Help me get this oil filled hub off please

[Nordicron]

Ok changing my hub oil and had some issues with the plug. Basically rounded the darn Allen out and had to use an easy out. I'm not 100% sure a filling didn't get inside so I'd like to pull the hub to make sure but tell how in the world these come off. Anyone offer some help? Thanks


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[SilentSeven]

To remove a pressed in hub, I've done the following:

Gentle approach: use a rubber mallet and knock it carefully back and forth side to side until it wiggles out.
Less gentle approach: Use a big-*** pair of channel locks, grab that b*st*rd and shove it side to side until it wiggles out

Good luck with that...

[Nordicron]

Silent, I was afraid that was the only way. But I was hoping that maybe these caps screwed on.
If I manage to pop the cap off what are the odds that I will be able to get it to seal good again?


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[SilentSeven]

Unless it's something different than what I have seen, they all press into the hub. You can generally re-use the buddy if you can get them out without bending the barrel. Some seem to come out nicely, some not so much.

If you do re-use it, just make sure you check it after driving a few miles. Typically, if they are not going to stay in, they fall out pretty quickly.

I can typically re-use mine without issue but there's that odd one that just seems to want to fight you.

[TxHr]

Hit it with a hammer gently and keep hitting until it comes off. It is pressed on. There is a great little tool that you can use to reattach the cover back on the hub. When it gets too warped to go back on just buy new ones. The trailer store in my area sells them for $1.75/ea.


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[ski4evr]

I added brakes to second axle two years ago, and ordered the brake kit from UFP to match the other equipment. When I inquired about a second set of oil bath bearing covers, they were very insistent that I replace my existing ones with a greased version. There have been many failures of the oil seals because of the hot/cold temp changes to the bearings by launching hot bearings in the lake. When the seal system fails, the oil runs out and unlike grease, the lubrication is gone. They were so insistent, that they gave me the new bearing buddies to get the oil baths off my trailer. Not a hard change out, and the Tennessee guys at the factory were very helpful in the whole process. I loved the oil baths, but I took their advice. Call UFP and ask for tech support, and their engineers are very responsive.

[bscott]

Does anyone have any experience with the UFP Vault system? I'm surprised UFP didn't suggest moving to them, or maybe it's not that easy.

http://www.ufpnet.com/Portals/0/PDFs...20Brochure.pdf

[jonsquatch]

My trailer has the Vault hubs and so far (knock on wood) I haven't had any problems with them but I am going to open them up and rebuild them soon even though it voids the warranty. Mine have about 1.5 years and I would say 15,000 miles on them and even without any leaks this is the longest I have ever gone without new seals and repacking by the first scheduled service at 5yrs mine will have probably 50,000 miles and have been dunked more than 300 times. Based on the difficulty of getting parts on the road (the hybrid grease is a special order item) I am not a huge fan, but my wheels have closed hub covers on them so for that setup they are a good compromise. I check every time I launch the boat to make sure I don't see any signs of leakage on the rear seals.

Thing is in order to use them you need to have an axle that has a hole bored down the center of it that is threaded for a grease fitting kind of like the EZ Lube axle. You have to screw in a grease fitting when re-assembling them and pump in the hybrid oil/grease and it fills up the bearing from the inside of the spindle. When you are done you have to take the fitting out and then pack the end of the hub cover with more grease and knock it on. Once it warms up it turns into an oil supposedly and if it cools down to less than 150 before you dunk it then its supposed to be like a grease. So you would at least need to have new spindles mounted to use them if not new axles if you wanted to convert a conventional axle. If you want the warranty they need to be installed and serviced by an authorized facility.

[Nordicron]

Thanks for the help guys! I got the end cap off with the rubber mallet. Just like silent some whacks with the mallet while rotating hub worked it right off. Cleaned out the oil and found a couple bits of metal so glad I did this. Used rubber mallet to work the cap back on, filled with oil and all is good again.


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