Quick wheel seal question...

Seals are funny I had right front go bad. I specifically watched the guy do the job. 1 month later it seized up and destroyed spindle. Got fixed and paid for by original Shop. 1 year later leaking again. That’s when I fixed it myself.Good videos on Utube. Too tight burns them up . Too loose causes seal to go bad and because of too much end play causes abs light on.Maybe bearings are going bad also causing your problems.

 

I thank truck seals are all two piece any more. If you take your one piece seal, hold it in both hands, push the inside with your thumbs the inside will turn in the outside. All of the wear surfaces are replaced with the seal as they do not turn in the in the hub or on the spindle.
The steel sleeve driven on the spindle with, silicone between the two, can cover many imperfections others wont. Also the seal material is leather and much more flexible than some of the alternatives. That allows for worn spindles a bit more. I use the grit guard seals on a regular basis but I have most all the tools. The wear ring can be driven on with a hammer and punch while walking around it. However not for most steers.
I did come across a drive axle seal years ago that did not bottom in the bore. The proper tool would stop it about 1/4 inch before. When the seal was bottomed in the bore the lip did not touch the spindle.
While they are my preferred seal some old beat up spindles and or hubs seem to like something else. Maybe that multiple groove rubber seal in the hub?
The number one killer of seals is loose wheel bearings and second is stopped up vents.

 

Same here It’s a one but instead of 2.maybe with a crush sleeve. I forget. I’ve heard it’s much better. I torqued mine to I think 200 then backed off 1/2 turn as described by Timken on their website.Then locknut to 300 or 350. But still had too much end play. Had to get a feel for it and snugged it up just enough. Would like to check end play I think it’s max .05 thousandth. Something like that. Either way checking end play is the only real way to know for sure. I think they sell a spindle with hub as an assembly. Expensive I’m sure $1300 or more. Just guessing.Ive heard Volvo’s must be set using dial indicator for end play. Supposedly very sensitive. Just what I’ve heard from mechanics

 

Google Tinken wheel bearing torque. All info there.

 

I'll caution that if a bearing is truly going bad and will break that day or is in the process of breaking, you will see the little metal rollers come out from between the races. While you are thinking what in the world are those, you notice the entire wheel assembly over your drum pads begin to come out, axle and all as happened in my case one day.

The first warning I got at all was the truck suddenly started getting lazy and begging on boost and RPM, almost as if the turbo had a cold and the engine just wanted to lay down and go to sleep until you added another 300 RPM to overcome the increasing drag of that failing bearing at that wheel hub.

It's not much. In my time we pulled the center plugs and stuck a finger in there (After a cool down time) to see if we got oil in there. As long we did have oil in those hubs all was well. I am not as familiar with the newer hubs that supposedly are nothing to be looked at.

I hope this little squeaky bolt gets the thought processes going. It's a small thing, but very important. I was trained in repacking bearings using a very special red grease that I think is no longer being made. I could be wrong. That is good stuff for that purpose.

 

I agree usually can feel some metal with finger if hubs filled with oil. Otherwise feel for heat compared to others.whole assembly hub and wheels can come off especially on a trailer. I prefer the grease over oil.Although I’ve read about problems with dry outer bearings. New hub design has larger outer supposed to work better with grease. Still researching this myself. Soon to re pack trailer with grease. Suggested amount and procedure seems vague.Proper hub assembly while not rocket science needs to be right.Have had 2 bad experiences myself over the years.

 

Stemco makes a seal with a metal ring (I think they are called Guardian seals) that goes over a damaged spindle, this seal itself is made to run with that ring installed to ensure it seals. I've used them on high mileage trucks before where there was a groove started in the spindle and sealing wasn't good.

You may have bought the replacement stemco seals, they are good too but a lot of spindles are getting past the QC process and being put on trucks with bad heat treating surfaces.