Oil bath axle lube...

[MMeier]

... getting reaedy to service the hubs on my GN, have the 12k Quality axles under it, what is the recommended lube for them?

 

[JoelMartin]

I think it takes wheel bearing grease but maybe you could ask the trailer manufacturer. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Bob4x4]

... getting reaedy to service the hubs on my GN, have the 12k Quality axles under it, what is the recommended lube for them?

I used a synthetic 90 wt in my fleet of rigs back in the day.



Bob

 

[Okie-Go]

I have never owned a trailer with the oil bath hubs but I am almost certain they use oil. Synthetic imo would be better and longer life.

 

[EdwinDavis]

Might want to call the trailer manufacturer to make sure what weight is correct.

I know my boat trailer uses 50W.

 

[Ragain]

Never heard of "Quality Axle". Dexter and Hayes/AL-KO are the norm. 12k's I have seen were always oil bath. I tried a grease substitute that was recommended, and nearly burned up a set of bearings, so I always use 90w Lucas Hub Oil on my Dexter 12k and 15k, and the bearings have no detectable wear after 250,000 mi.

 

[Cattletrkr]

Dexter is #1 by a long shot, Quality is #2 and the parts used to be interchangeable.

My Dexter 10K's take 75w-90 if that helps ya any. I'm pretty sure it's stamped on the covers. Don't know about Quality covers though.

 

[MMeier]

Stuck the Mobil 1 75-140 I had in there. Put 975 miles on it today... Vegas to Reno with 3 mail trucks on it, then down to Carson City to pick up a FJ cruiser and back down to Vegas! Still looks pretty clean and nothing fell off!! Not too bad, even took a 45 minute snooze this afternoon, left here at 1230 AM and got in at 815 PM. Now to go load up some more trucks tomorrow and do it all again tomorrow night! 1 trip done... 14 to go!! Note to self... remember jacket this time. . its getting cold out there, even saw snow on the mountains already!!

 

[Cattletrkr]

Put 975 miles on it today... left here at 1230 AM and got in at 815 PM.

Some incriminating evidence is best left unposted. :-laf

 

[MMeier]

Some incriminating evidence is best left unposted. :-laf

Shhhhhh... . be very very quiet!!!

 

[BDeMartile]

... getting reaedy to service the hubs on my GN, have the 12k Quality axles under it, what is the recommended lube for them?

90 wt synthetic or non synthetic is the lube of choice in moderate climates ie 20-100 degrees. I believe it is ok even in the higher desert temps you get in Las Vegas. Ask a local trucking company what they use and youll have a "local" answer.

 

[steved]

Never heard of "Quality Axle". Dexter and Hayes/AL-KO are the norm. 12k's I have seen were always oil bath. I tried a grease substitute that was recommended, and nearly burned up a set of bearings, so I always use 90w Lucas Hub Oil on my Dexter 12k and 15k, and the bearings have no detectable wear after 250,000 mi.

Quality seems to be a southeastern thing... my utility trailer has Quality Axles under it. They seem to be as good of quality as the Dexters... and its not like there are a whole lot of ways to screw up a trailer axle.



Back to the oil... it depends on the application. I've seen boat trailers call for 10w30 motor oil. Most of the kits say to use a 75w90 synthetic because they are mostly looking to boost the mileage gains (thinner oil is easier to turn a bearing through than grease).



Since the bearing is flooded with oil, any quality gear oil (whether synthetic or conventional) should work fine... if you think about the rear axle on your truck (the full floater), it runs in an oil bath (after the oil gets worked into the hub from the differential)...



steved