Which wheel end is better, oil lubricated or grease lubricated?

With the continuous development of vehicle technology, the application of oil lubrication on the wheel end of the rear axle of the semi-trailer is becoming more and more extensive. Compared with ordinary grease lubricated hubs, the biggest advantage of oil lubrication is that it can achieve long maintenance and prolong the service life of wheel end accessories. Relevant data show that about 95% of trailer axles in the North American market use liquid gear oil lubrication technology.

Lubricating oil and grease are two commonly used lubricants on vehicles. Lubricating oil can be divided into petroleum-based lubricating oil and synthetic lubricating oil. Lubricating grease can be divided into solid grease and semi-fluid grease. The purpose of lubrication is nothing more than to Reduces frictional losses, removes heat and wear particles, and protects components from corrosion.

Let’s go back to the wheel end of the rear axle of the semi-trailer. Compared with grease lubrication, what are the advantages of oil lubrication?

1. Reduce the temperature impact of the wheel end system.

Lubricating oil has low viscosity, which makes it easier to form an oil film at the relative rotating position of bearings and oil seals, avoiding lubricating dead angles, improving the anti-rust performance of wheel ends, and protecting parts from corrosion; at the same time, it can also reduce frictional resistance and wear, and remove heat and wear debris, avoid rubber performance degradation caused by overheating of the oil seal, and prolong the service life of the wheel end parts.

2. It has a certain self-cleaning function.

The fluidity of the lubricating oil is stronger, which can better remove some debris generated by the bearing operation, and then rely on gravity to settle at the bottom of the hub and release it through the oil drain screw to keep the inside of the wheel end system clean and reduce maintenance times.

3. The maintenance cycle is long.

At present, the logistics and transportation industry has higher and higher requirements on the attendance rate and maintenance rate of vehicles. The maintenance cycle of oil lubricated wheel ends can reach about 500,000 kilometers to 1 million kilometers. The lubricating wheel end can be maintained once every 2 years.

4. Simple and convenient maintenance.

Oil-lubricated hub caps generally adopt a transparent window design. Before leaving the car, you can directly observe the oil level and oil product through the hub cap to check whether there is oil shortage and whether the oil quality is qualified, which is convenient for timely maintenance; during maintenance, only the lubricating oil needs to be replaced, and no The car owner can dismantle the tires by himself, without going to the repair shop or maintenance station, which is clean and trouble-free, and can also improve the attendance rate.

5. The use cost is lower.

The cost of oil-lubricated wheel ends cannot be reflected in a short period of time. It needs to be comprehensively determined based on the life cycle of the vehicle, maintenance frequency, and maintenance costs. Under normal circumstances, as long as there is no abnormality in the lubricating oil, the oil can be changed for life. Even if the oil is changed, it only needs to add a few hundred milliliters of lubricating oil. Compared with ordinary lubricating grease, the cost of lubricating oil is less .

But as we said before, there are always advantages and disadvantages in everything, and oil lubricated wheel ends are no exception. In addition to the relatively high initial investment cost, it is also necessary to pay attention to the oil seal of the oil-lubricated hub must not be damaged, because once the oil seal is damaged, the lubricating oil will enter the brake drum and affect the braking effect of the vehicle, which is very dangerous.

In addition, it should be noted that the maintenance cycle of oil lubricated wheel ends is long, but daily inspections are indispensable, especially in the case of complex transportation conditions, it is necessary to strengthen the monitoring of wheel end systems:

1. Before departure, check the trailer axle fasteners to see if there is any looseness;

2. Check whether the hub cap is damaged and whether there is oil leakage;

3. Regularly observe whether the gear oil in the hub is above the normal level and whether it is contaminated. Generally, the lubricating oil is dark in color. If it appears white or milky, it indicates that the lubricating oil is polluted;

4. Every 12 months or 100,000 kilometers, the wheel should be set up to check whether there is any abnormal noise in the rotation and whether the bearing is shaking;

5. Every 12 months or 100,000 kilometers, it is necessary to open the oil injection hole, and use a magnet probe to penetrate into the lubricating oil to check whether there are iron filings and other impurities.

Only by doing all the daily maintenance and inspections can we fully guarantee its functions, prevent failures, and prolong its service life. DARO maintenance-free trailer axle is specially made for trailers. It has been focusing on the development and production of trailer axles for 20 years. Special size trailer axles can provide customized services. The quality can stand the test and win the trust of many customers.