oil filled hubs

[brine]

talking with a dealer the other day and he pointed out that a few of our better local trailer manufacturers are using oil filled hubs instead of grease. <br /><br /> I was wondering if anyone had purchased one yet and how it was going. <br /><br /> Grease has some benefits but so does oil (like getting it to the inside bearings and less rolling friction) Seems like the seals would have to be pretty good>

 

[craze1cars]

Re: oil filled hubs

Generally they work great. The lubrication and cool running is superior to conventional greased bearings. Unless they develop a small leak. If they leak, all the oil runs out and you have suddenly dry bearings with no notice. At least when you have a bad seal on a coventional grease bearing setup the grease can't run out as fast and unannounced as it can with liquid oil.<br /><br />Heavy truck trailers have been runnning oil filled hubs for many decades.<br /><br />I, too, considered buying one at one time and changed my mind. I haven't embraced the new technology just yet for fear of seal failure. So I'm sorry I can't offer you my personal experience.

 

[brine]

Re: oil filled hubs

the ones i saw had sight gauges and looked like a good idea as far as changing the oil goes. looked simple. I am not too scared of the seal failure cuz we use the same types of seals in crappier environment all over. I wonder if there are conversion kits to go to oil?

 

[Gone Again]

Re: oil filled hubs

Check out www.liqualube.com

 

[craze1cars]

Re: oil filled hubs

Here's the other popular conversion kit out there:<br /> http://www.tiedown.com/boemturbo.html

 

[brine]

Re: oil filled hubs

thanks for the help once again!!<br /><br />great links!

 

[DJ]

Re: oil filled hubs

Heavy trucks not only use oil filled on the trailers, but also the front hubs.<br /><br />They are FAR superior to grease. But, they require a watchful eye and some maintenance.<br /><br />If you go with them, carry an extra seal kit and oil, just in case. My experience is that if you carry extra parts, they never fail.

 

[dingbat]

Re: oil filled hubs

I particularly like the cheap little plastic cover they use on the liqualube system. They certainly do look durable and rugged. <br /><br />How many bearing failures have you had on your car? <br /><br />How often do they back a tracker trailer into a lake and let it sit there while they unload their boat?<br /><br />How many have ever had a grease related failure on a trailer? Not a failure from water getting into a bad seal, but true grease related failure?<br /><br />Why fix something that’s not broken? A properly maintained grease system will out last your trailer, then some.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: oil filled hubs

I've used BB's for years with no problems. But ...<br /><br />I have to keep pumping grease to stop the spring-loaded nipple from disappearing. And because the whole system's under pressure, the rear seals need more attention. They sometimes leak - and a real mess is made.<br /><br />The idea of an oil-filled bearing housing that is not under pressure seems a better answer than BB's.

 

[tommays]

Re: oil filled hubs

if you look into it you will find that anything MARINE that keeps oil in and water out has a GROUND FINISH in the seal area<br /><br />trailer axles are pounded out on a CNC lathe <br /><br />the seal area finish is usally just good enough to keep grease in <br /><br />but not that good or you would not need to do near as much service <br /><br />the systems that have some type of Speedy Sleeve to upgrade the seal area will work <br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[DJ]

Re: oil filled hubs

Those little plastic covers seem to do fine for 1 million plus miles on big rigs.<br /><br />Water intusion is only an issue for systems that are hiding a component failure. With oil, you'll know if you had/have a failure before it's too late.<br /><br />Wheel bearings are the most neglected component of any trailer rig. With oil, you have the advantage of a quick look to see if the lube is there.

 

[brine]

Re: oil filled hubs

I don't know if i will retrofit my perfectly good 7500 lb trailer, but I just want to be ready for the salesmans pitch incase I go shopping over the winter and forget to take my wife with me and accidentaly buy another new boat. See my dilema.

 

[BillP]

Re: oil filled hubs

I own a truck with oil in the hubs and it does fine. Leaks can be from the front as well...mine has. Unscrew the cap and pour it in compared to pulling hubs and repacking with grease. Downtime is a killer on commercial rigs, that's why oil is better. The way I see it maintenance is just faster with oil. <br /><br />However, I'm not sure oil is so "superior" over grease for boat trailers. Like already mentioned, lose the oil and the bearings are dry. Lose a seal and water displaces the oil but doesn't displace grease. I won't run oil in my boat hubs because grease is a better defense against water. Bearing Buddies work great.

 

[bigbad4cyl]

Re: oil filled hubs

 

[bigbad4cyl]

Re: oil filled hubs

I have the kodiak stainless discs with the oil filled hubs and they work good , made 1 80 mile trip so far ....no leaking , and easy to check. i think the kodiak seal with the spring wraped around it to keep the lip taught is a quality one ....had to have a second set of stainless disks sent out from kodiak though as the first ones came in with pits...., actualy here is a link to my fat hand and some pics of the seals; http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=22;t=001670#000000

 

[jippie98]

Re: oil filled hubs

I changed my hubs to Tubo lube on one has had a slow leak. Any way to fix this problem? I would hat eto buy a new hub just after I replaced them. Thanks

 

[T S N]

Re: oil filled hubs

I put turbolube hubs on my new trailer.<br /><br />They do run cooler, but I got water in the oil almost every use.<br /><br />I think if you could add some pressure to them they might work better.<br /><br />When warm air trapped in the hubs cools it contracts forming a vacuum and pulling water in.<br /><br />The hubs I use now have a grease fitting between the inner seal an inner bearing. Pumping grease in forces grease thru both bearings and out the front. So far so good.

 

[WestyF18]

Re: oil filled hubs

I recently converted my trailer to the Tie Down oil bath hubs. I had a bearing failure and decided that the oil bath hubs would be the way to go. At least you can see the oil and know if things are okay.<br /><br /> Word to the wise! The thing that drove me nuts was that the existing spindle had a hole that ran through it from the back to the seal surface which I didn't notice when I installed the speedy sleeve.

<br /><br />Needless to say everytime I dumped the boat in the water it sucked water into the hub. Now the hole is tapped and plugged and the water in the hub problem is gone.<br />

<br /><br />WestyF18

 

[DJ]

Re: oil filled hubs

When warm air trapped in the hubs cools it contracts forming a vacuum and pulling water in.<br />

Easy to counter. Just through a bucket of water on them before you dunk it. I do the same with grease filled hubs. I never get water.

 

[BillP]

Re: oil filled hubs

IMHO the heating and contraction deal is more fiction than fact. My hubs stay water free and they never sit to cool before launchings. Some of the trailering is 300 miles in 90F weather with immediate launching. The only time I had water was before I started keeping the hubs 100% full.