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Trailer Mayhem


Vettesetter

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Has any one serviced the Vault oil bath hubs. I can't tell if they are full or what. I can't see the fill hole that the dealer mentioned? The caps are black not clear. Anyone converted back to the old style grease bearing buddies system? Anyone, anyone, Bueller?

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Has any one serviced the Vault oil bath hubs. I can't tell if they are full or what. I can't see the fill hole that the dealer mentioned? The caps are black not clear. Anyone converted back to the old style grease bearing buddies system? Anyone, anyone, Bueller?

Why are u changing the oil? I don't have the manual, but I think the oil needed to be replaced every 5 years??

Turn the fill hole on the spindle to the 12 oclock orientation and fill til full.

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Why are u changing the oil? I don't have the manual, but I think the oil needed to be replaced every 5 years??

Turn the fill hole on the spindle to the 12 oclock orientation and fill til full.

They are supposed to be no maintenance, but my hub is overheating and I don't know if there is any oil in it.

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Be sure it isn't a brake sticking. One of my calipers stuck slightly, and the entinre wheel and hub was too hot to touch.

:plus1:

if you use your trailer alot... in and out of the launch you can get quit a bit of corrosion on the bolt slides.

Edited by G-Mack
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Be sure it isn't a brake sticking. One of my calipers stuck slightly, and the entinre wheel and hub was too hot to touch.

Overheating the oil will kill the 5 year maintenance cycle. If they got hot, I recommend pulling the hub off and inspecting bearings/replacing ASAP. Not to mention trying to figure out if the source of the heating was the brakes. If it was the lack of oil that should be apparent when you pull it apart and inpect the bearings/races.

Sorry no advice on servicing I have never dealt with oil bath hubs.

Edited by MalibuTime
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Be sure it isn't a brake sticking. One of my calipers stuck slightly, and the entinre wheel and hub was too hot to touch.

The caliper is dragging and I have ordered a new one but I don't think I trust these oil bath hubs and am thinking about converting it to the old style grease and bearing buddy.

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i have an extreme trailer that came with the boat. i was driving down the highway and one of the bearings burned up and one of my wheels came off it was terrible. they are not a bearing buddy system. extreme ended up giving me a new trailer because part of the harm melted from the heat but i would also like to new how service them to prevent this from happening again. the manual says they need serviced every ten thousand miles

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i have an extreme trailer that came with the boat. i was driving down the highway and one of the bearings burned up and one of my wheels came off it was terrible. they are not a bearing buddy system. extreme ended up giving me a new trailer because part of the harm melted from the heat but i would also like to new how service them to prevent this from happening again. the manual says they need serviced every ten thousand miles

I had that happen with conventional bearings but I was also pulling way faster then the recommended speed. Always check and monitor your brakes , caliper or drum.

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The caliper is dragging and I have ordered a new one but I don't think I trust these oil bath hubs and am thinking about converting it to the old style grease and bearing buddy.

Don't do it!!! These are far better than the old style. I have a 2004 and these are the best hubs I've ever had by far. The old style will eventually sling grease all over the wheels, but these don't leak at all. You may have to take the wheel off to get to the servicing plug, but you hardly ever need to check them at all. The covers are a smoke color so they seem black. I've changed the oil one time (50 weight, Valvoline makes a racing oil that works well.) and run between central FL and TENN every summer without any problems. One quart is more than enough for both hubs.

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Don't do it!!! These are far better than the old style. I have a 2004 and these are the best hubs I've ever had by far. The old style will eventually sling grease all over the wheels, but these don't leak at all. You may have to take the wheel off to get to the servicing plug, but you hardly ever need to check them at all. The covers are a smoke color so they seem black. I've changed the oil one time (50 weight, Valvoline makes a racing oil that works well.) and run between central FL and TENN every summer without any problems. One quart is more than enough for both hubs.

So if they were not full I would be able to see thru the smoke color cover? :thumbup:

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They are supposed to be no maintenance, but my hub is overheating and I don't know if there is any oil in it.

there is nothing that is zero maintance. And ya the overheating will destroy the hub, spindle, o rings, etc.,

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Would a flashlight shine enough light in?

The Vault hubs don't have a transparent cover. The ARE supposed to be zero maintenance, but I'm sure there are some failures. UFP has been great to work with and will likely replace them for you.

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Don't do it!!! These are far better than the old style. I have a 2004 and these are the best hubs I've ever had by far. The old style will eventually sling grease all over the wheels, but these don't leak at all. You may have to take the wheel off to get to the servicing plug, but you hardly ever need to check them at all. The covers are a smoke color so they seem black. I've changed the oil one time (50 weight, Valvoline makes a racing oil that works well.) and run between central FL and TENN every summer without any problems. One quart is more than enough for both hubs.

HOw do you drain the oil? Turn the fill hole to the 6 oclock and let it drain? or pull it apart and inspect the bearings? If you do that, do you replace the orings?

I have a 2008, but the trailer probalbly has a total of500 miles on it. The boat is on a lift all summer, so the trailer sits in the garage about 3 months with the boat on the trailer and 9 months w/o the boat on the trailer.

thanks.

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Be sure it isn't a brake sticking. One of my calipers stuck slightly, and the entinre wheel and hub was too hot to touch.

Both rear calipers are sticking and the pads are broken away from the backing plates. :thumbup:

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HOw do you drain the oil? Turn the fill hole to the 6 oclock and let it drain? or pull it apart and inspect the bearings? If you do that, do you replace the orings?

I have a 2008, but the trailer probalbly has a total of500 miles on it. The boat is on a lift all summer, so the trailer sits in the garage about 3 months with the boat on the trailer and 9 months w/o the boat on the trailer.

thanks.

Jack it up, pull the wheel, remove only the plug, let it drain and go watch a football game or something. It's really slow. If you have the time, I'd even let it drain overnight.

Edited by Catfish
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I have had all types of bearings on my trailers over the years and the Vault System is the only one I never had apart to service... Over the last 2 years I put at least 10,000 miles on my 2010 Boatmate and I am diligent on checking for overheating issues everytime I stop. They were the best so far. I believe they use a grease that heats up and "melts" into an oil once they get hot enough.

Here is some info for you.. VAULT

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I have had all types of bearings on my trailers over the years and the Vault System is the only one I never had apart to service... Over the last 2 years I put at least 10,000 miles on my 2010 Boatmate and I am diligent on checking for overheating issues everytime I stop. They were the best so far. I believe they use a grease that heats up and "melts" into an oil once they get hot enough.

Here is some info for you.. VAULT

Do you have a fill hole that you can see?

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Mine has a fill hole I can see. Trailer has steel rims and the hole is right at the hub face between the lug nuts.

My extreme trailer uses 20w 50 motor oil in the hubs. I changed the oil when I bought my boat two years ago. Oil was clean and no water. Plan on changing it again this year when I lay the boat up for the winter. Will see how it goes this time.

I'm happy with the oil bath hubs won't trade them for greasy ones.

Edited by CumminsBu
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Do you have a fill hole that you can see?

They are pressurized sealed systems. There is no fill hole on the vaults. I would look at your Brakes Closer and I bet you will find that to be the problem and not your bearings.

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They are pressurized sealed systems. There is no fill hole on the vaults. I would look at your Brakes Closer and I bet you will find that to be the problem and not your bearings.

You are correct, all the pads are broken off the backing plates, but since the hubs overheated (from the brakes) I would like to service them to make sure.

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