Oil Bath Axle????

[rbertalotto]

Anyone convert from grease axle to oil bath?  If so, how has it worked out? Any comments negative or positive?

[rickeieio]

Just shooting from the hip here.....  My thought is that unless you have a very heavy trailer and heavy axles (8K or higher), why bother?  Checking them regularly is good practice whether oil or grease, and is much easier with grease.  Our trailer is 15 years old, and has quite a few miles on it, with original bearings.  It's 21k loaded, on three axles.

[rbertalotto]

Quote

 why bother? 

It just seems like a better solution. Rule of thumb in engineering school was...If it slides=grease / if it rolls=oil..... Much easier maintenance. And if all the big trucks are doing it, it must be better?

Looking at the various reviews it seems like 95% love it and those that don't it appears they didn't install the rear seal properly and they leaked.

I just respect the opinions of this group and wanted to see who has used them and comments.

 

Thanks!

[Darryl&Rita]

We have trailers with greased bearings, and with oil bath. Each was bought as is, and each works fine for the application. Never looked into changing one for the other, but I suspect we'd just swap out the whole axle.

[Ray,IN]

4 hours ago, Darryl&Rita said:

We have trailers with greased bearings, and with oil bath. Each was bought as is, and each works fine for the application. Never looked into changing one for the other, but I suspect we'd just swap out the whole axle.

I completely agree, and a swap would likely be cheaper in the long run than buying all the parts to do a conversion.

[rbertalotto]

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and a swap would likely be cheaper in the long run than buying all the parts to do a conversion.

The conversion kit is $75 per axle......

[Ray,IN]

It's either buy the cheapie conversion kits(I didn't even know such an item was made) or the real OEM oil-bath hubs: https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Hubs_and_Drums-pt-Oil_Bath-pc-For_6000_lbs_Axles.aspx

Quite a price difference.

Edited February 20, 2023 by Ray,IN

[rbertalotto]

2 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

It's either buy the cheapie conversion kits(I didn't even know such an item was made) or the real OEM oil-bath hubs: https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Hubs_and_Drums-pt-Oil_Bath-pc-For_6000_lbs_Axles.aspx

Quite a price difference.

Do you know if there is an actusl difference in hubs and bearings? Are there special bearings and hubs specifically for oil? 

[Jaydrvr]

43 minutes ago, rbertalotto said:

Do you know if there is an actusl difference in hubs and bearings? Are there special bearings and hubs specifically for oil? 

I've never heard of such a thing. New wheel seal, new cap, you're good. Just don't use a Stemco. You don't even necessarily need to remove the grease. Jay

Edited February 20, 2023 by Jaydrvr

[Second Chance]

We have the MORryde independent suspension with disc brakes. When the naval engineer across from us in the RV park (on a military installation) saw my hubs he exclaimed, "You're set up for oil bath. You should convert them!" I called MORryde and had a 15 minute conversation with them. They recommended against it and listed several reasons (which I don't recall with complete accuracy since this was about three years ago). Since then, I've seen a number of discussions on various forums about this topic with opinions split. Since I already have a maintenance routine that's been working well, I took the path of least resistance (no pun intended) and left the hubs as they are - grease.

Rob

[Kirk W]

4 hours ago, Second Chance said:

I took the path of least resistance (no pun intended) and left the hubs as they are - grease.

I have done as you have but part of the reason is also that I'm pretty cheap!  😉

[Ray,IN]

Standard greaseable bearing hubs have a rather large cavity between the bearings. Oil bath hubs don't normally have that large cavity, otherwise you'd never completely change the oil, it would just run to the lowest point in the cavity and never get changed. Trailer oil bath hubs usually take about 3-4oz. oil each as a result.

reference for 7,000# trailer axles: https://www.etrailer.com/Lubricants-Sealants-Adhesives/Kodiak/XLPROLUBE.html

Which is better? Owners choice iMO.

Grease is a heavy oil in a thickener base to keep it from running to the low side of bearings during long term storage. Its downside is more heat retention vs  hub oil.

[Jinx & Wayne]

My fiver can with Dexter 7000# Never-Lube bearings. Part of the upgrade to disc brakes included switching to Dexter #8000 axles with oil bath. I can't tell whether they are any better than other hubs, but I haven't had any problems in five years.

Wayne

[Darryl&Rita]

On 2/18/2023 at 9:16 AM, rbertalotto said:

Rule of thumb in engineering school was...If it slides=grease / if it rolls=oil....

Your engineering Rule of Thumb is flawed, too. Engine main bearings definitely slide, yet they're oil lubed. Crawler tractor bearings run on grease.

[rbertalotto]

Quote

Your engineering Rule of Thumb is flawed, too. Engine main bearings definitely slide, yet they're oil lubed. Crawler tractor bearings run on grease.

Not MY rule of thumb......Been a rule for ages.... And, engine bearings "slide"???......As far as tractor bearings (and wheel bearings) some engineering designs have it all wrong......OR....There are exceptions to every rule.....😁

 

[jenandjon]

I would rather have oil bath because changing a little oil is easier than repacking bearings all the time.  I have a friend that converted his oil bath to grease on his camper because that is what he wanted.

Most semi-trailer have oil hubs. Except for my brand-new semi-trailer came with grease hubs. I guess because of the disc brakes. I know I'm comparing apples to oranges here, but I suppose it boils down to personal preference. 

[rickeieio]

Not directly an answer to the original question, but.... it's crazy how little lube is needed for roller bearings.  Look at the drive axle(s) on a truck.  There's perhaps a tablespoon or two of oil in the well at each bearing, and that oil only get occasionally sloshed to and fro with the differential oil.  Greaseable bearings also need very little lube.  That big cavity in the middle is for air expansion as the bearing warms, not to act as a reservoir.

[rbertalotto]

It seems everyone I talk to that puts reasonable miles on their trailer have had a "Wheel Bearing" issue. I pull a 20' toy hauler and never haul toys with it. I'm way under rated weight wise for my hubs. Yet I've had two wheel bearing failures and the trailer has about  50K miles on it. I repack the bearing religiously every two years or 10,000 miles on a repack......Yet I still experienced failures...As have so many more long distance haulers......(and some that don't tow long distances at all)

BUT!!!....How come in over 50 years of driving cars and trucks, and I've never owned a car that didn't go over 180,000 miles, (I was an on the road consultant, trainer) I've NEVER serviced a vehicles front wheel bearings (or rear bearings for that matter)....I've had a number of cars go over 250K miles!...And asking around, I've not met anyone that had either. 

Interesting......

[Darryl&Rita]

The reason car/truck wheel bearings go so much further than trailer wheel bearings comes down to one thing: Unit bearings. They're faster to install on the production line, never need adjustment or lube, and aren't subject to the vagaries of a mechanics touch. If you've had that many failures with that service routine, you're the problem. Either adjusted too tight, or too loose. Something in your procedure is flawed.

[mike5511]

I've got 9000 lbs Dexter axles with oil bath hubs that were grease filled from the factory. I called Dexter about switching to the oil bath. Their advice was that if my trailer sat a lot, like most RV trailers, the grease was better. Why?  The oil will drain down over time and the bearing will dry out and possibly even rust. That won't happen with grease. Makes sense, and Dexter should know. Thus, when I put new Timken bearings in, I went back with Mobil 1 grease. My hubs don't leak, so I know the grease is still in there. (plus I did pull a cap and looked)  Haven't messed with them since I did that 3 years ago.

[lappir]

9 hours ago, mike5511 said:

I've got 9000 lbs Dexter axles with oil bath hubs that were grease filled from the factory. I called Dexter about switching to the oil bath. Their advice was that if my trailer sat a lot, like most RV trailers, the grease was better. Why?  The oil will drain down over time and the bearing will dry out and possibly even rust. That won't happen with grease. Makes sense, and Dexter should know. Thus, when I put new Timken bearings in, I went back with Mobil 1 grease. My hubs don't leak, so I know the grease is still in there. (plus I did pull a cap and looked)  Haven't messed with them since I did that 3 years ago.

That's a good thought. When do you expect to repack them? 

 

Rod

[rbertalotto]

“Their advice was that if my trailer sat a lot, likemost RV trailers, the grease was better. Why?  The oil willdrain down over time and the bearing will dry out and possiblyeven rust. ”

Not a real issue. Modern oils have a great ability to cling. If not, all engines that dont get used much would have everything above the oil pan rusting.

[rickeieio]

In the 8 years and roughly 40k miles we've had our 21k# toyhauler, I've adjusted one bearing, and repacked none.  All were done a couple months ago, and the mechanic said all bearings were in great shape with the grease a little dirty in just one.

BTW, three 8k Dexter using grease.

Agree with Darryl above.  If you service the bearings and get one a little too tight, it matters not whether you have oil or grease, it's going to fail.

[rbertalotto]

8 hours ago, rickeieio said:

In the 8 years and roughly 40k miles we've had our 21k# toyhauler, I've adjusted one bearing, and repacked none.  All were done a couple months ago, and the mechanic said all bearings were in great shape with the grease a little dirty in just one.

BTW, three 8k Dexter using grease.

Agree with Darryl above.  If you service the bearings and get one a little too tight, it matters not whether you have oil or grease, it's going to fail.

Quick….go buy a lottery ticket! You have amazing luck!😁

[lappir]

My oil bath trailer axles have been sitting for about 5 months. I raised the tires off the ground today and gave all the wheels a spin to put a little oil on them before heading out next week. 

Rod