Hub lip seal (modern replacement)

[John Mason]

Hello all, Does anybody have experience of using and fitting Hub lip seals (modern replacement.) as supplied by  A7 Components instead of the old tried and tested felt. Also are they a straight swop for the old seals or is other work required to fit them.

John Mason.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I have only fitted the ones from 7Workshop but I suspect they are identical.

Remove old felt seal, place lip seal in position (open end towards the outside of the car), place spacer washer next and then bearing. Use the bearing to press the new lip seal into place, it is an interference fit into the inner wheel carrier. I use a hydraulic press but a vice will work, if used carefully.

Lubricate the lip with suitable grease and fit to axle.

[Ian Dunford]

Modern seals are generally a good idea on the back axle but not really of any benefit on the front..

[Ruairidh Dunford]

And, if using sealed bearings, some are happy to dispense with felt/lip seal altogether.

[Steve Jones]

Are you trying to keep the hub grease or the diff oil away from the rear brake shoes? If the problem is the former you've over greased the hub, if the latter you need to stop diff oil running down the axle tubes and to do that, you need a different lip seal at the inner end. Doing both properly, whether you use a felt, lip seal or a sealed bearing becomes irrelevant.

Steve

[Bob Culver]

On a good surface lip seals are very effective. Many modrns function regularly awash.The problem with Sevens is that the felts have invariably seriously worn the axle tube end.
All been laboured here before but to recap; Filling the diff to plug hole is unnecessary and almost sure to lead to trouble. 13 bhp and efficent spiral bevel does not need a lot of oil. The seals inside the axle tube should be in good conditon and ideally modern lip seals. Unless wading, the bearings need only be packed with grease whenever apart, and not the whole hub space. None are going to stay untouched for 60,000 miles. The steel washer for the felt must be retained so the bearing does not move endways in the hub, develop clearance, and pump grease/oil. Sealed bearings are not intended to block the through flow of any copious oil reaching them, although do.
(Ball races work on the merest trace of lubrication. Modern sealed wheel bearings contain very little. Tapered rollers which do not recirculate as do balls, stay together for tens of thousands of miles and survive despite very dry appearance.)

[John Mason]

It is the front hubs that require replacing particularly the offside. When stripped down the felt was starting to shred and coming out of the hub on the outside . I think I will go with Ian Dunford’s advice and replace with new felt seals as it appears there is little advantage using lip seals on the front.
One question however like other felt seals do you need to soak in oil before assembly.

John Mason.

[AustinWood]

I have now changed over to sealed bearings so seals become irrelevant. No chance of grease on the brakes.
Our rear nearside half shaft seal at the diff doesn't work so we have a hub lip seal to keep the axle oil in the hub.
Caused by a rogue half-shaft.

[Parazine]

One question however like other felt seals do you need to soak in oil before assembly.

I don't soak the seals as they will then give up the oil when installed and squeezed. They do need to be copiously oiled with an oil can however, preferably after being installed in the hub but before the hub is fitted to the stub axle.

[Steve Jones]

I don't oil mine but grease the running surface liberally with Copper Slip after fitting to the hub but before the hub is fitted.

Steve