Leaking oil

[CoachJHall11]

2007 marine master dual axle on my triton 21x2 is leaking oil from my right front hub. It is all over the front of my wheel where it drained while sitting in my shed. Called marine master and they do not carry these hubs or parts for it anymore. Any idea what I need to replace and where to get it? Is it just an o ring or seal that needs to be replaced and add oil? Should I just change it to bearing buddy and fill with grease? Thanks for any help! Trying to get whatever I need ordered and done so I can still fish Saturday!

[Bob G.]

Most likely the hubs are made by UFP. The bearings, races, inner seal, etc are available from several online stores. Mine leaked more than once and I bought the UFP Trailer Buddy's and converted to grease. Make sure you have a set of bearings, races, inner seal, SS wear ring and what ever grease you plan on using. You can change the inner seal and SS wear ring and add oil again too. Either way you have to pull the hub off.

[CoachJHall11]

Okay I spoke to a dealer today and they said I could pull the current cap off and put a buddy bearing on and fill with grease and be good to go? So do I need to do buy the whole kit from ufp or do the bearing buddy?

[Bob G.]

You'll need to pull the hub, remove the inner seal, grease the bearings, replace the SS wear ring if it's worn, fill the hub with grease and install a new seal. The bearing buddy is just a cap to keep the grease in the hub that allows you to top off the grease as the air is dissipated from the hub. No need to keep adding grease as it needs to go somewhere.

[billnorman1]

Ya probably gotta take the hub off to get the oil out and pack the bearings like the above poster said.

[CoachJHall11]

Okay showed up to my mechanic and he said it went on perfect. He took the oil fill cap off and installed the bearing buddy. Dimensions and everything went right on. He didn’t drain the oil out though and when I went to pick it up there was a light brown liquid coming from the bearing buddy. He said it was the old oil working its way out? I drove it home leery of that and stopped every 4-5 miles checking it. The first couple of checks I had to wipe some of that liquid off, then after that it slowly stopped and the last 2 checks there was no more liquid coming out. Hub never got even close to warm so I’m assuming it’s okay? Going to pull it about 60 miles to the lake tomorrow and back and stop every 5-6 miles again their and back just to be safe. Has me worried but he seems for sure it’ll work.

[Bob G.]

I'd be worried with a bearing buddy installed on a hub with oil in it without the bearings packed with grease. How did the mechanic remove the original oil bath cap and install the bearing buddy without the oil draining out as UFP oil bath hubs are usually filled to the top at the bottom of the fill plug threads?

My suggestion would be to do the work yourself at home so you'll know how to do it when that hub fails when traveling.

[CoachJHall11]

Some oil did come out but he pulled it off and immediately put the bearing buddy on. He didn’t let it sit and drain or anything like that.

[CoachJHall11]

Will my hub get hot if there is something wrong though?

[Ed R]

Will my hub get hot if there is something wrong though?

Yes.

Oil bath hubs are designed to run with full 50wt oil, full to the top. Bearing Buddies are designed to run with full grease. If it were me, I would knock the bearing buddy off and drain whatever oil is left in the hub. Pull the outer bearing and pump grease into the inner bearing as best you can. Then fill the hub with grease. Pack the outer bearing and slide that on. Put the washer on and torque the nut finger tight. Fill the bearing buddy with grease and knock that on. Slowly pump grease into the bearing buddy as you spin the wheel. Once full I would drive it, but keep an eye on the hub, you will still need to add grease as the grease warms and packs the inner bearing. Don't put a lot of pressure when pumping grease in or you could blow the rear seal.

[Jeff Hahn]

I'd be worried with a bearing buddy installed on a hub with oil in it without the bearings packed with grease. How did the mechanic remove the original oil bath cap and install the bearing buddy without the oil draining out as UFP oil bath hubs are usually filled to the top at the bottom of the fill plug threads?

My suggestion would be to do the work yourself at home so you'll know how to do it when that hub fails when traveling.

THIS^^^. Bearing Buddys were not made to use with oil and your mechanic should know that. With the Bearing Buddy, the hubs need to be greased.

[bassmasher]

if you are changing to a bearing buddy, is the inner seal the same as the vault seal? If not what you are saying is take the hub off, clean out the hub and bearings of the old hybrid grease, repack the bearings and add the buddy bearing cap. that's it?

[Bob G.]

if you are changing to a bearing buddy, is the inner seal the same as the vault seal? If not what you are saying is take the hub off, clean out the hub and bearings of the old hybrid grease, repack the bearings and add the buddy bearing cap. that's it?

The double lipped inner seal is the same whether using oil or grease. Will need to remove the inner seal to remover the inner bearing. Replace the inner seal after packing the bearing/race. Also check if there is a SS wear ring on the spindle. If it has grooves from the inner seal, that may need to be replaced.