Reliable Oil Bath Bearing Woes

[Woodyq]

Boy would I like to spend some quality time with the engineer who came up with those little allen key plugs to re-fill hubs with oil. As a matter of fact I phoned my son last nite and dumped on him as he is an engineer!!!!!

Decided to do bearings as there was discolouration and wanted all to be shipshape for the season. Decided to do them myself as it seems you can't get out of a marine shop job for under a couple hundred bucks.

All went well until time to remove little allen key plug. Promptly stripped it so off to a machine shop and $20 later had it back with a nice new plug. EZ Loader says there is only one spot to jack so I couldn't put axle stands under it and do both at once. So when I went to the second I used penetrating oil, I heated it and of course promptly stripped it as well. SO this AM I am back to the machine shop.

Apparently they have now come up with a much better system but of course it can't be retrofitted to my unit.

Oh well, bearings will be in great shape and I probably am still many dollars ahead or at least that is what I am telling myself (and my wife)

Thanks for the rant time, I feel better.

 

[jacknbella]

Re: Reliable Oil Bath Bearing Woes

If it makes you feel any better, I've got oil bath hubs too and can't stand them either. I've recently purchased some "clear" hub covers so I will be able to see how the oil looks inside the hubs without having to open them up. They should be here later this week (see link below). Another poster thinks they may be the wrong size though so I will let everyone know after they arrive.

http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.prodInfo&productID=5792&categoryID=0

You must have the "top-fill" hub covers. The "front fill" covers use a rubber plug instead of a threaded plug so you don't have to worry about stripping the threads.

Good luck!

 

[jacknbella]

Re: Reliable Oil Bath Bearing Woes

Update...

I just received my new "clear" oil bath hub covers and they should work-out just fine and dandy. They were the perfect size too. I can't believe I didn't switch to them last year

Now, I can visually check my oil level and oil color on the fly without tearing into the hubs. Why didn't my trailer come with the clear ones in the first place? Argh!!!

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Reliable Oil Bath Bearing Woes

This type of oil bath has been used for a number of years on LAND BASED vehicles, i.e., semi- trucks and trailers.

HOWEVER, I don't know how well the rubber plug seals against water intrusion when a WARM hub is SUBMERSED and COOLS, causing a small VACUUM to suck water in around the plug.

The benefit of the clear hub is that by the time you get home you should be able to SEE the emulsified water/oil and then tear it all down for cleaning.

 

[jacknbella]

Re: Reliable Oil Bath Bearing Woes

You're probably right but I hope not! LOL