Oil bath vs Grease hubs

I recently purchased a trailer with dexter 15k oil bath axles that the previous owner converted to grease. Going to pull everything apart and replace bearings/races and considering switching back to oil due to ease of maintenance. Is it worth dealing with the potential for seal failures with the oil bath? Trailer will be used frequently at close to max GVW at high speeds for long periods of time and many miles, will grease be sufficient in this application?

Thank you.


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If you are going to use it all the time, at highway speeds, with heavy loads, I would recommend oil bath. Just plan on keeping a spare cap, o-ring, and fluid in case you somehow break one and it needs repair on the road. Running them without fluid will eat up the bearing quick.

Wonder why the previous owner went through the trouble converting it to grease? Parts problems or personal preference? If it were mine I'd swap it back to the oil bath setup personally. I don't know all the pros and cons of each but millions of big rigs run oil bath for a reason is my train of thought. One funny thing about that; the old trick I was taught at the trucking co. I used to drive for was for a slightly leaking wheel seal is to pump them full of gun grease anyhow lol.

I have a flatebed trailer I bought new with oil bath, one leaked after about a year and didn't catch it. I had to replace the axle so just went ahead and switched them to grease. On mine there was a grease fitting already in the end of the spindle just had to change the caps to ones with the rubber plug.

jasonc said:

I have a flatebed trailer I bought new with oil bath, one leaked after about a year and didn't catch it. I had to replace the axle so just went ahead and switched them to grease. On mine there was a grease fitting already in the end of the spindle just had to change the caps to ones with the rubber plug.

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That is alot of the reason folks change them. Seal leaks the oil out and doesn't get caught. Especially on a trailer that sits. I would have no concern running them with grease.

I have an entire box of brand new seals, brake linings, etc for my oil bath ones 'cause they leak. I've never seen an oil bath axle in my life that didn't leak. I'm pretty disappointed in them.

4x4dually said:

I have an entire box of brand new seals, brake linings, etc for my oil bath ones 'cause they leak. I've never seen an oil bath axle in my life that didn't leak. I'm pretty disappointed in them.

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That's why^^^. converted couple myself for that reason.

We have a oil bath and it leaks. I would stick with the grease unless you like checking them for oil every time you use it. Oil bath may pull a little easier but the gains don't out way the pita they are to maintain.

Grease is required changing every 12k miles or 12 month. It's a 4-5 hour job. If you avg mileage like me that's every 5 weeks or so... And that sucks!! When My Kauffman was grease I spent close to 60 hours just packing bearings and cleaning hubs in a year's time.. Did it when I changed the oil at 10k

Oil bath runs a 2 piece labyrinth style seal
don't put them in square they burn up,
over fill them they leak,
they don't vent through the rubber grommet the hot air pushs oil through the seal and leak.

Heard of people using grease seals on oil bath... Never tried it...

And if they do fail.. Oil is usually gone vs grease hangs around and can catch fire. Vs oil bath smokes eats bearings and spindle if you don't catch it..
Oil bath pulls easier than grease especially in winter.
Every solid drive axle has oil bath hubs. How often do those leak? BTW Dodge and GM 1150 AAM runs a 2 piece labyrinth ring style seal..
I usually recommend.. More then 20k miles a year oil bath less grease

If you use grease need min 500° drop temp, synthetic is best option. Pita to find with easy of access
. Running high speeds and close to max weight in hils with lots of brake action turns grease into gear oil quick.especially on hot days. Been there done that

Are these axles and seals that pathetic. A standard semi one last 250k easy