Trailer axle bearing / seal leaking?

Got back from the lake the other day and noticed a bunch of splatter on one of my tires. Upon further investigation, I noticed grease/oil leaking from behind the hub. Also, I have the Vault system in my trailer.
So, what's wrong and how do I go about fixing it? I'm guessing maybe a rear axle/bearing seal? Do I need to replace bearings, vault cap, etc? I've never had one of these apart so I'm not sure whats inside and/or what to replace. Also, any suggestions on where to get parts if I need them.
Thanks
Steve
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Yep that's a leaking seal Steve, just had this problem back in April. You have to replace the seal and repack the bearing with grease. I have some pics of it al torn apart and a list of how to put back together. When I get home I will post them to help unless you are familiar. It was my first time and had guidance from my father who knows this kind of stuff.

Oh and I have a thread on this very same thing where I provided the national parts # replacement so you can just pick it up at a local auto parts store.

Please do a new thread with all the info and I'll make it a sticky in the service area. Thanks!

Thanks for the reply and info. If you don't mind and have a chance, I'd appreciate the pics and instruction list. I've never been inside a "vault" before and would appreciate any guidance from someone who's been there and done that. Also, I couldn't find your thread with the national parts #'s. Any chance you could fwd that to me as well. Thanks!
Steve

Whoa....chance for a 'Sticky'!! I'd like to think I'm some how involved if this comes together and I'd like to be mentioned in the credits....

The main thing that is different about the vaults vs other hubs is that there is an O ring on the inside of the hub that seals against the vault cap. Make sure this is there so water can not enter


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Here is my thread on the write-up How-to with pictures: https://forum.moomba.com/showthread....742#post245742

Kane, can you sticky this if it is worthy?

Cigar, thanks for the great how to post!

One quick question for anyone, looking at the pics of my leaky seal, is that a bad enough leak where I need to fix it before trailering the boat to/from the lake again? The reason I'm asking is I'm sure it'll be next week before the hybrid vault grease will make it from pacific trailers and I don't know where to find it locally. Or should I pop the vault cap and just pack some standard wheel grease in the mean time. I obviously don't want to smoke a bearing but I don't want to miss this weekend at the lake... And it's almost 90 miles round trip to the lake.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninedriver

Cigar, thanks for the great how to post!

One quick question for anyone, looking at the pics of my leaky seal, is that a bad enough leak where I need to fix it before trailering the boat to/from the lake again? The reason I'm asking is I'm sure it'll be next week before the hybrid vault grease will make it from pacific trailers and I don't know where to find it locally. Or should I pop the vault cap and just pack some standard wheel grease in the mean time. I obviously don't want to smoke a bearing but I don't want to miss this weekend at the lake... And it's almost 90 miles round trip to the lake.

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Did you just notice the leak when you posted or could it have been like that for a bit?

I would at least try to pull the vault cap off and see what's what, it will give you an idea. You don't HAVE to use the vault lube, it's just recommended like everything else when you buy something.

90 miles round trip I'd say you are ok if you have reasonable grease levels when the cap is pulled and it's not all liquified. If it's liquified I'd pull the hub and regrease until I could replace the seal. I drove for a while with a leaky seal because I didn't notice it but I wouldn't tell you or anyone else to do that.

Your call.

I would think you would be OK for that short of a haul if you pack it with some grease. Here's a tip: use the marine grease as it is very thick and won't run out as easily.

Something like this:

http://www.buyhardwaresupplies.com/h...Number=8067936

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pennzoil-Mar...1db8a1&vxp=mtr

be prepared to not get that Vault cap back on once it is removed.

I had to remove mine rather forcibly and it could not be re-used. Luckily, I contacted the folks at Vault and they set me up with a kit, which included a new cap, o-ring, rear seal and a tube of the "special" lube.

EDIT: I did this repair last fall. Trailer is a 2009 model and I got the repair kit at no charge - wheel hub was still under warranty. Check warranty on yours.

Thanks for the replies guys. It did just start leaking during my last trip to/from the lake as I always chock that wheel when I get home and that's when I noticed it. Maybe to be on the safe side I'll see if I can cleanly remove the vault cap using a deadblow and check / repack it with some marine grease for now. If the cap doesn't appear to cooperate, maybe I'll roll the dice for one round trip as I wait for parts. I'm just glad this vault system is 'maintenance free'...sheesh.

I would probably order the kit and get ready to scrap the cap. Then I'd drill a hole in it and install a grease zerk so I could add grease before I left and each time I stopped to check for heat. I'd stop a couple of times to check it on the way and fill it up good before I dipped the trailer in the water.

I don't understand slipperyrocks statement, maybe you had a real problem getting it back on or you dented it pulling it off but I've never had a problem yet pulling them off and putting back on with a dead blow hammer and then just using a piece of wood to center it when getting it back on. Everyone has their own experiences though.

When mine went bad I immediately contacted the folks at UFP.

They (2 different Customer Service Reps) told me that in order to get the cap off, I was gonna have to use a mallet and in doing so, will most likely damage the thing. They said I was going to have to beat it off, but I saved that for another time.

from the manufacturers instructions:

"Remove the VAULT wheel bearing protector. The protector is held in the
hub by an interference fit. To remove cap, lay a block of wood against the
side of it and strike the wood with a hammer. Place the wood on the
opposite side and hit it again. Continue this procedure until you slowly
“walk” the cap out of the hub. "


This procedure did in fact damage the cap.

yes - maintenance free for five years... and it must watch the calendar.

forgot to mention...the good folks at UFP also include a pvc sleeve in the kit to help re-install the new cap without damaging it.

Forget using this.

Using the included sleeve, the new vault cap went on nice and straight, but I had to break out the Dremel and cut the damn sleeve off the cap.

LOL, yeah you had quite the experience!

Man, the plot keeps thickening....

Kane, I like your idea and may go that route. I'll probably start with the dead blow routine and see if it cooperates as it did for cigars, otherwise cut my loses before the cap becomes unusable and go with the zerk idea.

Now this brings up another question...go figure:

How is the inside of the vault pressurized? I believe the instructions say 3-6psi. I know on the conventional buddy bearing there's a zerk fitting which pumps grease past a spring loaded plate that forces the grease into the bearings. On the vault there's no such thing (without kanes mod of course), so how is the grease forced into the bearings and/or pressurized?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninedriver

Man, the plot keeps thickening....

Kane, I like your idea and may go that route. I'll probably start with the dead blow routine and see if it cooperates as it did for cigars, otherwise cut my loses before the cap becomes unusable and go with the zerk idea.

Now this brings up another question...go figure:

How is the inside of the vault pressurized? I believe the instructions say 3-6psi. I know on the conventional buddy bearing there's a zerk fitting which pumps grease past a spring loaded plate that forces the grease into the bearings. On the vault there's no such thing (without kanes mod of course), so how is the grease forced into the bearings and/or pressurized?

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You got me on the Pressurized question but just pack it in there and you're good to go! I'm interested to see if anyone answers this.

sometimes I think we all see the wrong pdf instructions for our trailer hubs. I came across two that are very similar.

Ours are not pressurized - other than the lube being forced into the bearings and trapped until a slight oozing appears on the front bearing, and then the cap squeezes the grease back in.

I'm not so sure that the spring loaded cap will allow for a zerk fitting to work. Not saying it won't, but after seeing how it operates, not sure it will. There is a mechanism inside the cap that spins and it may keep grease from getting to the bearings.

The zirk fitting - (a new one comes with the rebuild kit) is located under the cap

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slipperyrockTKE300

sometimes I think we all see the wrong pdf instructions for our trailer hubs. I came across two that are very similar.

Ours are not pressurized - other than the lube being forced into the bearings and trapped until a slight oozing appears on the front bearing, and then the cap squeezes the grease back in.

I'm not so sure that the spring loaded cap will allow for a zerk fitting to work. Not saying it won't, but after seeing how it operates, not sure it will. There is a mechanism inside the cap that spins and it may keep grease from getting to the bearings.

The zirk fitting - (a new one comes with the rebuild kit) is located under the cap

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Can you show a picture of where this zerk fitting is?


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