Posts: 32935
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | It's not an oil bath hub as in compared to others on the market. I owned a share of that business and helped develop and market the product. Sold out a couple years after introduction. Always argued with Ken and Dee about the wording in that FAQ, it's not accurate.
First, most oil bath systems are not usually sealed/pressurized the way the LL system is. The LL system implements a cap that contains a diaphragm that expands and contracts as the hot/warm hub hits cold water eliminating the vacuum that draws water into greased systems past the rear seal. Second, the liquid in the system isn't oil at all, it's alcohol based and can take considerable contamination with water and simply make more lubricant.
Most oil bath hubs are much more open to the environment and use petroleum products as lube. The sealed oil system a few trailer builders use fails because of contamination of the lube as the seals wear and leak, and the water doesn't mix with the lube and rusts the race and bearings. LL won't fail, and you can see clearly when water does get in...no panic to fix immediately, either.
The things work really well.
And that's not 'splitting hairs'. Big difference between traditional oil bath hubs and the LL System.
Big difference.
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