Vault Bearing hubs

[h2ojunkie]

Have Vault hubs on my tandem 08 Dorsey trailer. Was talking w a guy today while getting my truck repair done and he was very skeptical of them and had a lot of dire warnings for me and suggested I replace them w something else. Don't know much about them and looking to the crew for input. I haul to and from each outing say 20mi and down to Norris two or three times a year. When I asked my dealer about them a few years ago guy said don't worry about em unless the hub piece sticks out and then replace the whole assy. No maintenance? IDK Seems strange to me but I'm not a engineer.

[oldjeep]

Vault are maint free oil hubs, same thing they are putting on the newest trailers. I wouldn't go back to repacking bearings again. Service interval is 10 years on mine.

[wakebrdr94]

had them on my last two trailers. One of the caps started extending out and we replaced. other than that, no issues

[h2ojunkie]

Dave, where did ya get yours as I would like to have a pair on hand for road trip bag? Are they easy to replace or does it need to be done at a shop?

[h2ojunkie]

Found some stuff on line about the UFP stuff. Think I'm gonna get a spare axle hub to have in the truck in case one goes out or whatever. Broke down on the road is not good.

Edited April 10, 2015 by h2ojunkie

[Falko]

I'm replacing my oil hubs and going back to grease. When they are functional, they're fine. But when a seal goes bad, you lose all your oil. At least with grease, it stays as it is very viscous, even when up to operating temperature. Get out on the road and lose the oil charge, you're kind of stuck into on site repairs. With grease, you can go a little ways without worry.

Filling the oil is a bit of a pain, you have the fill on the top, if it's in the right position. You have to move the trailer forward/back to get it in the fill position. Granted you shouldn't have to add unless you are leaking.

To me, I've never had a problem with grease bearings, I've had issues with these oil bath. And I really don't see the benefit.

[oldjeep]

Filling the oil is a bit of a pain, you have the fill on the top, if it's in the right position. You have to move the trailer forward/back to get it in the fill position. Granted you shouldn't have to add unless you are leaking.

?? Sounds like a task that should involve a jack.

[Falko]

Easier for me to back the truck up 2 feet than roll out the jack.

[wakebrdr94]

Dave, where did ya get yours as I would like to have a pair on hand for road trip bag? Are they easy to replace or does it need to be done at a shop?

sorry for the late reply, my trailers came with them. I know there is a trailer place not to far from me that sells them. I do not think they would be difficult to replace.

[Fman]

Why are the new trailer makers using vault bearings if they are inferior to the old grease bearings? I'm just asking, seems like if grease was better they would all be using that older style???. My last two and current trailer has vault bearings and I never had any issues.

[Andrew63]

Have the vault system on the 2011 trailer.

Lost one of the caps just after the trailer rebuild to galvanise the trailer.

Put it down to the axles were hot metal sprayed as I could not remove the torsion portion.

The shop tried to remove one of the hubs & calliper a but gave up as they are a bugger to remove.

I suspect this is the one I lost.

When I lost the hub, made a bit of a mess, towed the trailer back home after the day, almost 2 hours country highway driving without any issues.

The new cap is an interference fit & locktite is used to secure in place.

They are a good system withe the axle drilled with a grease/oil hole at the nut all the way back to in fro t of the rear seal & before the rear bearing. Grease is pumped through the rear bearing all the way forward through the front bearing.

The cap is then knocked & locktite used back in place.

Not the sort of thing I would like to do on the side of the road.

Just returned from a 3.5 hour trip each way from the annual break, hubs were barely Luke warm to touch with bugger all side movement in the hubs.

Expect years of trouble free towing from these.

Just do the touch test of the hubs after a trip to keep an eye on the bearings.

Have to make sure the brakes are not dragging to heat the hubs & give you a faulse heat test.

[Chia]

for 5 years i towed my boat ~80 hours a year (Havasu & back, Okanogan and back). Never a problem. Love the vault bearing system.

[DUKENO1]

Mine are 9 years old and never had an issue. I was taking a fairly long roadtrip last year so i drained and refilled mine with fresh oil

just for the heck of it. I always touch mine when I stop to gas up just to make sure they are not running hot.

[Falko]

In trying to get some info on the brakes (drum) on my set up, I pulled a vault this weekend to get info on the backing plates. The hub I pulled looked 3/4 full of oil in the little site glass. Got the vault off and it was 90% water.

Not bashing the vault system, but as someone just stated, doesn't hurt to drain them down once in a while and check the fluid. I just ordered new seals for mine, still considering going back to grease if I can find a bearing buddy to fit that hub size.