Turbo Lube: Questions and Answer's

Q. What are the advantages to the Turbo Lube oil bath hubs?
A. There are many. The most obvious is the constant lubrication as the bearings move thru the oil at low speeds and the oil being “slung” against the bearings at high speeds. Oil bath hubs run cooler than grease hubs. Bearings are continually lubricated even when small amounts of moisture enter the system. Changing the oil is not needed for 50,000 miles.

Grease lubrication needs to be changed more regularly. Grease tends to either liquefy or turn to “crud” over time. This is why large semi-trucks use the oil bath system on their trailer wheels.

Q. What type of oil is used in my Turbo Lube hub?
A. The Turbo Lube hub can use a variety of lubricants. One of the easiest to find and install is gear lubricant in the squeeze tube. (70-90 wt.). The minimum recommended oil weight is 50w.  Synthetics or blends are acceptable. Always use a quality oil. Never use 2-cycle oils or light weight  engine oils such  5-30, 10-40, etc.

Q. Should the oil be changed to lighter grade oil in the winter?
A. No

Q. How often should I change the oil?
A. As long as the oil has not been heavily contaminated, the recommended change is 50,000 miles or every two years. This is similar to automotive oil changes in the gear box and differentials (rear end).

Q. How often should I change the bearings?
A. According to tests results from a major bearing manufacture, the bearings in a properly maintained oil bath hub could last more than 200,000 miles. We do recommend that the rear oil seal be replaced every 100,000 miles.

Q. My Turbo Lube hub oil looks milky, what’s wrong?
A. Milky or beige color indicates moisture in the oil. Small amounts of moisture will not affect the function or reliability of the Turbo Lube hubs and this should be no cause for alarm. Some oils change more dramatically than others. Gear oil (70/90 wt) can change colors with the smallest amount of condensation in the hub. A major boat/trailer manufacturer recently tested “milky” oil from a customers trailer. The test came back that the oil continued to have the same lubricating properties as the unused oil. If the level of the oil increases dramatically, this could mean a large amount of water has entered the hub. In this case the oil should be changed and the seal and cap should be inspected for leakage.

Note: If you were to check the oil in your manual transmission or differential after a month’s driving, you would most likely find that the oil would be discolored due to condensation.

Q. There is a small amount of oil residue on the axle spindle behind the hub. Is this a leak?
A. Oil film on the rear of the hub can be normal. As long as there is not a visable drip or flow of oil, the residue is not a problem. The residue could be from assembly or normal usage.

Q. When would water become a problem?
A. Water would only become a problem after a large loss of oil. A leak that severe would be very visible on the front or back side of your trailer wheel. You should check several areas. If the axle has brakes, excessive heat may be the culprit. Check to make sure the breakaway cable release is in the release position and is not causing brake drag. Pitted or rough seal surface area on the spindle will cause the rear seal to wear out prematurely.

Q. What maintenance checks do I need to do with Turbo Lube Hubs?
A. The amber see thru caps are the easiest to verify if the hub has the proper oil level. A simple “walk around” the trailer to verify the oil level and check for any obvious leaks is all that is necessary.