Oil bath to grease

[zelmo]

Yes, you can simply replace the protector with a grease protector and fill with grease. The hub will take 6.6 oz and don't worry about any small amount of oil left in the hub when emptying, they will mix just fine. One tube of grease will fill both hubs. The part numbers I listed above are for oil bath replacement parts only. You will need 1.980 size grease protector.

I am about to change from UFP Gold Series oil bath hubs to grease and have been reading as many threads on it as I can find. I found this in an old thread and would like to get clarification on this comment especially since it came from DABS.

The implication is that you don't need to pack the bearings with grease - just fill the hub with grease through the fitting on the bearing buddy. Is that correct?

Also, regarding the comment about the old oil mixing with the grease, it that accurate regardless of the type of grease used? I know that different types of grease are not compatible. Is that not true for oil and grease?

[Bob G.]

For converting to grease, you'll need to remove the hubs, pack the bearings and replace the inner seals.

http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread....t=Oil+bath+hub

[zelmo]

Thank you. While I hadn't found that thread I did read others of yours describing the process.

I had the seals, wear ring, and the caps replaced and have put about 200 miles on the trailer since. Nothing leaks but I get water intrusion every time I put it in the water. I am tired of changing the oil after every trip so I want to convert to grease. The comment DABS made the process sound very easy.

I was planning to remove the hubs and push grease into the inner bearing without removing it or the seal. I will pack the outer bearing the normal way and fill the hub with grease before putting the outer bearing back on.

I still have a question about oil and grease compatibility. Any issues with a little oil residue mixing with marine grease?

[5keepers2]

I have been on side of road a couple of times and it is the pits!!! I would not take any short cuts! Do or have done the best way going!
I think you should break it down, including seals, clean, inspect, replace any worn or suspect parts, pack bearings using best marine grease you can find ( I like Lucas) and re-assemble using new double lip grease seals. Pull it a few miles and check bearings for excessive heat.
It you pull a lot of miles do each year. If you pull a moderate amount or less miles in a year do every 2 years.

[zelmo]

Before I go forward with this I need to ask you guys a question. I said I had the hubs worked on, and I now know that the new caps were put on without using permatex. Here is a picture of one of them:



Is that sign of oil enough to be causing the water intrusion? What is the likelihood of fixing the problem by removing the cap and putting it back on with a sealer?

Here is a picture of the oil after one launch:

[Jtreed99]

If oil can get out water can get in even easier than the oil can get out. The hub warms during travel and rapidly cools when dunked creating a vacuum inside that sucks in water. I’m not sure if you are using the standard 50wt oil but I had better luck with leaks and water intrusion with the Lucas hub oil but I am converting them over to grease as the most recent seals fail. After about 3.5 years I have only had to convert one.

[zelmo]

Thanks. I am using the Valvoline VR1 50 wt oil.

I guess I was hoping I could resolve this by sealing the cap The advantage of the oil bath hubs is that you can see the condition of the oil. Of course that isn’t much of an advantage if it isn’t working.

[rocket man]

I always put some type of sealer on. Even on grease hubs. Usually silicone.

[Jeff Hahn]

I have been on side of road a couple of times and it is the pits!!! I would not take any short cuts! Do or have done the best way going!
I think you should break it down, including seals, clean, inspect, replace any worn or suspect parts, pack bearings using best marine grease you can find ( I like Lucas) and re-assemble using new double lip grease seals. Pull it a few miles and check bearings for excessive heat.
It you pull a lot of miles do each year. If you pull a moderate amount or less miles in a year do every 2 years.

THIS^^^. And, when you take everything apart, clean the oil off with a solvent before reassembling with grease.

[zelmo]

THIS^^^. And, when you take everything apart, clean the oil off with a solvent before reassembling with grease.

Ok. What solvents will work?

[RangerTim619]

Industrial supply chain MSC sells a long needle like adapter that fits on the end of a grease gun. You may look into purchasing one. It will reach the inside bearings. Let the oil drain for a day or two with the cap off. Then use your new grease gun tip and fill inside bearings. Just a thought?


https://www.mscdirect.com/product/de...12666?fromRR=Y

[rocket man]

Ok. What solvents will work?

Nothing better than pump gas.

[Jeff Hahn]

I was also going to say to use gasoline, but it will leave a bit of residue. You could use acetone, denatured alcohol, or even lacquer thinner. Or, if you have the time, clean them with Simple Green and hot water. But, you'll have to let them completely dry, probably overnight, before reassembling the hub.

[DQM]

I always use break cleaner. Cheap, and it will literally clean anything :)

And seeing as new bearings and races and seals are not that expensive, if you are going to convert from oil to grease you might as well just do the whole job with new everything as many have suggested. And throw on some bearing buddies while you are at it.

[zelmo]

Thank you for all of the replies and suggestions, in this thread and the others I started.

I am going to order the seals and bearings to do the conversion. It appears that there are two possible sizes for the bearings - one is 1 3/8 x 1 3/8 and the other is 1 3/8 x 1 1/16. Is there anyway to tell which I have without pulling the hub off so that I can order the parts?

[Bob G.]

Pulling the hub is the 100% way to know but if your trailer is a Marine Master that came with your 2006 Triton, it is most likely 1 3/8 x 1 1/16.

[zelmo]

It is and that is what I suspected.