Catchfew had asked in another post if anyone has used Turbo Lube Hubs and can report on them. I am interested as well and thought I would put it as a seperate topic and see if anyone has used them.

I used to only fish out of Yellow Bluff and their lift, but come shrimp season I like to put in at odd ours. Also, I have taken the boat to FL more often and it is pretty much ramp only down there. Anyway, I have never liked the bearing buddy things as I have had more problems with those coming loose on the road or with to much grease and the pressure blowing out the back seal. Either one is not good! If I had to replace the axle would most likely go with the Champion Trailers spindle lube axle. I will be replacing the hubs later this year and am thinking the 15 bucks a piece extra might be worth it for the Turbo Lube hubs.

Tim,

I don't know anything about the hubs you are talking about. I do know first hand about both the bearing buddy coming off and the tell-tale grease all over the bottom of the boat from a blown seal. I hope somebody can pass along some info on something different.

Been using Bearing Buddies for 17 years, all without a problem (except a seal problem on one spindle due to out of round.

One of the keys is to clean off the hub lip and the flange surface of the Buddie - and I mean squeaky clean! Make sure you install 'em straight into the hub using a cross board to insure they're tapped straight in. Any rocking side to side increases the risk of warping the Buddie, which will weaken the hub to Buddie seal. When pumping grease, pump it slowly and look for the spring plunger to move outward; if you pump until the plunger stops moving, you just eliminated any expansion room from heat, so don't wait that long. Water intrusion is greatly diminished by letting the bearings cool down before imersion (don't be in a hurry!), as does minimizing the length of time and depth in the water.

If you have knock off Bearing Buddies that don't have visible plungers, get the real thing. If you have clones with plastic bodies, get the real steel thing. Bearing Buddies aren't the end to bearing troubles (like anything would be), but they're not plug and play, either, and require a little TLC.

Hey guys let me shed a little light on this subject,as my last job was as a salesman for a trailer supply company.The REAL bearing buddies are ok if you get the right size and don't overfill them. Also its a really good idea to replace all of your bearings,cups AND seals every year its the best insurance you can get. Now as for the Turbo Lube hubs they work great,the bearings run cooler thus eliminating heat problems,the best way to explain how they work is really a question: Is it easier to run in mud up to your knees or water up to your ankles? You get the picture oil bath (as they are called in the industry)hubs have long been used in semi tractor trailers. BUT the only drawback I can possibly imagine is the plastic cap getting broken somehow and not being able to find a spare/replacement. Just to let you know I use a Dexter Super lube axle it has the grease fittings in the end of the axle,thus eliminating the need for bearing buddies. If you guys need an axle let me know as I left the company on a good note and still retain the ability to purchase all manner of trailering goods at a REALLY good price.