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Vault Hub Replacement/Rebuild


scrupulous

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Just looking for any guidance on replacing a Vault Hub on my 2019 A22 trailer.   I lost the inside seal on the port side leading axle.   I did find a decent video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygpq2Dx09J4 that I was planning to follow.   Curious if others that have done this have any tips, tools, or things to watch out for.   

Separate note, getting the actual replacement parts has been an issue.  Started this process 3 weeks ago, Dexter initially was helpful, but went completely silent after I sent them the information they requested.  Ended up going back to my dealer who is working through our local Malibu Rep to get replacement parts to me.  As of today I have half of the rebuild kit, still waiting on the caps and grease. 

 

 

 

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That video is great. Thanks for posting. I just paid my dealer 500 bucks for a trailer service, didn’t have time to do it myself. Included checking the surge brake system as well. Looks like a typical bearing replacement job but with some added steps to seal the hubs. Definitely doing it myself next time. Only thing I noticed different from mine finished and the video was the dealer put a bead of heavy duty grey sealant around where the cap meets the hub on the outside. Don’t have a pic cause I’m not close to the boat but I highlighted it in the photo attached.

F4C56482-07E3-4CBA-9B64-09B602DA000B.jpeg

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2 hours ago, bigskydoc said:

Should be covered under warranty, no?

Yes - however there was some confusion at first since I was the second owner.  (I did pay to transfer the warranty)   The dealer got that figured out quickly and if I lived closer I would have limped over there and they would have taken care of it.  I am unfortunately 2 hours away so trailering to the dealership wasn't really an option.   

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7 hours ago, bigskydoc said:

Should be covered under warranty, no?

 

4 hours ago, scrupulous said:

Yes - however there was some confusion at first since I was the second owner.  (I did pay to transfer the warranty)   The dealer got that figured out quickly and if I lived closer I would have limped over there and they would have taken care of it.  I am unfortunately 2 hours away so trailering to the dealership wasn't really an option.   

The Vault warranty sucks.  I wouldn't count on them covering anything......

Edited by RyanB
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On 10/1/2021 at 6:19 PM, RyanB said:

 

The Vault warranty sucks.  I wouldn't count on them covering anything......

It was weird the way they (Dexter) were super responsive....and then fell off the face of the earth.   Luckily our local dealer and the Malibu service rep have been helpful.   Just wish I would have started there and saved myself 2 weeks.  

For anyone that has done this, should I take out the inner and outer races?   Or just replace the seals and bearings?

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On 10/4/2021 at 9:38 AM, scrupulous said:

It was weird the way they (Dexter) were super responsive....and then fell off the face of the earth.   Luckily our local dealer and the Malibu service rep have been helpful.   Just wish I would have started there and saved myself 2 weeks.  

For anyone that has done this, should I take out the inner and outer races?   Or just replace the seals and bearings?

If the bearings are bad enough to indicate replacement, use new races as well.  If you don't see or feel any spots or grittiness, the bearings are probably still good.

I don't use a bearing tool.  I just pound them out and pound them back in with a long drift and a hammer.  A piece of 1/2" steel rod from the hardware store works fine.  The races are very hard, and I have never even put a mark on one.  Once you get them moving, just work your way around the circle to make sure they are fully seated.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Finally got my parts, made it through the disassembly up to the point of pounding out the races and I’m stuck on the inner race.   The outer came out easy, plenty of lip for me to get the end of the punch on.   The inner race has hardly any lip visible from the backside when I am trying to seat the punch on something. It just slips right off.  

Edited by scrupulous
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5 hours ago, scrupulous said:

Finally got my parts, made it through the disassembly up to the point of pounding out the races and I’m stuck on the inner race.   The outer came out easy, plenty of lip for me to get the end of the punch on.   The inner race has hardly any lip visible from the backside when I am trying to seat the punch on something. It just slips right off.  

I have only ever seen one set of hubs that didn't have a groove cast in it to allow a drift to get a good purchase on the race.  That one was a chore to get out.  A 1/2" steel rod worked on it.

Clean the inside of the hub a bit and inspect it carefully for a groove.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Did you find the part number for the inner (back) seal?

Dexter gave me:

Rear seal 010-168-00

Oil seal 010-172-00

 

Which makes no sense.  Its one or the other, just need the back seal.  Already have the oil/grease, front cap, etc.  

 

And both are difficult to order online.

Edited by dhcomp
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As for the numbers from dexter

Rear seal 010-168-00 - 2.561 Inch O.D.

Oil seal 010-172-00 - 2.328" Outer Bore (Legacy UFP)

Looks like there are 2 versions of the hub and you need to break out your dial caliper and measure what you currently have

 

pacific trailer lists an xref of both of the possible the hub seals

https://pacifictrailers.com/blogs/boat-trailer-tips-advice/the-vault-hybrid-lubrication-system

2900#-4200# Axles   2.33” x 1.68” or 2.56” x 1.68”

 

 

Edited by oldjeep
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  • 8 months later...

Drama continues.....turns out the reason my hub had failed last fall was because both of my torsion axles were failing.   However now.....Dexter is claiming that the trailer is not under warranty and they will not cover the replacement of the axles.   Does anyone have any experience with a similar scenario?!    Obviously extremely frustrated at the moment to not be able to use the boat because of the trailer.  But now to have the manufacturer backpedaling on their warranty when they had honored it less than 10 months ago for the hub!

Update: We received a call from our rep and he confirmed that the warranty transfer applies to the trailer.  From what I understand Dexter carries the warranty to the initial owner, and Malibu handles the warranty to the second owner which is why there was confusion from our dealer.   Sounds like it will be 2-3 weeks for the new axles.   If anyone has an A22 trailer I could borrow for a trip to Norris next week let me know!

Edited by scrupulous
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I had a bent axle on my trailer a few years back. I had a local guy do the replacement. 
 

In hind sight, I wish i would have bit the bullet and replaced both with heavier axles at the same time. The ones under my trailer don’t have a lot of extra capacity. Pretty common from what I’ve seen. 

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18 hours ago, oldjeep said:

What is failing on the axle that caused hub failure?

All 4 trailing arms are loose where they are coming out of the torsion axle.   Some have a fairly visible gap between the end of the axle and the trailing arm.  The dealer had the trailer sitting on jack stands and all of the trailing arms have a significant amount of play.   From my conversation the dealer, that was potentially putting additional stresses on the hubs as they are most likely not in alignment.   Not saying that those (2) things couldn't be independent issues, just going off of the assumptions shared by the dealer. 

The trailer has a pretty easy life, most trips are less than 5 miles at 35 miles an hour.   Usually 2X a year we take it on the highway for a 500 mile trip.   Always been stored indoors. 

 

Edited by scrupulous
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  • 4 weeks later...

Update - Axles are finally in and I will be picking it up tomorrow.   It took exactly (4) weeks to sort out the warranty, order the axles, ship them to Malibu, paint them, ship them to the dealer, and install them.   Tough to have the boat sitting at the dealer for all of August however I am glad these were 100% covered.   

  • Like 2
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11 hours ago, scrupulous said:

Update - Axles are finally in and I will be picking it up tomorrow.   It took exactly (4) weeks to sort out the warranty, order the axles, ship them to Malibu, paint them, ship them to the dealer, and install them.   Tough to have the boat sitting at the dealer for all of August however I am glad these were 100% covered.   

What dealer did you use?

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On 9/1/2022 at 8:14 PM, Nitrousbird said:

What dealer did you use?

I worked with Buckeye Sports Center up in Cuyahoga Falls.   They have been very helpful and went as fast as the supply chain would allow.

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  • 3 months later...

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