Any Experience of leaking hubs?

[inch]

Ok, perhaps a rhetorical question for a land rover forum, I guess we all have, but got a really persistent leak and having tried just about everything I'm looking for inspiration.

The rear left hub on my S3 88 wont stop leaking. so far i have done the following....

Replaced the Flange Gasket
Replaced the hub collar
Replaced the Hub oil seals, twice, with rubber seals (The little blue box)

And it still leaked

So last week, thinking it was a touch of blue-box-itis, I replaced the hub oil seal with what was advertised as the leather OEM seal, definitely put it in the right way round...

Today I had a look at the hub after a 100km run, and its flooding out, oil spun out around the wheel arch and brake pads soaked. The oil is inside the brake drum and back plate assembly, the back of the backplate is clean and dry so i think it has to be the hub oil seal.

The OEM Leather seal came in a Bearmach or Britpart box, can't remember which but not the land rover one I was expecting with an 'OEM' part.

So hoping someone else has been here and knows the magic fix, from where I am sitting I'm thinking replace the hub complete or nip down to Land Rover and get a seal from them if they still stock such things...

The other side of the axle got the new collar and blue box treatment and is leak free.

Any thoughts very much appreciated.

Photo of the offending seal attached (paddocks)

132889

Cheers
Ian

[87County]

Assuming your seals and fit up are OK, one solution is to drain the fluid and replace it with a sufficient quantity of the "one-shot" grease as is used in later generations of swivel hubs.

If you have FWHs on a Series LR, consider either leaving them permanently engaged or remove them.

Worked for me in a S3.

[inch]

Thanks County,

Its the rear hub thats giving me the stress, although I did re pack the hub with a slightly heavier duty bearing grease last time to no avail. Did that trick on the front a few months ago and you are right, worked a treat!

[87County]

Thanks County,

Its the rear hub thats giving me the stress, although I did re pack the hub with a slightly heavier duty bearing grease last time to no avail. Did that trick on the front a few months ago and you are right, worked a treat!

Sorry , I misread (or read it too quickly :) ), and assumed it was swivel seals that were giving you probs.

The rear seals have a habit of wearing a groove where they rub, the solution in this case is to fit a speedisleeve for the new seal to run on

The sleeves come in a vast range of sizes and the shop will help you choose the appropriate one

SKF Speedi-Sleeve (http://www.skf.com/au/products/seals/industrial-seals/power-transmission-seals/wear-sleeves/skf-speedi-sleeve/index.html)

Bearing shops sell them and each comes with its own installation tool/sleeve

[B.S.F.]

Probably a blocked axle breather. it's screwed in on top of the axle. Remove it, wash it in petrol or turps, blow it out , shake it to make sure you can hear the ball rattle , screw it back in. Or buy a new one and keep one on the shelf as an exchange unit. I live on a dirt road and I've got to clean mine a couple of times a year. It's usually only the rear one that clogs up, for obvious reasons..W.

[Dinty]

I'm with B.S.F 100% with this, especially as you stated you have replaced the collar on the stub axle new seals etc, diff/breathers get clogged with crud and seize up, remove it wash it out, earlytypes you could take apart, not sure about s3 stuff, anyway let us all now what you find, cheers Dennis

[inch]

Thanks Dennis and BSF, I'll have another look at the breather, I converted them a year or so ago to a breather pipe, not sure if that's now a good idea or not, but I'll check it still breathes!

The thing that doesn't seem right to me is I've got oil coming out of the rear hub seal. I presume the oil should be staying in the axle and shouldn't even get into the hub, I've fitted that felt seal, it seems that's the only thing that stops the oil spilling into the hub, concerned I've missed something, presume there isn't a seal in the end of the axle tube as with the front?

Thanks for your thoughts. I also read somewhere that the stub axle could be worn affecting the end float and causing a leak but it seems to run pretty true. Thinking, if the breather trick doesn't work I might swap the two hubs over completely. Both have new distance pieces and both were fitted using a sealant, so I'm hoping that angle is covered. If the leak swaps then its the hub that holds the problem, If it stays on the left then the stub may be out of true. If both leak.... No, I don't even want to go there!

Cheers ian

[inch]

Well I must admit I had my doubts, It was leaking so badly, but checked the breather, which is only about 12 moths old.

Blocked....

100km later, no leaks

Result, thanks!