Bearing buddys for HF hubs

[pjo129]

Those are like the hubs on big rig trailers. Very nice.

[Festus]

Dexter did offer the oil bath bearings as an option when I ordered my axle in 2007, although I haven't checked to see if they are still available. I ordered plain old greasy wheel bearings on mine... no trouble yet.

[Corwin C]

I have used both conventional greased and oil bath ... each has advantages and disadvantages.

Oil bath hubs like these ... (Amazon linky) do seem to run cooler and for longer between services, however, it is necessary to check the oil level often. Thankfully most are easy to check. Drivers of big rigs are required by law to check them at a minimum at the beginning and end of each shift. If the oil leaks out they will more than likely self destruct in less than a day's driving because the oil will drain entirely where the grease will tend to stay in a greased hub (to a point).

The conventional greased hub is actually my preference. A quick look at the back seal for leaks before each trip and the occasional temperature check is adequate for these. My hubs, properly lubed will last for 20k even 30k miles between services or two years when I clean and repack just to check for issues if nothing else. Most grease formulations will break down with age just as much as with mileage so personally I error on the side of caution.

I'm not a fan of bearing buddies. The whole idea is for boat trailers where water contaminated grease would be forced out by the bearing buddy after each "dunking." This requires carrying a grease gun and will make a tremendous mess (back of rim/tires/fenders) if overdone. Because of the mess, most people quit greasing them each time and they end up being the same as an expensive conventional cap. Even a boat trailer with daily "dunkings" will be fine for several weeks, even a couple of months without the buddies (re-pack 'em before storing!).

One more item ... there is a quality issue here as well. Highly polished top of the line precision bearings are expensive. They run smoother, cooler, break down lubricants slower, and require less maintenance in the long run. These bearings do not come from the factory in a HF trailer. The bearings on the lower side of the spectrum are OK for the conditions that most teardrops experience, but will require more attention than the top of the line. When you re-pack, watch for discolorations of the metal or ANY rough or pitted spots. Roll the parts together with your fingers without lubrication and feel for any roughness or uneven spots. These are warnings of impending problems. In these cases I would suggest replacing bearings and races with a good if not high quality bearing.

[Kody]

I did some web surfing and found that no special caps that screw in are required unless you wish to use them. A tap in cap is readily available that is fitted into the wheel hub as a tap in fit and secured with "Loctite". Once it's fitted and Loctited, it's on to stay. There were also lots of pros and cons written by various people, some wouldn't use anything but oil lubed hubs and others would only use greased hubs. It became a personal choice. The greatest benefit is being able to see the quality of the lubricant in regard to contamination plus the better performance of the lubrication. Others prefered to use a greased cap as some grease would remain if the caps were knocked off. One guy threw the tie down strap over his load and the clasp on the end of the strap actually hit the plastic sight glass and broke it.
It all comes down to what you prefer personally. I certainly like them and I will be changing over to oil filled next year. If I can find the rollers from a "greased" bearing that seized, I will post photos of them. The rollers are unrecognizable. Nothing is perfect but some things are a little more "perfecter" than others. It's just hard at times to figure which one is which.

Kody

[kd5edj63]

Oil bath is what the M1 series tanks use as well. Very low maintenance. I have modified my HF trailer hubs to be more like the M60 series tank which I was also on for several years. Im glad I did this modification grease relief valves

[angib]

Are oil-bath bearings a good idea on a trailer that may sit stationary for several months at a time? Won't the oil drain away from the top of the bearing and allow rust to start?

I was always taught that grease is best as it provides corrosion protection under these circumstances, but I don't know if that was from prejudice or experience!

[tony.latham]

I didn't even realize some trailer bearings ran in oil. Poking around on the 'net, there is some concern over recreational trailers that are parked for weeks, if not months at a time –rust on the "dry" surfaces. At least one site recommended rotating the tires once a week. Since I have no personal knowledge on the subject, I have no idea whether this is bunk or a good idea.

I'm going to stick with my bearing buddies and grease them conservatively once a year. A pump or two until I see movement in the spring. I've got –let me count 'em- four light trailers all with bearing buddies. Every year they get a couple of squeezes of grease and never a bearing or seal failure. If and when I have a seal fail, it won't be a catastrophic failure like it would be with an oil bath system –am I right on that point? I don't have brakes on any of my trailers so I don't need to worry about contaminated pads.

For you guys running or thinking about oil bath bearings, have at 'em! Maybe sometime well chat about it over a morning cup of camp coffee or an evening brew.

Tony