# Oil Hubs



## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Looking into replacing my buddy bearing with the sealed oil hubs. ( very heavy boat on a single axle trailer) Curious what the costs would be and who does that kind of work near Dayton? Pros Vs cons? anyone running them? Open for all discussions.

Thanks
Salmonid


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

I've never had a problem with standard greased hubs. Service them yearly and they will perform as needed. The issue with oil hubs is, if you happen to damage them somehow you will loose all oil. With a greased hub even if you blow a seal not all the grease will escape you will atleast be able to make it to a parking lot to throw a seal back in it real quick


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## hatteras1 (Jan 18, 2011)

I looked into the oil hubs also. I could not find a hub kit and would need to replace the axle completely. I've also never had an issue with my trailer and it's a 1996. yearly maintenance and bearing buddies checked throughout the season, and everything is original.


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

have a buddy of mine had a trailer with oil and he said it was more of a pain than grease,


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## joekacz (Sep 11, 2013)

Have oil hub's since 2006,no issues what so ever.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Let see, in the last 4 years I have replaced bearing/seals every Spring, add grease every trip or two, and pretty much each year, I trash a set of Bearings and have to have boat towed home for rebuild, Last time I pushed it on the toasted bearing and had to replace my whole axle too, now I might add that Ive had several different places do the bearings and that usually its a massive pothole the size of a swimming pool that I smash through at 70 mph that toasts them. ( People complain about Ohio roads but Im telling you, Ohio has the best roads I drive on) I do travel about 20k per year driving boat to national tourneys all through the Eastern US so I do put the wear on them. Was looking at options? Trailer has Disc brakes so its not an easy bearing swap, its a major deal. Also toying around with buying a tandem axle trailer so at least I could limp home as these tow bills would have cost me the price of a new trailer so far, LOL

Salmonid


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## hatteras1 (Jan 18, 2011)

Too many variables
could be anything from tire pressure to a worn spindle where the seal rides


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

you have more boat trailer experience than i do... but my vote would be fore tandem axle trailer and bearing buddies


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

if you are towing long distances and at speed, go dual axle trailer. of course your tire cost and maintenance goes up too... but is much safer and you will be distributing the weight of that heavy boat over 2 axles which means any pothole impact will be with less force too.


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## hatteras1 (Jan 18, 2011)

Adding an axle is a pain in the B***, having to add new springs and relocate the existing axle.. 
Something to consider.


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## Gradyfish (Jan 22, 2017)

Out of curiosity, where are you getting the bearings you are using? About 98% of places that sell trailer supplies and trailer manufacturers are selling/using junk Chineses bearings. It is well worth the effort to visit a Timken dealer and get a set of quality Timken bearings and races. Chinese trailer parts like tires, bearings and hardware are pure garbage.
I’ve been down the same road, most recently with a Tri-axle enclosed trailer, after three sets of bearings from the manufacture and three separate failures, researched and purchased Timken bearings, 6 or 7 years now with just yearly repacking.


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## joekacz (Sep 11, 2013)

X2 on Gradyfish's post.


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## firemanmike2127 (Mar 17, 2013)

Yup....Timken is what my equipment gets also. Thankfully, I have a real NAPA store in town that gets me stuff overnight from Bearings Inc. Mike


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## Muskeye (Apr 12, 2004)

Good Info, thanks


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## s.a.m (Feb 22, 2016)

firemanmike2127 said:


> Yup....Timken is what my equipment gets also. Thankfully, I have a real NAPA store in town that gets me stuff overnight from Bearings Inc. Mike



Love the overnight from Napa, otherwise known as Never Any Parts Available!!


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

Gradyfish said:


> Out of curiosity, where are you getting the bearings you are using? About 98% of places that sell trailer supplies and trailer manufacturers are selling/using junk Chineses bearings. It is well worth the effort to visit a Timken dealer and get a set of quality Timken bearings and races. Chinese trailer parts like tires, bearings and hardware are pure garbage.
> I’ve been down the same road, most recently with a Tri-axle enclosed trailer, after three sets of bearings from the manufacture and three separate failures, researched and purchased Timken bearings, 6 or 7 years now with just yearly repacking.


x3
i will only use good quality bearings and a set will last me at least 2 years or more...
i have bearing buddies ive been trailering boats for 30 years and ive never had one issue yet


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## chriscreek (Nov 2, 2009)

I run a landscape company with 15 trailers that get curbed with full loads of mulch on a daily basis in season. Have only had one or two greased bearing fail in the last 10 years. Take care of them over the winter by checking the bearings repacking and using new seals. Just make sure that you get your parts from a actual trailer shop not walmart and i think you will be fine


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## multi species angler (Feb 20, 2006)

I contacted Timken



My Question:

I purchased rear wheel bearings at Autozone. The box says Timken on it, but the bearing only has 514003 China, on it. Is this a Timken bearing?

This is the exact same bearing that I am replacing, which failed in 15,000 miles. Do you sell a better quality bearing for the same application?

Answer From Timken:


This bearing is not made by Timken.

Due to all applications being prior to 1980, the original supplier obsoleted the part number in 2006, however we were able to get a US based supplier to quote this part, and our purchasing records show the country of manufacture is China. There is not another part number or supplier available.
( I pulled this from another forum) but I was told that timken trailer bearings are made in China the last time I bought trailer bearings.


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## Gradyfish (Jan 22, 2017)

It might depend on what axle you have. But if that is the case I will look at National or other brands that are not made in China.


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## bountyhunter (Apr 28, 2004)

timken has a plant in china , but there made to specs. I would not worry about them.


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## hatteras1 (Jan 18, 2011)

Seems to me that Romania also makes bearings for trailers. I've found that the seal is the weakest point. I crossed mine over to national and still using the original bearings. Made trips to Southern Georgia, one in the rain. never a problem. I will feel the tires and hubs when I stop. Maintenance is the biggest factor.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

I bought a new EZ Loader trailer in 2011 and it has oil hubs. On my 1st trip that year I lost a cap from one of the hubs on the way home from Ky Lake. I was only an hour from home so I just took it easy and made it home, no problems. The original caps were plastic and I replaced them with their upgraded aluminum caps. Knock on wood that's the last problem I've had and I haven't done anything else to them since then. The oil in the hubs is still sitting at the same level as it was in 2011.
Since I bought that trailer I've had the boat to Cumberland a few times, Ky Lake quite a few times and several trips to Alabama. Other than that most of my trips are an hour or less but I use my boat several times a week.
On 2 previous trailers I owned, one had constant bearing problems and the other never had problems. Both had bearing buddies. On the trailer with all the problems I used standard automotive bearing grease and/or regular lithium grease. On the trailer with no problems I used marine grease from Wally World.
I believe using the marine grease was the biggest factor in preventing problems. Water simply did not mix with that grease. If water did get into the hub it would stay separated and just trickle out when I pulled the cap. At best I only ever had a few drops of water ever get into those hubs.
On the trailer with all the problems the grease would turn into a brown slurry if water got into those hubs. Just looking at it you could tell the grease had water mixed with it.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Yes I agree with you Crappiedude, I use the marine grease but part of what I hate is that the buddy Bearings I use now have a tiny hole to show when the hubs are full of grease but then it slowly seeps out and fills the outside of the hubs but under the bearing cap, so I have to pull cap off clean out grease that's outside the bearings seals, and refill bearings then go again for a few trips, these have slowly coated both my rims with grease and I want to get new rims but don't want the same thing to happen. Frustrating.


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

you guys with bearing buddies try this trick,, put rubber caps over bearing bud with a muffler clamp. no more grease on rims, water stays out . dont have any issues doing this,


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

bustedrod said:


> View attachment 340359
> you guys with bearing buddies try this trick,, put rubber caps over bearing bud with a muffler clamp. no more grease on rims, water stays out . dont have any issues doing this,


Thanks, simple but effective trick. Ill try that..


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

You don't need the clamps, just grease coat the outside of the hub lightly and with one finger placed in the center of the rubber cap push them on. The grease seals the cover to the hub and one finger in the center pushes the air out and creates a suction to hold them on. Try to remove it once you do it this way and let us know what you think.


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## firemanmike2127 (Mar 17, 2013)

Pops is right on the money with that tip...that's exactly how I do my BB bras & haven't had one come missing in a very long time. Mike


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## Bluefinn (Jan 26, 2007)

bustedrod said:


> View attachment 340359
> you guys with bearing buddies try this trick,, put rubber caps over bearing bud with a muffler clamp. no more grease on rims, water stays out . dont have any issues doing this,


Curious, what rubber caps are you using?Do they make them for bearings?


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## firemanmike2127 (Mar 17, 2013)

We are referring to Bearing Buddy Bras. They are a vinyl cup shaped cover that prevents hub grease from getting slung all over the outer face of the wheel. Mike


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