Oil on rear brakes

[Bob Culver]

On several other makes I have often been surprised how much oil finds its way past the keyway, and nut face and thread. The leak is external but oil can work its way behind the face of the brake drum. Daubing paint over the nut will often seal. Modern h.m.p bearing grease uncontaminated will likely not exit.

If the hub flange gasket or substituteis is inadequate grease will find its way into the brakes. (whateve the arrangement the wheel bearing ideally should not float endways in the assembled hub. The steel seal washer reduces the clearance.)

Period advice to fill the hub with grease is absurd unless wading is intended. Packing little more than the races will suffice for years. And it has been long established that filling the diff to the book level is unnecessary and overtaxes the original simple seals within the axle tubes. Once diff oil reaches  and adds to the bearing grease, little except  modern seals running on good surface will retain. Very many "modern" allow the diff oil to freely reach the wheel bearings and rely entirely upon the final seal. Sealed bearings assist but are not really intended to block the passage of oil.