Swivel Hub Seal (3 Viewers)

[Ultima RB]

Is it supposed to look like this?

It was seeping oil so I'm pretty sure it's stuffed but i also read that a blocked axle breather will force oil out the seals. I've cleaned up the breather and cleaned up the swivel hubs. At the moment it's still on axle stands with the wheels off so I can't tell if it's still leaking.

Just need a second opinion before I start spending money.

 

[ChuckD]

I won't profess to be a seal expert but that looks like its shot. When I replaced this dust/grease seal on my 94 fjz80 it was not near as shredded looking.

 

[Trollhole]

The problem I see is yes you have a bad seal. But I think there may be reasons why. You ball joint looks pitted. If a seal were to rub up against that it would wear it out quickly. I don't know a good cheap fix. Maybe others more experienced can help.

Should be smooth.

 

[Desertdave]

I bought a used Disk Brake axle for my '74 and it was pretty pitted. I painted it first with rust preventative 'red' paint that dried pretty thickly, then top coated it with my usual semi-gloss black. It tended to fill in the pits and make the final surface smooth. Many years later the seal has started to wear through the black paint somewhat to expose the red. Might work for you, after you polish the surface as best you can with fine emery paper or sandpaper.

 

[Pin_Head]

The knuckle wiper is just to keep most of the dust and dirt out. If it is leaking gear lube (smells like sulphur), it is because the axle seal inside the housing has failed, often because of bad knuckle (trunion) bearings.

Your particular wipers look pretty normal compared to the ones shown below which are leaking gear lube. Personally I wouldn't worry about this until it is time to change the knuckle bearings or birfields and your are inside the knuckle anyway.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

 

[Mr. Toad]

The felt is shredded, but I don't see anything actually leaking out. In fact, it looks downright dry. So I think that the globe-pitting that Trollhole pointed out is shredding your felt, but you don't have any leaky seals . . . yet. Pin-Head has the right repair advice: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

 

[Radd Cruisers]

My suggestion is to remove the axles and tie rod ends, turn the knuckle both ways and feel for ratcheting effect or loose bearings, if so a total rebuild is neccessary.


I usually dissassemble the entire knuckle and use a flapper wheel starting with 60 grit to polish out the pits on the knuckle, finish with a 120 wheel until all the pits are gone.

The original plating is long gone so at the very least you are smoothing the knuckle surface out again for the seal to move one.

Good luck.

Rob

 

[Ultima RB]

The pictures were taken after I cleaned it up a bit. It was leaking a substantial amount, I took it for a drive in 2wd and it didn't appear to leak. I imagine that the pressure only builds up when using 4wd.

Polishing and new seals seems like the way to go.

 

[Pin_Head]

The wiper is supposed to only retain the grease and keep the dirt out; it is not a "seal" so the pitting doesn't matter. It is a waste of time if you don't replace the inner axle seal. You might as well do the knuckle bearings too.

 

[miker]

The wiper is supposed to only retain the grease and keep the dirt out; it is not a "seal" so the pitting doesn't matter. It is a waste of time if you don't replace the inner axle seal. You might as well do the knuckle bearings too.

I'm with Pin_Head. Polish all you want and make it look pretty. Unless you like that look, its a waste of time.

However, I do suggest tearing it down and rebuilding. Looking at that axle from the outside, it most likely needs it. The axle shaft seals are probably shot and this is why its leaking. Other reason could be that someone took off that knuckle plug and filled the knuckle with gear lube.

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Think of it as a windshield wiper running over large pitting on a winshield, this does allow a certain amount of dirt in.

Guess if it were not a issue toyota would of had some pitting in the knuckle from the factory?

 

[Pin_Head]

Guess if it were not a issue toyota would of had some pitting in the knuckle from the factory?

LOL

Actually, Toyota used them just as they came out of the stamping press. If they wanted them to have an oil tight seal, they would have ground and polished the ball surface smooth and true and put a more effective seal in there.

Go ahead and polish that turd. Might as well weld up the pits, have it machined spherical and have it hard chromed too. If you are worried about any dirt that might get past the wiper, you aren't breaking enough Birfields.

 

[Poser]

LOL

Actually, Toyota used them just as they came out of the stamping press. If they wanted them to have an oil tight seal, they would have ground and polished the ball surface smooth and true and put a more effective seal in there.

Go ahead and polish that turd. Might as well weld up the pits, have it machined spherical and have it hard chromed too. If you are worried about any dirt that might get past the wiper, you aren't breaking enough Birfields.

I always enjoy reading your posts pin head.





Don’t waste your time machining and chroming. Land Rover does that on their front axle, and it is just one more place that it leaks. (actually, Rovers North offers re-plated knuckles, as they attach with bolts to the housing, and are a serviced component) However, they do offer leather gaiters to attach between the knuckle housing and the front axle to keep majority of the crud off the knuckle, but all it does is get saturated with the gear oil that leaks out of their closed knuckle system.


Good luck!


-Steve

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Ponder this also, you have a smooth rubber seal not a oil seal but a grease wiper.

Its main job is to keep the dirt out and the grease in, I never called it a oil seal. We all know were the oil seal is.

Now take a smooth seal and run sandpaper over it, you ruff it up and make it less effective.

I cannot seem to drop this small rant. The time it takes to run the die grinder with a flapper wheel maybe ten minutes a side makes the job purty. Plus I really enjoy turd polishing.

Damn you man can you not see I want you to see it my way, or as my wife always says "Im right and your wrong".......


Heee hee.

 

[Poser]

Gosh,


Guess I really missed the seriousness of this topic...


Sorry.






-Steve

 

[SpaceGhost]

Gosh,

Guess I really missed the seriousness of this topic...

No you didn't!

The entire wiper/felt setup is cosmetic at best. Including the stamped retainers. Pinhead covered it, DO NOT think to hard on this, replace the seal if it is leaking, and if you have never replaced the knuckle bearings, do that as well. Plenty of kits available with everything you need, and Radd will be happy too if ya wail on the ball with a flapper.

Charlie, where the hell do you find time to monitor all these posts? Seriously, I appreciate your attentive and knowledgeable (sp) replies. Curiously, what is your day job?

 

[Pin_Head]

I see what you mean now.

Actually, I polished the first oneI ever had. It still leaked until I discovered the axle seal and changed it.

Maybe I have just gotten lazy or there are too many other things that need work.

Nothing wrong with a little rant every now and then or turd polishing for that matter. Keeps things entertaining.

Charlie, where the hell do you find time to monitor all these posts? Seriously, I appreciate your attentive and knowledgeable (sp) replies. Curiously, what is your day job?

I sit at my computer all day long writing mind numbing technical stuff and signing papers. Reading all this stuff is "break time". Doesn't really take that much time, since I type 100 wpm. It's the only thing I learned in high school classes that turned out to be useful.

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Ya now thats what I talking about, goood old fun bantering.




Very much encourage by Woody, makes for a fun thread.......

Rob

 

[Poser]

I am still laughing...

 

[Ultima RB]

Thanks for all your comments. I was lucky enough to find a kit on ebay which has new bearings as well.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10428&item=4545670918

Anything else that's recommended while pulling it apart?