Oil filled hubs

[Juneaudave]

I was watching the thread on packing bearings...it reminded me of the EZ Loader boat trailer I bought last year that has oil filled bearings. How do you maintain these and how do they perform? Instead of grease, they have a oil bath. I've never seen them before, but I had heard they had their origins in the trucking industry..check it out...thoughts?

[madjack]

...indeed, hubs on big rig trailers are oil filled...like you have pictured, they have a site glass to check on oil level and a plug to add oil if needed...if oil is needed, you have a seal failing and you had better replace it NOW before it fails completely and drains all the oil out resulting in bearing failure...other than keeping an eye on them, there is not much more in the way of maintenance to do
madjack

[wuzuki]

i personally dont like them as trailer sitting for a month or two while working so you can go away seals dry out and then you go for a drive
100miles or more seals lets go oil drains out grease only has a dust seal
lasts for years with out doing much anyway.

[Podunkfla]

I'm wondering why you can't get sealed roller bearings like on the front end of my Chevy S-10 Tahoe? I finally had to replace one at 267,000 miles! Would sure make sense for a trailer that sits most of it's life.

[brian_bp]

I'm wondering why you can't get sealed roller bearings like on the front end of my Chevy S-10 Tahoe? I finally had to replace one at 267,000 miles! Would sure make sense for a trailer that sits most of it's life.

You can. The current Al-Ko axle currently used in Europe has sealed bearings standard, Dexter offers them in some hub sizes as Nev-R-Lube, and U-Haul included them in their rental travel trailers two decades ago.

I agree that in this century sealed bearings are the way to go. I've never had to replace one, but I have only made it to 354,000 km (a little short of that Chevy) on a vehicle; I don't know how much further I would need to go to wear out the bearings.

I'm sure that small trailer axles do not have sealed bearings simply because they are cheap.

[Podunkfla]

Yeah... And it just occured to me that all my motorcycles have had sealed bearings since the 70's too... I'm going to have to research this a little more... It really shouldn't cost any more? the bearing are not expensive.