Leaking wheel bearing seal

Full-Timers · 03-03-2011, 10:42 PM

Well, looks like I got a leaking seal. I had the brake recall done at Redlands and after driving back to Lake Havasu, 258 miles away, I noticed a burning smell (like oil, not brakes) after coming to a stop. Figured it was just new caliper or cleaning fluid smell and would go away eventually. Motorhome sat until today when I drove to Vegas, 180 miles, and noticed the smell again. After I got to my destination, got setup, and after lunch I crawled under to take a look. I found oil on the bottom inside of the wheel. I then pulled the hubcap and found very little oil in the bearing cap. I’m not saying it had anything to do with the brake recall but, hey! Anyway, I think I will fill it and see if I can make it back to Havasu and have it fixed there.

DriVer · 03-03-2011, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers

Anyway, I think I will fill it and see if I can make it back to Havasu and have it fixed there.

FT, That's the best remedy at the moment. Now let me ask you a question ... check the cup in the morning after it settles. Was the bearing cup overfilled? This will sling fluid out of the cup until is levels itself out.

Just asking ...

Resolving that, just fill the bearing cup to below the center hub opening and while driving I don't expect that you will need to worry too much about it unless you see a lot of fluid spidering. keep and eye on it and you should be good until you get home.

I have seen that if the seal is leaking, it will do so overnight as it sits there. Once you restore the fluid "typically" it's usually good to go until you stop and sit again. My dealer had to get the original WCC seals to get the hub to stop leaking. The ones that came from NAPA (CR) didn't do the job.

Full-Timers · 03-04-2011, 08:22 AM

After sitting over night, I just went out and checked. The bearing cup is empty, still looks wet inside though. There isn’t much pooled on the wheel so I suspect it has been leaking for a while. Don’t really see any spidering either.

DriVer · 03-04-2011, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers

Don’t really see any spidering either.

OK, That helps to sustain the comment that I made that the fluid leaking out overnight, inside, vertically downward from the seal.

You might also observe a small puddle on the ground at the base of the tire.

Keep filling and moving ... you should be OK until you arrive at your destination. The fluid should centrifugally remain in the hub and bearings while you're on the road if you are not observing spidering.

Full-Timers · 03-07-2011, 07:36 PM

Well we made it back. I filled it 3 times over the weekend while sitting still. I guess it was just soaking into the bearing because I didn’t see any leakage. Finally after the third fill it held the level. Once on the road I pulled over after about a half hour and filled it again. Then after another hour I checked it and it was still full. Got back to Havasu, 180 miles later, and it was still full. It hasn’t leaked since. However, I still made an appointment to get it replaced on Friday anyway.

M&EM · 03-09-2011, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers

Well we made it back. I filled it 3 times over the weekend while sitting still. I guess it was just soaking into the bearing because I didn’t see any leakage. Finally after the third fill it held the level. Once on the road I pulled over after about a half hour and filled it again. Then after another hour I checked it and it was still full. Got back to Havasu, 180 miles later, and it was still full. It hasn’t leaked since. However, I still made an appointment to get it replaced on Friday anyway.

FT, I had similar experience after brake recall. Keith at Redlands found right front seal leaking and replaced it during recall. Traveled 60 miles east to Indio before any brake application. Smelled hot axle lube after that application and checked it out while gassing up. Smelled quite strong and I saw wet oil around and near the rotor part. Called Redlands and headed back to them. When I got there same strong odor. They pulled the wheel and could seen no evidence of leakage by the seal. Just in case they replaced the seal again. They had not cleaned the old leakage remnants the first time. Possible that the odor was residue oils on the hub and other parts. They followed the second seal replacement with a high pressure wash of the chassis and axle spindle area. Everything was bone dry when we left. It has stayed that way now for the last several weeks and 1000 miles. Needed to add a small amount of oil that first day to bring level to the minimum line. Level has been stable since. I noticed that the mechanic had painted the rotor hubs with gloss black paint. That may have given off some odors too.

Marty

Full-Timers · 03-09-2011, 07:29 PM

Thanks for the info Marty. I thought at first smell that it might just be some brake cleaner burning off but then I saw the puddle at the bottom inside of the wheel and the bearing cup had no oil inside. I filled it 4 times before the level held, apparently it was soaking into the bearings.

Full-Timers · 08-01-2011, 04:30 PM

Well here we are 5 months and no miles later (haven’t traveled since the seal was replaced). I was under there changing the engine oil today and I noticed axel oil had dripped off the bottom of the rotor and down the tire. I pulled the hubcap and observed that the oil level was a tad above the min line, OK there. Since there was no oil on the ground below the tire and still at an acceptable level, it either just started or the leak isn’t bad. That’s the 3rd seal (the original and 2 replacements) that has leaked. In 2 weeks I am heading out on a 600 mile trip. At this point I just cleaned everything up and will observe it for more leaking. My intention is to do the trip and keep an eye on it and top off as needed until I get back.

M&EM · 08-01-2011, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers

Well here we are 5 months and no miles later (haven’t traveled since the seal was replaced). I was under there changing the engine oil today and I noticed axel oil had dripped off the bottom of the rotor and down the tire. I pulled the hubcap and observed that the oil level was a tad above the min line, OK there. Since there was no oil on the ground below the tire and still at an acceptable level, it either just started or the leak isn’t bad. That’s the 3rd seal (the original and 2 replacements) that has leaked. In 2 weeks I am heading out on a 600 mile trip. At this point I just cleaned everything up and will observe it for more leaking. My intention is to do the trip and keep an eye on it and top off as needed until I get back.

FT,
Interesting! I too have had same issue with multiple seal replacements on passenger side frt wheel. I'm still riding with Redlands second seal since brake recall. I have kept a close watch on it during the past months. I found the seepage to have diminished with something over 3k miles now. However I have tried keeping the level just a hair below min line and wonder if this has some bearing(no pun) on it. Haven't needed to add oil to maintain that level. Since I won't be able to use it for the next two months I will try setting the level to the min line. To see what happens.

I understand there is a part that goes over the axle in the seal contact area called an axle saver. Watching the 2nd seal replacement being done, I suspect there is a high opportunity for damage either recently or in the past. That was my motivation to try lowering the oil level slightly. For now and unless oil starts to get to the rubber. I will just watch and add oil.

Marty

**JohnRR** · 08-01-2011, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers

observed that the oil level was a tad above the min line

And there are many times when a tad is equal to too much.
This is acceptable (including a "Tad")

This is two much

And will lead to this

My excuse is that's the way I bought it from a dealership that supposedly just serviced it, one of the pitfalls of simulators

Full-Timers · 08-01-2011, 08:46 PM

This is where the level is right now, even after the leaking.

There wasn’t much that leaked out as you can see in these photos.

I am glad the brake pads are more to the top of the rotor so they don’t get soaked. I sure don’t like the smell of the oil burning off the rotors when they get hot though.

**JohnRR** · 08-01-2011, 09:08 PM

I'd vote for lowering the level, I think you would get a very pleasant surprise.

DriVer · 08-01-2011, 09:10 PM

Me too!

DAN L · 08-02-2011, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M&EM

FT,
Interesting! I too have had same issue with multiple seal replacements on passenger side frt wheel. I'm still riding with Redlands second seal since brake recall. I have kept a close watch on it during the past months. I found the seepage to have diminished with something over 3k miles now. However I have tried keeping the level just a hair below min line and wonder if this has some bearing(no pun) on it. Haven't needed to add oil to maintain that level. Since I won't be able to use it for the next two months I will try setting the level to the min line. To see what happens.

I understand there is a part that goes over the axle in the seal contact area called an axle saver. Watching the 2nd seal replacement being done, I suspect there is a high opportunity for damage either recently or in the past. That was my motivation to try lowering the oil level slightly. For now and unless oil starts to get to the rubber. I will just watch and add oil.

Marty

i would check the hub bearing for looseness. if it is loose enough to be detectable without instruments, the bearing seal will leak for sure.
if it is loose, as the bearing is not supposed to require adjustment, the bearing may be in the early stages of failure.

check this irv2 thread by driver, post #7 from 2006.

Front wheel bearings