Thread: Oil filled hubs for Disco

Yes, you can still run them oil filled with the plastic end caps.

Cheers
Simon

I've converted mine to oil a few weeks ago and used the original rubber caps. I just ran some black silastic sealer around the inside edge of the cap and haven't had a leak yet. I pulled one rotor off the other day just to check everything and found it to be better lubricated and the whole process was a lot cleaner too

I have converted my Disco1 to oil lubed bearings and I use the rubber caps. They will last a while (mine lasted 2 years converted). However when they fail they really really fail
Big time messy in the wheel and arch.

First time I 'fixed' them was stuffing grease into the cap and pushing it on. One side is still like that while the other one I 'fixed' yesterday by siliconing it on.

I say 'fixed' because I know it isn't a permanent fix. Only screw on type flange caps will be a proper fix.

So if your rubbers are in good nick then go ahead but keep your eye out for some screw on flanges and caps.

The rubber caps are only about a dollar each. I've had mine on for years now without a problem - carry a few spares though, just in case. I don't even bother sliconing them on, just clean everything up and push them on.

They do tend to harden and crack after about 10yrs - just replaced a couple on a mates Disco a few weeks ago because of this.

Roger

Great, Thanks guys, got a job for the weekend now.

Good question. I was wondering that myself.

I've been rebuilding a Stage I axle and filled the hubs with oil. Then, before I drove it, I had to take the metal end cap off the drive flange for some reason and it was very full of oil - but none had leaked out. I think this is a lot better than when water gets in and the cap gets rusty and the shaft and drive flange splines get rusty as well.

Still haven't actually driven the axle yet, but!

I run the rears in oil and fronts in grease as when they are run in oil they disintegrate a lot faster once they get some play in them and normally do a lot more damage before you know anything is wrong.

I have repaired another members Disco in a car park in Yea one night after driving back to Lilydale to get parts from a very good mate who was nice enough to supply me with the bits to get it going.

The first sign of anything wrong was about Dixon's creek when he noticed a scraping noise so we stopped and pulled a stick out from under the car and continued but it started feeling a bit vague in the steering etc so we got it to Yea where we pulled it apart to find the bearing was stuffed.

They had only been done (by a reputable LR repairer) with in a month earlier and been converted to run in oil.

We converted both sides back to grease the next day and had to replace the stub axle, hub, bearings, nuts and nut retaining plate.

This definitely convinced me not to run them in oil.

My last set that I replaced during my brake rotor change earlier in the year I hadn't changed I don't think before meaning they were 4 years old at least.

I had re greased and I had had the caps off a couple of times looking for noises etc but never found any reason to change them and in the end the pass side was a bit rusty due to some water washout because of a failed seal but there was never any noise or play but the bearings were black from rust when I cleaned them down so not far away from failing.

The drivers side was perfect but I replaced them anyway.

Originally Posted by mcrover

I run the rears in oil and fronts in grease as when they are run in oil they disintegrate a lot faster once they get some play in them and normally do a lot more damage before you know anything is wrong.

What do you mean disintegrate faster? The front axle I swapped out of my rangie this year had done I think around 500,000km with oil inside. I replaced one pair of bearings and I know the history for the last 250,000km.

Oil lubricates and cools far better than grease does.