2005 C7 Fan hub bearings.

lilblueduce · 04-06-2013, 08:27 PM

Hello every one, My wife and I bought our first motor home. Its a 2005 Winnebago Journey With a 350HP C7 Cat. It has 25,000 on it. We just love it. I have been doing some maintenance on it for the last few weeks. In prep for a trip to Tenn. Also do to the fact it doesn,t have vary good records with it. I Did a oil sample and put all new Cat filters on it. Did the Trans, Changed filters and fluid (Transynd) Pulled the bed out and pulled covers. I am going to replace the belts. But after reading outher people's post on the fan hub bearings. I just wounder if i should replace them? Or the whole Assm. Every thing else looks Great. What does every one think? There is no play in the fan but when it gets hot it seems to get loud. I might just be in my head. Thanks for all the help. Eric

Gary D · 04-06-2013, 10:44 PM

Well after reading all the posts on this subject I just changed the fan bearing as a regular maintenance item. Our motorhome has 72,000 miles on it and also has a Cat-C7-350 HP. I also changed the idler pulley (which is the bearing) and the tensioner. Both the serpentine belt and water pump belt were changed.
This was not an easy job since the fan is held in place by bolts on the end of the fan. To make it easier to get at these bolt I cut a hole in the shroud about 10x12 inches. The job went much easier.
However this uncovered another issue - a very dirty rad and CAC. I have been cleaning the rad from the rear but after seeing how dirty the backside was I am glad the hole was cut. The crankcase vent was also piped to rear to avoid oil being drawn up into the rad area by the fan. Engine is running much cooler now. I would also point out that Caterpillar has reduced the amount oil to 19 quarts. This reduces the amount of oil going out the crankcase vent.
I would think that 25,000 miles is a little soon to have to change bearing. Others may have a different opinion.

Gary

The first picture is looking at the backside of the rad.
The second picture is the cutout in the shroud. Covered with aluminum plate.

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doorguy · 04-06-2013, 11:07 PM

Gary D is spot on with his post. I did the same thing, i.e., cut a hole in the fan shroud to access the CAC and "front" side of the radiator, one of the best things you can do to keep it clean. Since you have an 05, your fan bearing does not have the grease fitting as former years, so it is a sealed bearing. I think 25K miles is way to early to worry about that. We have 40K on ours and no problems to date.

So, Eric, what model Journey did you buy?

lilblueduce · 04-07-2013, 08:14 AM

Thanks for all the replys. What kind of schedual do you follow on your hub bearings. Also thanks for the pic's this helps alot.... This whole hub bearing thing is nuts. I worked on a fleet of topkick milk trucks from 1991 to 2004. Thay all had 3116 and 3126 engines. We had problems with injectors and injector cups, water pumps, ideler pullies, Small things. When the 3126 came around thats were we learned about good maintenance. Oil changes were crititcal and more frequent. Oil samples are a big thing. Cintrifical 2nd oil filters help alot. Keeping that oil as clean as you can.... The Heui injection will love that and become less problimatic. I have built catch cans in the past for some Detroits and Cats that traveled out west. Lowering the oil sounds like a good thing to due. I will due that this week and extend the road tube to the rear bumper. Thanks again for all your help and coments , Eric

budwilson · 04-07-2013, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doorguy

Gary D is spot on with his post. I did the same thing, i.e., cut a hole in the fan shroud to access the CAC and "front" side of the radiator, one of the best things you can do to keep it clean. Since you have an 05, your fan bearing does not have the grease fitting as former years, so it is a sealed bearing. I think 25K miles is way to early to worry about that. We have 40K on ours and no problems to date.

So, Eric, what model Journey did you buy?

Doorguy, You can see the front of the radiator and the back of the CAC when you cut an access hole in the shroud? How big of a hole did you cut?

1ciderdog · 04-07-2013, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by budwilson

Doorguy, You can see the front of the radiator and the back of the CAC when you cut an access hole in the shroud? How big of a hole did you cut?

I did mine similar to Doorguy - the hole is about 7 inches by 8 inches. Lined the edges with same hose - slit the hose and pushed it over the edge and was able to used the cutout part of the shroud for the hole cover.

Gary D · 04-07-2013, 10:52 AM

Eric
Like you we bought our motor home used and the maintenance records were not complete so decided to zero out the maintenance record. This way I knew where I stood. I pretty much follow the recommendations of Caterpillar and Freightliner with the exception of more frequent oil changes as well as fuel and oil filter changes. I change these out about twice a year.
One other option I considered was to change the hub configuration to a 3126 hub which has the grease fitting. In addition I would have put an extension on to make access easier. This has been done by others. There is a post on this arrangement on the forum. I decided that another 50000 miles with new bearing only was good enough.
I am at that stage of life where i don't need a 50 year warranty on my new roof!!!

Have fun with the new motor home.

Gary

lilblueduce · 04-07-2013, 03:58 PM

Doorguy, We bought a 34h. It is in Great shape. Lots of extras. We drag race and needed a motorhome with a 10,000 lb hitch. I loaded up the car and golf cart weighs 9,300 moved a few things a round to make the tong weight @ 850. This motorhome pulls like there is nothing back there. I have a double braking axels. So I added a brake controiler to the motorhome. when i got the panels pulled up and the hole cut in the shrowed. Wow It is all pluged up. What a mess. Pulled the belt off and checked hub,idealer pulley all feels good. But with that hole no problem to replace the hub.. Thanks again Eric

budwilson · 04-07-2013, 04:51 PM

How did you fasten the cover back on the cut out?

lilblueduce · 04-07-2013, 05:53 PM

Budwilson, I used 6, 1/4-20 nut inserts. I put 1inch foam tape around the edge, looks aswome. Thanks Eric

1ciderdog · 04-08-2013, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by budwilson

How did you fasten the cover back on the cut out?

I attached two one half inch aluminum straps across the top of the removed piece. The straps extend about an inch beyond the cover (removed piece). Put something similar to these
Body Supply and Fastener Company - Fasteners, Assortments Kits and Bulbs :: Fasteners :: Foldover (Speed) Nuts
on the shroud and bolted it together. Also used a slit small hose around the edges to help seal it.

Gary D · 04-08-2013, 01:26 PM

Further to my earlier post, I riveted the cut out shroud piece to the back of a piece of aluminium plate that was shaped the same as the shroud. The aluminum plate was 1" larger all around. This fitted in place very nicely. I used rivet nuts in the shroud to hold the cover in place. Now very easy to remove/replace cover.
Now much easier to access fan end and clean the Radiator and CAC.

Gary

Muddypaws · 04-08-2013, 01:34 PM

Thanks for the information about cutting the shroud. Next time it's open I'll be doing that.

doorguy · 04-08-2013, 10:42 PM

budwilson, 1ciderdog and I have the same coach (04) and what he described for the shroud cut out is dead on. As far as I'm concerned, it is a "must do". The only other way to thoroughly clean the radiator and CAC is to remove the radiator and you can imagine what a snafu that is. Now, with the cutout, we can get a good clean on both units.