Thread: Swivel Housing - How much wear is OK

Here's a few tips as I'm going through this problem now:

Worse for wear balls

Thanks Scott. I did follow that thread when it was active. On mine there is a solid leak in the FR hub and movement in the swivel bearings. I also notice on receipts supplied by the previous owner that the front right "swivel hub seals" have been replaced and then the hub filled with one shot grease. These are originally oil-filled hubs.
I find it strange that you would "replace the seals" and not do the bearings at the same time but the invoice supplied definitely only prices in "seals" and no bearings. I would have thought you would be stripping the hub to replace the seals so why not spend the extra $100 to do the bearings as well. Anyway, the pitting is pretty minor so I will give it a go and just do the bearings and seals.
Do you think I should then stay with oil or repeat the previous fellow's approach of using one shot grease?
If I fill the hub with oil in the short term, would there be any problem refilling with grease at a later stage (eg would ouil need to be flushed)?
Thanks

The first thing to do is sort out the swivel bearings. A leaking seal is fairly common so if the bearings felt OK at the time, I can understand why just the seal was replaced. Replacing the bearings is a lot bigger job than just doing the swivel seal.


I prefer oil myself as it's easier to change if water gets in there, but then I can't really say I've heard of problems with water affecting the grease either. Most seem to go the grease route to avoid weeping seals.


It seems like the pitting is not too bad so I would try oil first. If you wish to go grease later, then just drain the oil & refill with grease - no flushing is usually needed.

Originally Posted by Scouse

The first thing to do is sort out the swivel bearings. A leaking seal is fairly common so if the bearings felt OK at the time, I can understand why just the seal was replaced. Replacing the bearings is a lot bigger job than just doing the swivel seal.

There is definite movement in N-S plane so I am sure its the bearings - I have tried removing shim(s) and it made no diff so assume bearings are worn.

WRT replacing the actual bearings - maybe I am not understanding something - dont you have to remove the swivel housing to fit the oil seal that is on the diff side of the housing?
If you have already stripped and dismantled the front right hand drive mechanism of the car is it still substantially more work to replace the bearings as well?
I got the impression that once the swivel housing was out, replacing the bearings was a doddle! What am I missing here?
Cheers

Originally Posted by wouldbeowner

If you have already stripped and dismantled the front right hand drive mechanism of the car is it still substantially more work to replace the bearings as well?
I got the impression that once the swivel housing was out, replacing the bearings was a doddle! What am I missing here?

To replace the swivel seal, all you need to do is remove the brake caliper & undo the 7(?) bolts securing the ball to the axle casing. Then the seal is easily replaced.

Doing the swivel bearings is this + stripping down the ball, hub, stub axle to remove the axle......

Scouse,
Dont you flash qualified mechanics "replace the swivel seal" by simply cutting the seal/bolt plate at the top and then slipping it over the neck all insitu... of course you give the hub a quick degrease and wipe with a rag first

Steve

Originally Posted by roverrescue

Scouse,
Dont you flash qualified mechanics "replace the swivel seal" by simply cutting the seal/bolt plate at the top and then slipping it over the neck all insitu... of course you give the hub a quick degrease and wipe with a rag first

Steve

Sshhh, you can't give away trade secrets like that .

As you would be aware I am sure:
Stinkin Tojo swivels - Welded at the neck, filled with grease AND the retaining plate comes from the factory with a split... All combined with the fact that a Tojo hub/swivel is painful to remove means they are begging for the workshop process of slicing the seal!

Landys with bolted swivels, better seals and oil filled are less likely to get that butchery.
But its not unheard of

S