continually weeping rear hub seal...what am I missing?

[86mud]

Hi all

My 1998 130 has a hub on the left hand rear that continually weeps. I am using a Corteco RTC3511 each time, but I seem to be replacing the seal and cleaning up the mess within a 12 month period.

The surfaces of the hub are not pitted or corroded and I make sure everything is spotlessly clean before reassembly, the new seal is placed in line with the surface of the hub, new seal is lubed and then hub refitted carefully with hub nut and lock washer torqued down as per the manual.

Any ideas on what else to look for or is there a better seal?

Thanks heaps

[harro]

Check that the diff breather isn't blocked.

[newhue]

Its a guess based on a friends continually leaking flanges. A bent diff.
This diff was bent on the short side, forward. Put the alignment out on just about everything and would slowly eat out seals, axels, and flanges. Diff Lapping at Kedron did the repair I believe. All good afterwards.
It was though being ex army, a mad dash reverse into a rock, log, or ditch may have done he damage, but hard to say.

[justinc]

Next time you pull it off, grab a new seal and check that it has some degree of tightness on the actual seal surface on the axle stub. I have seen some variance of OD on these stubs if non OEM ones are used. The seal should be fairly tight on there. A little bit of oil on the seal lips will be required.

Are you drifting the seal in exactly level? I use the drive flange to do this and drive the seal all the way in until it stops. The inner lip still seals and the seal will run in a different spot to where it has always been previously too.

JC

[86mud]

G'day Jason. I hope the diff housing is not bent! I has not had a hit since I have owned it. The leak has only been happening over the last two years. I saw you the other week coming off the story bridge. I was in my Peugeot 504 so you probably wondered who was waving at you.

Thanks heaps Justin. I have been drifting the seal in flush with the hub surface, but I will try to drift it in a little further.

I have extended diff breathers using brass elbows at the diff running through 8mm hose and terminating under the bonnet on the firewall with fuel filters. But I will check these to make sure they are not blocked.

Just ordering a new seal now.

Cheers

[dromader driver]

Got a picture of the seal after removal?

[86mud]

Actually I do, from when I did it last time in August 2015

These pictures show everything cleaned up with new hub seal inserted

[weeds]

I had issues for a while as well.....even fitted new stub, after the second time it started to leak I gave it to a workshop....they had two attempts as well.

I assuming you have oil filled hubs...?

Four seals, one stub, a half arsed fitter and a mechanic it was fixed

[steveG]

Looks from the photo like the seal isn't deep enough. Use JC's method of using the drive flange as an installation tool. Works perfectly every time I've done it that way.

Steve

[justinc]

Yes seal doesn't look in far enough...

Jc