oil cooled bearings

[bob46]

been thinking about adding oil cooled fitting to my boat to get away from grease. The only draw back I can think of if you loose a cap you loose your oil and cook your bearings, or where as your greese will still stay in tack.Does this work sounds to good to be true.
Thanks for input
Bob

[GamblerRex]

been thinking about adding oil cooled fitting to my boat to get away from grease. The only draw back I can think of if you loose a cap you loose your oil and cook your bearings, or where as your greese will still stay in tack.Does this work sounds to good to be true.
Thanks for input
Bob

You answered your own question. Although oil hubs look sweet you are absolutely right about your reasoning.
If you loose your oil cap you burn em up, where as with grease you can still go for miles....

[roadrunner]

They have been using oil fill bearings on semi trailers for years. I have them on my Ranger trailer they are sweet. and don't think for a minute that the grease will stay lubed if you lose the cap for very long.

[artcarney_agr]

You answered your own question. Although oil hubs look sweet you are absolutely right about your reasoning.
If you loose your oil cap you burn em up, where as with grease you can still go for miles....

The oil hubs are a pain in the rear. The seals will leak water in over time, or if the axle is too warm (like from trailer brakes) and it enters the water without cooling, the hubs will draw in water.

One time I had a trailer brake that didn't release completely - it was lightly dragging on the rotor - the axle heated up and the oil hub blew out from the expansion of the heated oil. The oil hit the rotor and caught fire. It was a dang mess. I couldn't pull it any farther because there was no lube on the bearings. Luckily I was about a mile from the house, and was able to pull off the tire and limp home since I've got a tandem trailer.

I switched out from the oil hubs to grease for the very reason you mentioned. I experienced it firsthand, on the side of the highway. Not fun. Had it been regular grease, I would have made it home and could have dealt with the issue there.

[dkprofishn]

i have oil filled hubs on my trailer and they are awsome i check the oil level everytime before i leave the house just to be sure they are full i have only had to add oil one time and that was because when i checked it some came out of the hole.

[Wormin]

been thinking about adding oil cooled fitting to my boat to get away from grease. The only draw back I can think of if you loose a cap you loose your oil and cook your bearings, or where as your greese will still stay in tack.Does this work sounds to good to be true.
Thanks for input
Bob

Have them on my Ranger and love them, 10 years and no problems yet. No repacking bearing every year or trying to free up a frozen bearring that locked up on the way to the lake.

[MagikSmallie]

I didn't think there were caps, I thought the hubs were sealed. I know there is a way to refill and check but you have to remove the wheel first right?

[dc chopper]

no, there is a small cap in the center, pop that out and add oil. Some of them even have add marks that you see without taking caps off and that eliminates sticking your fingers in to check the level. The only issue there might be is 1: the gasket behind the cap can leak but that is very rare, even on semi's ( I drive one) and 2: every now and then one might crack, a rock wont crack it something extraordinary has to occour for that.

[artcarney_agr]

I didn't think there were caps, I thought the hubs were sealed. I know there is a way to refill and check but you have to remove the wheel first right?

Most have a clear viewing window for visually checking the fluid level, or for water coming in (oil will be milky if water is in it).

The filler is a tapped plug in the hub. You have to pull the tire off to add oil.

It's true that semis have used the technology for years, and it has worked well for them. The difference between semis and boat trailers is the water factor.

With grease hubs, if you have a problem on a trip, it's nothing to drop into a Tractor Supply, Auto Zone, O'Reilly, or similar type store to get what you need to get back on the road. If you have oil bath hubs, you better have a good supply of parts on you, because those usually have to be ordered....