Front Hub Felt Seal - Old vs New

[TR4nut]

I think this topic has come up before the the TR3-6 crowd. Its difficult to tighten down the front hub because the new felt seals are thick.

I found that I had some original Unipart GHS 110 seals so I checked to see what the difference was. It surprised me, here is a pic of new vs. old:

Not a scientific measurement, but the new seal calipered at 0.44" - the old unused seal was 0.33". I'll be using the Unipart seals in the 3A - if you have the new seals, don't worry about trimming off 0.1" before assembly, you will probably be better off doing so.

 

[TR3driver]

FWIW, the ones I got from TRF recently look a lot more like the ones on the right above.

Also, at one time, the factory recommended setting the bearing clearance BEFORE installing new seals. Mark the nut, install the seal, put the nut back in the same position.

 

[tdskip]

Oh crap. I just ordered new ones from Moss. Can they be used successfully?

 

[TR4nut]

I'm not sure where I got the one on the left to be honest. But I think it verifies the cause of the troubles people have mentioned before. Some of these seals are just too thick.

 

[CinneaghTR]

FWIW, the ones I got from TRF recently look a lot more like the ones on the right above.

The TRF seal worked great. It required no trimming.

 

[tdskip]

How would you trim the thicker seals anyway?

 

[TR3driver]

Razor blade? Honestly, if I had to use ones that were too thick, I'd just use the procedure I outlined above and let them wear to size.

 

[tomshobby]

I have not installed a new felt seal for many years but when I did I would soak them in oil over night and let them drain the excess into a rag or towel and install them. Was common practice then and don't know why it would not still work. I never heard of putting them in dry.

 

[TR4nut]

I have not installed a new felt seal for many years but when I did I would soak them in oil over night and let them drain the excess into a rag or towel and install them. Was common practice then and don't know why it would not still work. I never heard of putting them in try.

I think that is the factory practice, or at least what I saw in the Haynes manual last night.

 

[tdskip]

What oil to soak them in?

If they go in dry then where would they get oil from (sorry if that is a dumb questions)?

Anyone know the torque required to fit the hub on the axle? My mechanic already installed the bearing into the hub.

First time on this for me, so thanks for being patient.

 

[TR3driver]

If you want to soak them, engine oil will do. But I have always put mine in dry and it seems to work just fine. This is just a dust seal, it doesn't have to carry any load. And since I plug up the hole in the dust cap, the inner seal has to breathe a bit as the hub warms and cools. Wouldn't want oil being thrown out to contaminate the brake rotor & pad.

If you are doing it without the felt or with an old felt, you can just tighten the nut until the hub doesn't turn as easily ("resistance is felt to hub rotation"), then back off by 1/2 flat. With a new seal installed (and no previous mark), tighten to 5 ftlb, then back off 1 flat.

 

[TR4nut]

I think the manual just say motor oil - soak, then squeeze out the excess.

I think the torque is pretty low, 10 ft lbs to set, then slack off about a flat to get the cotter pin in.

 

[tdskip]

Thanks guys!

 

[PatGalvin]

I had seals from RockAuto(rubber), Felt from BPNorthwest (big fat felt seals) and TRF (smaller seals). The rubber ones didn't fit. The big fat felt seals made it impossible to adjust bearing preload (and no, I didn't soak in oil and squeeze in a vice overnight). The TRF seals fit like a glove and setting bearings to 10 ft pounds and backing off 1 flat worked perfectly.

Pat

 

[PatGalvin]

Just because there can't be enough photos...

Pat

 

[TR4nut]

Nice shots Pat - makes me realize I need to focus better! I always wondered about that modern seal option, I guess the seal runs against that lip on the vertical link, not on the axle stub itself? Anyone using that style with good success?