rear hub oil seals

[stevemac2002]

I have an oil leak from the rear axle shaft into one of the rear brake drums, are the oil seals easy to change or do I need any special tools? does anyone have a straight forward procedure for changing these? Cheers
Steve

[Keith - Portsmouth]

Sorry, not a diy job. Especially without the special tool.

[harvey]

There is a special press to strip the rear hubs down to get at the seals and bearings. It can be done without according to some (not that I've done it having always used the proper tool) but from those who have tried it seems to be difficult to do.

I do know someone with the tool who is willing to press them off and on for you and fit the seal. You can remove the shaft yourself, no special tools are required for that.

In view of how difficult they are to get apart I'd advise fitting a new bearing at the same time. The club sell a bearing and seal kit.

Check that the axle breather is not blocked.

[stevemac2002]

Thanks for the quick response. I 'll check the breather is clear, clean up the mess in the brake drum and see how it goes.. if it still leaks ( I expect it will!) then I'll get the bits inc the bearing get the axle off and get in touch.

[harvey]

Don't remove the axle complete, just remove the halfshafts leaving the casing where it is.

[Phil Nottingham]

The seals can be replaced easily without presses etc but the half-shaft has to be removed.

It is however false economy generally not to renew the bearing and collar as a faulty seal will wear partly because the bearing is wearing so the slack will quickly damage the new seal but more importnatly the dirty back axle oild will have washed away the bearing grease which will make the bearing wear even quicker.


I wish the club would source one of these tools to hire to members although the carraige cost would be a problem.

I also wish Harvey's mate was nearer as the other correct alternative is to use a 20T press with proper fitting pressblocks/spacers.

Bodgers chisel off the the ring invarabilbly nicking the shaft which casuse stress points and half shaft breakage. If this does not happen when fitting the new retaining ring its damged by overheating or excessive hammer blows. Siad ring is the only item that holds shaft in the axle and it will moves outward with wheel etc on the moves and fall off!


The club does sell the kit of ALL the bits required but its best to replace the 3/8th UNF bolts and nuts (6 of each) with new ones.

Removal of half shaft is easy. No puller/slide hammers or other weird contraptions are needed to remove the shaft if you know the right spot to apply light taps to break the thick ring of rust that welds hub to axle casing.

The brake anhcor plate (back plate) cannot be removed before beraing/locker ring ring released either

[Deleted]

When I renewed a seal at the end of 2006, I made a thorough check of the passage of oil escaping through the seal and it does NOT pass through the bearing.I posted what I found but I can't remember what I said. The drawings in the WM show
The bearing is well sealed and covered and the oil cannot pass through, it's a myth.

[Deleted]

Here is the posting from 2006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I removed the n/s half shaft on Saturday and had enough side room as I was able to move it to one side as it came out of the axle casing
I have now brought the h/s home to my fully equipped garden shed and studied it in detail after removal of the oil seal sleeve.
My car has the original bearing and collar and the visible side of the bearing has an engineered sealing cap which looks as if it would prevent any ingress of water/oil/dirt. it is impossible to see the actual inside of the bearing.
The bearing is held tight against the flange of the h/s but is free to move within the bearing housing and it is possible to rock the housing side to side in relation to the bearing.
When the assembly including the oil sleeve is tightened up to the end of the axle casing, the bearing is held tightly in position to prevent it from turning in the housing.
My point is that any differential oil seepage past the seal should pass around the bearing and not through it.
The cross section on page 4 of section M of the 3 litre w/m shows the route the oil should take eventually exiting through the three drillings in the shaft flange to run down the OUTSIDE of the drum. Obviously, if those 3 holes are blocked then the oil will exit INSIDE the drum and ruin your linings.
Having said all that, on page 6 the modification to the early hubs is shown to prevent seepage and that text recommends the replacement of the bearing
In my view, the hub has been modified because Rover engineers accepted that some seepage is inevitable and they have put the "O" ring and the felt seal in to reduce the seepage but have also designed an exit route for any oil that has bypassed the "O" ring, the seal and the felt washer.
I suppose if you have actually dismantled the assembly and found the bearing to be full of oil,then my theory is wrong.Perhaps in the case of a really severe leak the oil would pass through the bearing but that bearing is well protected against the outside world from what I could see.
If I am wrong please put me right but,if so, what is the point of the drillings?

[Phil Nottingham]

The theory is correct - that is how Rover tried to stop the problem . In practice it only partially works. It also aims the allow a pressure relief in the hub housing in addition to the axle vent which does easily block

As the car travels and reasonable distamce the hot and more fluid gear oil finds its way through the bearing dust/grease seal which is is held in place by a tight clearance fit and sometimes thin rubber strips. Capillary action also allows oil. Wear of the races usually allows this to become loose and I have found a numer of bearings in this condition

The O ring is there only to prevent capillary action between the hub flange and axle flange - leakage at that point does not contaminate the brake shoes. Early P5 and P4 etc suffered from this more.

[stevemac2002]

I have a workshop manual on the way now and am looking forward to reading it before attacking the axle. Oil is definitely inside the hub as I had to clean off the linings and adjust shoes to get it through the MOT last year. Its a 1964 MK11a auto with 34000 on the clock so I'd be surprised if the bearing was shot. I'll have a good clean out of the breather and the three drain holes mentioned above and see how I get on. Thanks for all the info, great forum this!

[Phil Nottingham]

It is well worth trying just the seal at that mileage if the seal goes again the bearing is worn/failed but you must check the axle breather which has to be unscrewed. It had a caged ball bearing which must rattle and clena out the hole so that you can blow through it but not suck through if held vertical

[stevemac2002]

Cleaned out the rear axle breather, cleaned up the brake drum (it looks like a light oil leak from the hub. Noticed lower piston on the slave cylinder was seized so I managed to free it but it is still not moving in and out as it should. Have just ordered repair kit for the slave cylinder and will see how much oil has leaked from hub when I go to fit it. Hopefully I won't need to do the axle bearing or oil seal if the breather, now clean, does its job. Are rear slave cylinders really £75!!!

[Phil Nottingham]

Yes they are but what price safety - they can usually be salvaged by rerubbering or even sleeving

[stevemac2002]

Anyone got any tips on removing a seized piston from the slave cylinders. The one I have revolves/rotates when some force is applied but will not slide in/out the cylinder. I have a repair kit so am not bothered about damaging the rubber parts, i just need to get the piston out.

[Phil Nottingham]

Block up the free end uwing old piston with seal and clamp and close bleed nipple and use air line or tyre pump in other pipe hole. Or refit and bleed and use hydarulic pressure by pressing brake pedal.

Old type grease gun will work too - bore may no good though when you get piston out!

[Warwick]

The hydraulic method is safer than using air - unless you cover the end with a hessian bag or something. You could shoot yourself in the foot, or worse, if it is well jammed and then lets go suddenly.

[stevemac2002]

Once the drive shaft is removed is it possible to change the oil seals/felt washer without removing the bearing retaining collar?

[Phil Nottingham]

Yes - just bash the the splined end hard on a block of wood and seal retainer should come out the hub