Ranger Trail cool hubs

[joefish]

Do i have to but new hubs to convert oil to grease or can the cool hubs be changed over to grease?

[M-D]

well I know my '04 with cool hubs did not require anything, just remove oil, clean out hubs and bearings and pack with grease. Probably will damage seals removing so I would plan on a new set of seals.

[crank68]

Drain oil .... Knock the site glass cap off .... Tap on a buddy bearing cap with zerk fitting.

[howieranger]

Even better than bearing buddies, order a set of Vortex hubs. Then you get new bearings etc. and when you grease them new grease is pumped through the spindle to behind the inner bearing and the out through the outer bearing. With bearing buddies your are not pushing new grease into the bearings just keeping the grease under spring pressure so water is not sucked in when you dunk the warm hubs in cold water.

[electritek]

Even better than bearing buddies, order a set of Vortex hubs. Then you get new bearings etc. and when you grease them new grease is pumped through the spindle to behind the inner bearing and the out through the outer bearing. With bearing buddies your are not pushing new grease into the bearings just keeping the grease under spring pressure so water is not sucked in when you dunk the warm hubs in cold water.

Not true. Vortex hubs have nothing to do with grease being pumped through spindle. If existing cool hub spindle is not drilled and tapped, Vortex hubs are of no value.

[howieranger]

Not true. Vortex hubs have nothing to do with grease being pumped through spindle. If existing cool hub spindle is not drilled and tapped, Vortex hubs are of no value.

When you buy the Vortex hubs through Ranger they come with spindles the Vortex spindles that are drilled. I have also installed Vortex hubs that came from Pacific trailer that came with drilled spindles.

[electritek]

When you buy the Vortex hubs through Ranger they come with spindles the Vortex spindles that are drilled. I have also installed Vortex hubs that came from Pacific trailer that came with drilled spindles.

Thanks for the update. If joefish wants to convert from oil to grease, he must have the drilled spindles. Knowing he will also have to purchase new spindles will allow him to make a better decision rather than have an awe shit moment. It really seems like a pretty big expense to convert to grease from oil. Do you feel the grease Vault Hubs are better than cool hubs??

[howieranger]

"Cool Hubs" is Ranger's marketing name for the hubs they use no matter what version they are. Ranger started calling them that with the first oil bath hubs from UFP sometime in the late 90's or early 2000. With the 2005 models Ranger went to Tie Down axles to gain torsion axles and get away from leaf springs. With the 2010 modes until now Ranger has used the UFP axles with the Vault hubs. (To change to Vault hubs you have to replace the entire axles) Tie Down came out with the Vortex hub assemblies as an upgrade to there oil bath hubs which many people had problems with aside from weld failures and the torsion axles failing.

Joe fish can install Bearing Buddies without modifying his current setup but installing Vortex hub assemblies with spindles is easy and a much better option to me. The last time I looked (several years ago) the hub assemblies were just one $100 each.

As an aside Dexter Axle has acquired both UFP and TieDown in recent years.

[jc2bg]

Great info, Peter. Thanks for sharing these details with the forum.

[WjColdWater]

When you buy the Vortex hubs through Ranger they come with spindles the Vortex spindles that are drilled. I have also installed Vortex hubs that came from Pacific trailer that came with drilled spindles.

Yep. ^^^^^

[electritek]

"Cool Hubs" is Ranger's marketing name for the hubs they use no matter what version they are. Ranger started calling them that with the first oil bath hubs from UFP sometime in the late 90's or early 2000. With the 2005 models Ranger went to Tie Down axles to gain torsion axles and get away from leaf springs. With the 2010 modes until now Ranger has used the UFP axles with the Vault hubs. (To change to Vault hubs you have to replace the entire axles) Tie Down came out with the Vortex hub assemblies as an upgrade to there oil bath hubs which many people had problems with aside from weld failures and the torsion axles failing.

Joe fish can install Bearing Buddies without modifying his current setup but installing Vortex hub assemblies with spindles is easy and a much better option to me. The last time I looked (several years ago) the hub assemblies were just one $100 each.

As an aside Dexter Axle has acquired both UFP and TieDown in recent years.

You have much knowledge on these assemblies, thanks for sharing. I have a question also. Have 2020 521L. Jackass didn't know how to navigate a round a bout and I had to bump the curb with my trailer on Stb side. Using a straight edge the tires on the port side are aligned perfect. Tires on Stb side shows about 1/2" misalignment between front and back tire. What is acceptable misalignment before it eats a tire? I only live a mile from the ramp but occasionally fish in Texas. Probably tow less than 2500 miles a year. I won't notice any unusual wear till I hit the highway this fall. Does my rig have replaceable spindle or must axle be replaced. Can a bent axle be straightened at body shop or best to replace?

[joefish]

I am trying to find vortex grease hub kits to replace cool hub oil bath hubs on my 2007 single axle Ranger Trail. I have surge disk brakes on my trailer and am struggling to find the correct parts or even art numbers. Ranger factory has not been any help when i was able to get them on the phone. My local Ranger Dealer is struggling to find the parts as well. Any one have this vintage trailer and made the conversion?

[jjbz21]

I bought these along with new triple lip seals to convert mine. Mine are Tiedown axles. Not sure if you can do the same for UFP axles.

They are $44 each. i cleaned all of the old oil out of the bearings and re-packed them with lucas marine grease and re-used the old bearings on one axle. The other axle had water in them so I got new bearings for that one.

https://trailerparts.com/replacement...g-6043-12.html

[blkfalc4]

https://www.easternmarine.com/1-3-8-...-hub-kit-81022