they need replacing? Thanks, Scott
Checking King pins:
When cars had king pins, you jacked up the front end, you grasped the top and bottom of the tire and tried to pull the top out with the upper hand and push the bottom in with the lower hand, then quickly reversed the action, trying to rock the top and bottom back and forth. If movement was felt, you needed an assistant to check where the movement was while you where rocking it, as a loose wheel bearing gave the same feel.
I describe this so you can get an idea of the motion needed to do the test.
With heavy vehicles like a MH, the wheel assembly is just too heavy to do this, so a pry bay is used on a 45 degree angle, the bottom of the bar against the ground under the tire, with the side of the bar pushing against the edge of the tread. Again a loose wheel bearing can give the same result so someone who knows what to look for is needed to see exactly where the slack is. But you are looking for excessive play or slack. The main thing is that you are trying to do is put a horizontal force on the tire edge, not a vertical force.
Concerning wheel bearings. You might want to look at this video:
ruclips.net/video/AN3s76f2N_M/видео.html
One main indicator of worn KP’s is front tires will show excessive wear or while driving the tires are not rock solid and has vibration or rattling will occur, or the steering feels loose.
If you have other front end suspension parts that have excessive wear that will cause premature wear on the KP’s and bearings. It’s important to keep all front suspension parts in good working order, greased often, tires balanced, running the proper PSI and front end aligned properly. If any of these things are not working properly, it will cause excessive wear on all areas of the front end which can cause premature wear and failure over time. That’s why I did what I did when I recently replaced all 6 tires on our coach.
ruclips.net/video/zjVeal3qzb8/видео.html
Generally, loose steering components will cause a "shimmy" as you drive. This manifests itself at speeds usually lower than 40 MPH, you will feel it increase in intensity then decrease again as speed increases. Wheel / tire balance issues manifest themselves, generally at speeds above 40 MPH and increase in severity as speed increases.
KP wear is top and bottom of the wheel rocking back and forth across the vehicle, and assuming the bushings were reamed properly at installation, the only wear would be through the lack of grease. When the bushings are manufactured, grooves are machined into the bushings which allows grease from the grease zerk fittings to lube around the KP's.
The king pin rides inside a bushing. That’s why when you grease the KP’s you want to be sure first that all dirt is removed from the zerk fitting and as you add new grease you want see old grease coming out. If old grease is not coming out that means the bushing has moved and therefore the holes in the bushings are not aligned with the zerk fittings and will not push new grease into the inside of the bushing where the KP resides. This is a rare occurrence but does happen. Or more commonly sometimes the grease path was somehow blocked so even if it was greased, not all areas of the KP and bushing were actually receiving the grease. That's why you look for old grease coming out.
If you don't lube grease regularly the bushings and pins will wear out.
So bottom line is, keep all front end components in good working order, replace any if needed, then make sure alignment is spot on. Grease often. I grease my entire front end at least once a year sometimes twice depending on the miles I drive. This means about about every 5K miles. Make sure tires are balanced. Preferably road force balanced. This is also why I use centramatic rings and use my 3 tapered lug nuts. (see above video) Run proper PSI. Don’t over load the front axle. Have good working shocks. Watch for excessive tire wear but you shouldn’t have any if you do all the above.
All the things I mentioned above on the front end work together in concert. If any one thing is not keep up properly, there is a premature wearing domino effect down stream on all other parts over time. But, if you do these maintenance things I mentioned on a consistent basis, KP’s should last 150K - 200K miles or more.
Hope this helps 👍
@@RVstreet Hi Martin, I truly appreciate the detailed review. I plan on doing a lot of the maintenance myself. Being I bought this last October from the original owner but i don't see enought service records to cover all services. I plan on getting the wheel bearing done at a RV shop plus have him inspect all front end chassis parts for good condition and replace anything needed. That will be my benchmark.
Travel safe, Scott... Cumming, GA ps...X Navy!
@@scottgabriel739 🇺🇸 🙏
I noticed your front sway bar has a blue plate between the upper link and the torsional bar. What does it do?
It allows me me to adjust the angle if necessary to find the sweet spot on the initial install and set up. They were custom made by a friend of mine and are not longer available.
@@RVstreet I like the idea. Maybe I can inmitate.
@@RVstreet Just out of curiosity, do you approve the so called "cheap sway bar fix" by connecting the upper link to the short hole on the torsional bar or not?
Why Lithium grease when Ford calls for a molybdenum grease?
Read the back of the label. After years of mechanical experience there are many types of acceptable types of grease for this application (not just one).
www.amazon.com/dp/B000CQ4DIM?tag=onamzrvstreet-20&linkCode=ssc&creativeASIN=B000CQ4DIM&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1FUC3YMUOK6RD&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin&th=1
What Ford recommends is lithium, molybdenum based grease except wheel bearings.
Hi Martin, purchased grease gun and grease and right away so you should get credit. Curious, do you clean out the grease from the grease gun after? Thanks for all the tips and instructions you provide.
Nope. Once I use the gun I leave the existing tube in the gun for next time. Once finished I take 2 kitchen trash bags-putting one inside another-put the gun in there and then store it in those bags and putting it away with my other gear. That way it won't leak on other things.
You're going to luv this gun. Makes greasing a snap, saves a ton of money and time not having to take it to a shop. Plus you'll be doing right.
And thank you so much Keith for supporting us by using our links. It really helps us a lot in making these vid's. 👍
Do you check the driveshaft for grease nipples
Most driveshafts are life time oacked with grease
I'm sad to say that Martin has passed away and I don't have the answer to your questions. Sorry
When greasing autos at my dads shop we never squirted the old grease out like you did cuz it could rip the boot. &I never heard of loaded & unloaded greasing of the kingpins
Ya, most people or shops haven't heard or practice loaded and unloaded. Especially with heavy duty chassis's. But it's a sure way to get the Kingpins greased properly. Turning the wheels in between loaded and unloaded is also important as I demonstrated. I just had our front end alignment checked by one of the most reputable heavy truck shops in the Houston, TX area about a month ago and he was amazed on how well our front end had been serviced and there was no play at all in the bearings or kingpins. I shared with him how I greased our F-53 chassis. Most shops today just drive the rigs in, grease them and get them out. Old school, proper greasing isn't practiced by most these days.
As far as the boots are concerned, you ease the grease in slowly...just till you see the new grease exit. That insures all new grease gets into the boot. Over greasing or to applying to fast can split the boot.
thx for giving me the opportunity to clarify Keith. 👍
Great vid. Do you have a greasable drive shaft? If so could you give us a vid about that?
No we don't.
Hi, how many tons are the jack stands you are using for the front of your RV ? Thank you
8
Thank you Sir! Great video’s! They are a great help. Thank you!
Thank you!
Great video! I am curious why you need to grease the king pins both unloaded and loaded? Will get a Harbor Freight pneumatic grease gun and get after it!
By doing "unloaded and loaded" it insures that the grease penetrates deep into the king pin areas. It's a very important step. BTW...I too bought one from Harbor Freight in the beginning and it was junk. Hard to load grease and the tip is different. That's why I ended up buying the Lincoln Pneumatic Grease gun and giving you guys the link. I'm trying to help people not make the same mistakes we did in the past and waste money. Yes it's more expensive but the Lincoln is far superior to the HF one.
Thanks for watching Greg.
@@RVstreet guess I'd better save up my lunch money and buy the Lincoln. Thanks for the reply!
Hi Martin -
Great video. Do you go back and wipe off old grease with a paper towel on all 9 locations.
Yes I do!