Can Oil Bath Hub be Converted to Grease Hub

Updated 04/30/2019 | Published 04/29/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Trailer Hub and Drum Assembly - 5,200-lb and 6,000-lb Axles - 12" - 6 on 5-1/2 - Pre-Greased

(1192)

$143.49

Bearing Buddy Bearing Protectors - Model 2080T-SS - Threaded - Stainless Steel (Pair)

(1518)

$64.55

Question:

You say an oil bath hub is easily converted to a grease hub just by installing the correct size bearing buddy. I just spoke with the marine mechanic Ive gone to for thirty years and he says he never heard of that because the hubs are not at all the same. Now Im mixed up. But he isnt a trailer expert either. I have a 2005 EZ load single axle aluminum trailer and it still has one of the original oil bath bearings with plastic cover. Its now busted. The other was replaced with an aluminum cover five years ago. Also if I do try to just replace the covers with bearing buddies, do I need to still remove everything and clean it all our, then replace them with bearings, etc or just switch the covers out? IN A Dillema

asked by: Eric

Expert Reply:

From a hub point of view the only difference between one designed for oil bath or grease is the dust cap. The oil bath hubs have a threaded cap and the grease a press in cap. As long as you end up with the correct threaded Bearing Buddy size on your hub you'd be totally fine to replace the oil with grease.

You'd just need to tell me the diameter of your trailer hub bore where the cap installs and I'll be able to get you the correct BB if available. For example, if you have a diameter that measures 2.080 inches you'd want the Bearing Buddy # BB2080T-SS. The oil doesn't have to be totally removed but you would want to let it all drain out as much as possible.

expert reply by: Jameson C