AXLE MATE - Wheel Bearing Protectors and trailer services

13/06/2026

OIL FILLED AXLE VS STANDARD AXLE - WHICH IS BETTER

Over the last ten months of working in the boating industry , if has proven my mindset that grease filled hubs with axle mates is the most cost effective way to get the best out of your trailers wheel bearings

Oil filled axle are extremely expensive in initial outlay and then the parts are extremly expensive eg brake caliper pots can set you back close R6000 for two.

If you have leaking seals on one hub , you end up with contamination on the other side as the water mixes with the oil.This cant happen with a standard axle set up

Neither oil filled axle or standard axle with AXLE MATEs are fit and forget. The seals need to be changed. On the oil filled axle there are three seals and thus last longer but if start leaking oil the journal has most likely been grooved and due to the size its and labour intensive and costly repair. Not many engineers have a lathe that can handle that diameter.

Also when a leak develops you loose lubrication. With Axle MATE , when the hub seal goes , the positive pressure will push the grease through, and the bearings remain lubricated and water is kept out.

Some of these oil filled axle are not SABS approved (go do your homework)

I suppose if money is no problem then costs are not an issue , but for us mere mortals who are not in that income bracket , beware when buying a secondhand trailer with oil filled axles...I has the potential to break the bank.

Your in safe and cost effective towing
Rob

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11/06/2026

Thank you for your support Lourens, another set , the last of the 52 mm, will be of to Richards Bay

11/06/2026

Axle mate getting around 3 sets of to the magalies berg, thank you for your support Tiaan

12/05/2026

12/05/2026

This is for guys that are new to oil filled axles and are not aware of this little ridge and the challenges one can face

06/05/2026

So yesterday day we got one of these into the shop, boats been towed up from eastern Cape, splinter nuut, going for export to Mauritius....stunning boat. I must say our local boat builders are really improving their build quality.......so back to the pics . The front right and back left seals are leaking, first time I worked on one of these so t was interesting, but shortcoming immediately noticed.....it's a s**t system finish and klaar...they were lucky not to drop a bearing as most of the oil had leaked out

For. the cost it's cheaper to fit axle mates, you can NEVER EVER loose the grease and as long as you keep it topped up you can NEVER get water into the hub,as the system will push the grease through the leaking seal and you will have a wall of grease as a barrier preventing water ingress

Yours in safe towing
Rob

27/04/2026

Maintenance post

Be very cautious when buying a second hand trailer that has an oil filled axle.....if regular maintenance was not done, like replacing the seals , you could be in for a very very heavy repair bill....

We busy getting a boat and trailer ready for the the new customer and the trailers axle has the following issue

Brake disc cracked through, so one new hub please.... don't want to know what that cost, bearings also need replacing as water got into the system

How did that happen, the journals are grooved The seals have gone hard over time and have grooved the journals , this allowing oil out , moisture in

Axle need to be sent to engineering to be machined.

Just cause you have an oil filled axle doesn't mean they are maintenance free, don't wait for the seals to start leaking , they should be replaced on a scheduled time frame, check with manufacturer in these timings

As always yours in safe towing

25/04/2026

Nice to see some Axle mates at work on the beach

18/01/2026

AXLE MATES HARD AT WORK

So this trailer has had axle mates for Abt three years now,

Customer took it to a boat shop in December , to have new brakes fitted before their planned trip to mozam
They ried to convince him that the trailer needed new bearings, he disputed, they came back and apologized saying bearings are still 100%

That's 3 years of cost saving in bearings, labour, time out your day taking trailer back and forth and let's not forget fuel for your towing vechile

The below is me checking them after he came back from Inhambane, were they had some weather issues with the whole trailer , part of the boat and the part of the Cruzer under water

Checked my special coating on the brake shoe frames and there is not a mark of rust on them

Check the bearings , not a drop of water in the hubs and you can hear from the rotation all is happy in there.

Also that is how you check your bearings with axle mate, no need to remove axle mate, just jack it up rotate the wheel and as long as there is no rumble in the middle if the jungle, top up and go

26/12/2025

With WR Fishing – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉