So Boatemate Never Replied

[ozski]

Our Malibu rides on a 2005 single axle Boatmate trailer and its done a wheel bearing (5 hours from here) does anyone know what size bearings these trailers have? I've read the oil bath setup can be ditched in favor of a conventional bearing and grease / bearing buddies so we will do the repair this way once we work out the size. Thanks if you can help. Dam fe&^%Kin trailers...

[oldjeep]

If you go to boatmateparts.com and search bearings, you'll see the various kits for the different weight ufp axles. If you need a size, try emailing ufp instead. As for down grading oil bath hubs to grease and bearing buddies, no idea why anyone would do that.

[Orlando76]

unfortunately I can't offer much advice here but I will say you aren't the only person to not get a response from Boatmate, myself included.

[jhughes]

At least you're not in a situation where you need to buy a brand new trailer. I'm finding that process to be nearly impossible at the moment and it's not due to any one dealer or manufacturer, I've worked with at least 3 of each! Crazy.

[Roger]

Get the serial number off the plate on the trailer axle and call UFP. They can spec all the parts you need including the Vault bearing parts. I just did this for a bad disk on a Phoenix trailer and replaced the Vault stuff on both sides. Not hard and I like the no maintenance Vault bearing buddy system. Once they have the part numbers figured out, they will give you a company and contact information where you can buy the parts (depends on where you live which company they recommend).

[ozski]

Oil Bath hubs suck! The set screws "weld" themselves in, they are the UFP Gold series and the screws are locktited in from UFP, great thinking guys! You can't get them out without stripping them that's for sure, so I didn't even try.

 

Then it hit me, I'll bet these are standard spec hubs and I'll bet they'll accept standard hub parts so I called the local trailer supply and sure enough the guy says yup they are. He also told me UFP had so many complaints that they discontinued oil bath hubs!

 

Well that solved that problem, went down and bought 4 Bearing Buddies, four standard grease seals and marine grease and converted them over to grease filled. As I never even removed the set screws that was no issue either. Replaced all four wheel setups yesterday and found another just starting to leak. Good ridence!

 

From this thread -

 

http://www.moomba.com/msgboard/showthread.php?15881-Leaky-Oil-bath-hub-solution!

 

 

[ForrestGump]

Boatmate, as well as most trailer manufacturers, deal with dealers and not really set up to deal with end users.

[ozski]

Well their website suggests otherwise with the shopping cart setup..

[rockdog]

No help @ozski but I dealt with Cal trailer works and the guy there was fantastic. Answered multiple emails with all the info I needed to buy the parts I wanted.

I agree that Boatmate should just answer the email or pick up the phone, it's not hard. Really annoys me this kind of lack of service, pathetic.

[BlueSki]

Having owned a Boatmate that I put under my old Nautique as a replacement and a Phoenix under my current boat, I might as well throw out a plug for Phoenix. We have a very steep ramp and they were happy to make and send me extended guide posts. The guy doing the work in the shop even picked up the phone to give me a call to confirm something. Additionally, the owner is a skier.

[Roger]

@ozski - Interesting quote. Don't know what the guy is talking about though, the Vault system has no "set screw" anywhere in the system. There is an O-Ring and lip seal that goes on the axle inside the inner bearing. Then you install the outer bearing and set it's play properly. Then you install a grease fitting in the end of the axle and pump the Vault Grease in until it shows around the outer bearing. Remove the grease fitting. Then fill the Vault cap with the same grease, coat the lip with blue locktite and install the cap. Nothing about set screws...

[oldjeep]

The older ones have a screw in the side of the hub for filling. Don't think they were called vault then. Vault isn't technically oil bath, they are more of a multi viscosity grease, the older setup used a straight 50 weight.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Everyone I know who has an oil bath hub setup loves them (most are MasterCraft trailers though). I've got the older Boatmate setup that takes the 50 wt oil. The boat/trailer are 2005 and there have never been any issues to date with the oil bath setup on my trailer. I change the oil every other season, no big deal. Maybe it's good maintenance, or maybe I'm just lucky?

[Bulldog]

I agree with @Ed_Obermeier my 2005 boat mate has been flawless and extremely reliable. Bought my set up in Florida in 2007 and drove three days straight to get it home. I have easily over 60000 km on my oil bath hubs with no issues. The boat loads like a dream as well.

[Roger]

@oldjeep - Thanks for that, never saw the older style. Yes, the Vault uses a special grease that looks like regular grease when you pump it in, but liquefies at 140 degrees for the oil bath effect, then re-solidifies when the temp drops back below 140. I've had mine for just about 5 years now and would not have opened it had I not had a bad disk that needed replacement. Since I was doing the side I was replacing the hub on, I chose to do the other side since the warranty is 5 years. If you have them inspected by an authorized UPF dealer at 5 years, they will extend the warranty to 10 years, so the stuff works pretty good (IMO).