Reliable Oil Bath Hub Question?

J

Jaws3D

Member
Hello all,

I have a 2013 EZ-Loader trailer with the Reliable Oil Bath Hubs. I would like to change the oil out on them as it is about time. I was curious if the allen screws require some sort of thread sealant before being put back in. If so what kind?

Any information is appreciated. I have haven't had a response back from EZ-Loader and there was no info in my manual in this regard.
 
I have never changed the oil myself. I know as long as it's not milky looking you should be good to go. Semi run oil bath bearing so I that tell you something. If you do lose the oil you will burn a bearing quickly.
 
Thanks for the reply.

One of the hubs is looking a little milky which is part of the reason I want to change it out (and narrow down the cause). I just did a long haul down Island and noticed one hub appeared milky upon inspecting the trailer on arrival. It wasn't when I inspected before departure. Trailer is just over a year old and has been dunked about 15 times in the salt, so I wasn't overly impressed, but its a boat trailer so its about what I expected.
 
I use red locktite on the fill screw. Ive never had milky oil or any issues with mine but i change oil once a year as part of my regular maintinence
 
gulfislander said:
I use red locktite on the fill screw. Ive never had milky oil or any issues with mine but i change oil once a year as part of my regular maintinence
Click to expand...

I would think blue locktite would be better. red is for a permanent installation and usually requires heat to remove. blue would be a better option I would think... or maybe even just liquid teflon pipedope...
 
I changed the oil on mine a few weeks ago in my driveway just so I'd know how to do it elsewhere if needed. Used blue thread lock and Teflon tape. Checked after every 5 or so km and no issues. Btw if you're around vancouver and need some oil pm me, i have a couple spare quarts.
 
10th season on mine this summer with 14 trips of 1400km one way and back on them with no issues. Lots of gravel roads around home,, and many trips from north to southern AB,, it's a busy boat trust me. Have changed the oil in them 3 times now. Twice just because it's good to get any filings out of there and once they were a little milky. Just changed them again this summer. I pull the plug, drain the oil and pull the cap off and hub, clean and spect they bearings and races. Clean all old oil out with a quick spray, inspect seals and clean seal seat. Bearings are still like new on mine, seals are clean with no wear. They recommend 50w oil since the first oil change I have ran 70-90 gear oil in mine,, never hurts to be a little thicker,, better to be thicker than lighter and get them hot. I use Blue thread lock on my drain plug and nothing else have never had an issue. You don't want red as you could strip the threads next time you take it out. Just a dab of blue and tourqed properly is all you need.

By far the best system out there just don't be scared to change the oil now and again and keep the grit out.
 
I have had oil bearings now for 10 years-first 8 were Reliable and now I'm on Kodiak. I use 80-90m wt gear oil. I trail a very heavy boat 5 to 6000 km a year. Two things -if the oil is milky change it immediately if travelling home a good distance or if only a mile or so do it at home--BUT it should be a seal change-you may hope it's the front cap or the fill port but that doesn't happen often. Try it again after checking the front cap and fill plug but if it's milky again it's the rear seal. The most important thing for longevity on seals and bearings is putting a stainless steel speedi-sleeve on the spindle for the seal to ride on. Its the pitting by salt on the spindle where the seal rides that causes the salt water intrusion and thus milky oil and failed bearings.
 
I'm going to tell you guys something you can believe it or not. You can have good seals and still get water in your hubs. I am an equipment man,, second generation already with all types of equipment and I know this,, any seal will take on water when it contracts in the water. What happens is we travel a long distance and the hubs heat up. We get to the launch and dunk our trailers in the cold water. This causes a fast contraction in the metal and cooling the air in the hubs and it sucks in water with it. It happens on any seal in any type of equipment it's pretty tough to stop completely. Some may travel less distances and experience less heat on the hubs some may not launch until the hubs cool so you wouldn't notice this as much but it can't be stopped. A seal is shot when you have oil leaking out of it and the only way to see this is regular inspection of the hubs for excess oil being sprayed around. As well a little water mixed in with gear oil is not the end of the world. I have ran mine milky at different stages for some length of time. As long as the hubs aren't over full and start to displace the oil out its not the end of the world. I am not saying keep running them like that,, but don't have a conniption if you notice them a little milky,, it's no big deal. Fillings and dirt in them will cause more damage than a little water.
 
Some of it is true walleyes.
When they get water in they are also shot. They are a double lip seal. So keeping oil in and water out are their job. I owned an oil bath easy loader...if they got milky its time to change them. Otherwise the continue to get milky
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Oh for sure,, consistent water in your hubs is a definite sign of a bad seal I am not saying to ignore it but at the same time it will happen even with good seals under the right conditions on any piece of equipment regardless of what it is.
 
I used Loctite 592 on mine.

And for oil I use Merc High Performance Gearlube.

The caps that come with the factory hub are plastic. They crack easy. I replaced mine with the better optional metal ones.

Not saying it happened but you could possibly have a hairline crack in the cap that you can't see (if you are using the plastic ones).

The metal ones are easier to take on and off without cracking or damage too.
 
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