Trailer hubs

[T AMBURGEY]

Is there a hub on a trailer that need no grease ? My new to me ranger the caps seem sealed, If so how do you maintain them, Is it oil I need and what kind?

 

[TritonGlenn]

Oil bathed hubs don't require grease - just the correct weight oil. There are many theories and conflicting "rules" for when you should drain and refill them (and that is all that you have to do - no taking them apart or anything). I changed my oil in all of my hubs at the 3 year point. I removed the wheel, unscrewed the fill / drain hole on the hub, and rotated the hub so that the fill / drain hole faced down into a oil drain bucket. I let it drain for quite a while while waxing part of my top cap. When it was drained, I turned the hole up and used a big syringe to fill it with Royal Purple oil (which was recommended from the manufacturer). Fill until completely full, and then replace the screw cap into the hole. Put the wheel back on and moved to the next one.



I'd have to check, but I think it's 50 weight synthetic oil.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[T AMBURGEY]

Thanks Glenn this is exactly what I was looking for

 

[TritonGlenn]

No problem. Glad to help. By the way, I confirmed the oil is Royal Purple SAE 50. I didn't know how much I'd need, so I bought 4 quarts (figured it wouldn't hurt to have some extra). 4 hubs took me 1 1/2 quarts, including a bit of spillage (trying to use a small funnel) before I figured out to use the syringe. I've heard of people using turkey basters, big syringes like I did, or some other small contraption to fill the hole. The day after I used the syringe, I saw these little empty shampoo squirt bottles in the "travel section" at Target that probably would have worked even better. You just need something small to get the oil through the fill hole.

All the best,

Glenn