Thread: How do you convert to OIL LUBED WHEEL BEARINGS?

Originally Posted by up2nogood

Anyone got a part number for these?

LR part number is RTC3511.

Paul

"There may also be another oil seal in the axle housing or the inside of the chrome ball, which stops the diff oil mixing with the swivel oil - it is a good idea to remove this also. Make sure you fit double-lipped hub seals if not already fitted."

This not a good idea if your Rover is on a side slope, whether parked or moving, because all of the oil can run from one side of the car to the other. The uphill side will starve for oil when moving. Also, if water gets into the diff or hubs it will then contanimate all of the front axle rather than one compartment. Similarly if there is no seal between the bearings and swivel housings, water in one will pollute the other. Getting water out of the wheel bearings would be problematic at best, where as at least in the diff and swivels it can be drained fairly successfully.

I agree that oil on bearings is perfectly acceptable, the problem is getting it there without creating a new problem
cheers Chazza

PC050160.jpg
theres the photo of a clapped out drive flange from a IIA showing the location of the drilling I wastalking about for filling the bearings if you go for a bearing only conversion.

remove that alen head bolt and its got a hole all the way through, remove it and rotate to 12 oclock for filling
6 oclock for draining
and 3/9 oclock for level checking.

not critical but it makes checking oil contamination a metric truck load easier

Originally Posted by chazza

This not a good idea if your Rover is on a side slope, whether parked or moving, because all of the oil can run from one side of the car to the other. The uphill side will starve for oil when moving. Also, if water gets into the diff or hubs it will then contanimate all of the front axle rather than one compartment. Similarly if there is no seal between the bearings and swivel housings, water in one will pollute the other. Getting water out of the wheel bearings would be problematic at best, where as at least in the diff and swivels it can be drained fairly successfully.

Sorry, but you are wrong.

For oil to drain out of the hubs into the swivel housing, it has to flow out the stub axle - which means UPHILL if you are talking about the hub on the high side. Also, unless the axle is completely vertical, some oil will be retained in the swivels and diff centre - more than enough to provide lubrication. And really - who keeps their vehicle on a steep sideslope for more than a few minutes at a time.

As for water and contaminants, there shouldn't be any getting in anyway, and double-lipped oil seals will help make sire of that. If it does get in, it is better for it to be moved around and diluted so it doesn't do any harm, rather than stay in one place and ruin wheel bearings, etc.

I have a 1981 RR and also the original hand book with services intervals, recommended lubricants etc. Under heavy wading conditions the oil in the swivel pin housings should be changed regularly by removing the drain plug at the base of the housing and draining the OIL.

Replace the drain plug, remove the fill level and filler plugs. Fill the housing via the filler hole until OIL drains from the fill level and replace all plugs. All done. The hand book only mentions oil, not grease.

If interested I could look up the recommended oil type.

It will be 80/90wt same as what used to be in the gearbox and tcase..

85/140 for arid condition uses (ambient temp 40 deg +)

Im not entirely sure But I belive you can use older swivles on the newer units and get back the full benifits of having the oil..

"As for water and contaminants, there shouldn't be any getting in anyway, and double-lipped oil seals will help make sire of that. If it does get in, it is better for it to be moved around and diluted so it doesn't do any harm, rather than stay in one place and ruin wheel bearings, etc."

Ben, I concede that we could argue about your first paragraph and still be happy that each of us are right. However, your quote above doesn't make sense. Water in unfiltered oil, in any quantity, is not a good thing; it does not become "diluted" it only serves to destroy the work of the oil and start corrosion. I would rather replace one set of wheel bearings, than every bearing in the axle. In any case why would Land Rover go the trouble and expense of fitting all of those seals if they were not really needed?

Byron, the Series 1 rear axles very early on had no seals, but rather a reverse helix to keep the axle oil in. Unfortunately when wading the helixes served to direct water into the axle casing. Rover modified the axle to have oil seals; the front axles since 1948 as far as I know have had the wheel bearings; swivel housing; and axle separated by seals to prevent oil leaking from one to another. I believe all of the series LR's had the same set up,
cheers Chazza

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

PC050160.jpg
theres the photo of a clapped out drive flange from a IIA showing the location of the drilling I wastalking about for filling the bearings if you go for a bearing only conversion.

remove that alen head bolt and its got a hole all the way through, remove it and rotate to 12 oclock for filling
6 oclock for draining
and 3/9 oclock for level checking.

not critical but it makes checking oil contamination a metric truck load easier

mmmmmm........vvvvery clever!

thanks mate