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blown seal?

1K views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  thewap 
#1 · (Edited)
So I'm cruising at 60 today and actualy gloating over my new found prowess in having installed new rotors, bearings and all, that my right front brakes started fading rapidly. I felt a slight shimmy. Pulling over I saw 90 weight oil all over the wheel and rotor. looks like it coming from the back of the hub. I drove home carefuly and will tackle it tomorrow.

I am imagining 1. the hub seal failed 2. the hub nuts loosened, and caused the seal to fail (therefore the shimmy)
When coasting there is also a slight audible "click...click" coming from the wheel.

Any thoughts?
 
#2 ·
Could also be the CV joint, and I'd suggest checking the condition of the bearings as well.

Did you make sure there was enough endplay on the hub when you tightened down the big nuts?

-Hans
 
#3 ·
All other three wheels have not been problematic when I installed the new bearings. I adjusted the big nuts at about 6lbs
on the bearing (oily hand tight). I'm worried that the adjusting nut may have slipped tighter when I tightened the lock nut? Whats the best way to check the end play?
 
#4 ·
Best way to check end play is with a dial gauge and appropriate holders, but most people don't have them at all. Somebody else here also suggested a sequence of tightening then loosening, but I can't remember the specifics.

As long as you had the locking ring in there, the lock nut shouldn't have moved the adjuster. Did the hub still spin freely after you had it all assembled?

-Hans
 
#5 ·
Yes I used the lock washer and the hub spun freely. No problems running occasionally for the last week until this happened. I haven't got inside of it yet, but I already ordered bearings and seals just in case.

I nused the tightening loosening sequence as was posted. I went to about 20lbs to set the bearing, then loosened it. Then I tightened by oily hand which I believe would be around 6lbs. Used the lock washer, then the locknut.

Marc
 
#6 · (Edited)
The proceedure I use to set hub preload is this:
Assemble and torque inner adjuster nut to 37 ft lbs while spinning hub to seat bearings.
Back inner adjuster nut off 90 degrees.
Retorque inner adjuster nut to 7 ft lbs while spinning hub
install lock washer
install outer lock nut and torque to 37 Ft lbs
bend over the lock tabs.
This is the revised proceedure from LR, as no one ever used the dial indicator method anyway.

There are 2 different stub axle seals available depending on the production date of the axle. Make sure you matched what you had as installing the older (larger ID, metal body) seal in a newer application will cause a leak and the FTC4785 hub seal will do a very poor job sealing against gear oil. If you want to run gear oil in your hubs you will need to use RTC3511 hub seals (see GBR).
 
#7 · (Edited)
Ok, so I jacked up the wheel. There is about 1/4" play in and out. Pulled the tire and dissassembled the hub. I don't think the CV/swivels leaked, most of the goop came out of the back of the hub. I guess the hi-speed grease turns grayish just like the swivel one shot grease.The seal (old type) still looked seated, but I guess it leaked. The lock nut was not tight over the adjusting nut, I guess it loosened even with the lock washer. (I tightened it via hub tool and large screwdriver
thru the hole in the hub tool, and torqued tight). The spindle looks OK, the bearings look OK, no noticabhle resistance in them.

What do you guys think?

Follow-up Post:

On second thought, I'm thinking the leak is coming from the CV. Same grey goop thats all over the place on the wheel, all over the rotor and the caliper is caked with it. Could it be the CV bushing/seal?
 
#8 ·
update.

While I was checking the hub components, CV grease slowly poured from the center of the stub axle and CV joint shaft
(threaded hole). So I took out the CV and halfshaft. No apparent damage to the halshaft and splines, but I think that the CV joint seal probably failed, and the stub axle seal failed as well. I am presuming that the excess play in the hub damaged both seals?
 
#9 ·
So here is the breakdown of parts I ordered. CV Joint, clip & spacer,stub hub seal, swivel housing gasket, hub seal, new bearings, new lock washers.

The swivel pins look allright as well as the axle and the stub hub needle bearings, so I made the call that when the CV started to fail, it blew the seals related to Swivel grease pouring out into the hub.

I hope I'm right, and good schooling for me if a CV/axle breaks on the trail.
 
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