Can Spindle with Zerk Fitting be Used with Oil Bath Hub
Published 10/17/2024
Question:
I have Big Tex 16TL 20foot Tilt trailer with 8K Dexter axles. Apparently they are oil bath hubs as they have the plastic cap on them. WHile towing today, I noticed the hub was smoking. Cap had come off or melted off and the hub was smoking bad. Pulled over to side of Hwy and saw the plastic cap was now missing. Prior to departure a half hour earlier I saw the cap was backed off a bit and some minor oil on the wheel/rim. Tightened it up and drove off. Heres the deal. THe tip of the axle has a grease zerk on it so I thought it was an EZ lube hub. Is this normal to have an oil bath hub with a grease zerk on the end of the axle. Or could someone have installed the wrong hub on the trailer at some point. Putting an oil bath hub on an ez lube axle? Thanks for the help. Also, what type of oil is used on these Dexter oil bath 8K axles/hubs?
asked by: Hoby P
Expert Reply:
Hey Hoby, so there's really no reason you couldn't convert an EZ lube spindle axle to oil bath by just swapping the oil seal the cap. The zerk fitting being present wouldn't be an issue. Most likely what happened is just that the cap came off like you noticed and the oil all came out and burned up the bearings. That's one of the downsides to oil bath is that when they lose the seal by the time you find out the hub and bearings are basically destroyed.
I attached a link to a page that has all of our 8k trailer hubs.
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Dexter Nev-R-Adjust Electric Trailer Brakes - 12" - Left/Right Hand - 8K AL-KO/Hayes Axles
- Trailer Brakes
- Electric Drum Brakes
- Standard Grade
- Self Adjust
- 12 x 3-3/8 Inch Drum
- 8000 lbs Axle
- 16 Inch Wheel
- 16-1/2 Inch Wheel
- 17 Inch Wheel
- 17-1/2 Inch Wheel
- Dexter
more information >
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Hoby P.
10/17/2024
Thank you Jameson. So, if my trailer currently has oil bath hubs and all axles also have grease zerks can I dump all the oil out and start using grease instead of oil by pumping through the zerk like an EZ Lube? Appreciate your answer. THanks.