when I bought this rover the rear hub seal was leaking. I replaced it with a new seal and drove just a short distance..it leaked again..removed new seal and noticed it damaged (see pic) replaced with another new seal..and now it's leaking again..any suggestions? The seal lip faces the flange/rear diff right?

 

Sounds like the mating surface on the shaft might have a burr or something on it causing it to rip your seals. Or the new seal is riding on a different place then the original (might be in a little farther). The lip should face tward your wheel if I remember correctly.

 

mating surface was smooth, I checked but I will re-check when I put a new seal on...if it does face towards the wheel then that is most likely my problem

 

Yeah the thinner part of the lip (the side with the spring) faces the inside of the hub (twards the wheel) It might not hurt to run some fine sand paper 1000-1200 grit to clean the shaft up smooth. Usually the side with the manufacture part number always is on the outside if that makes sense.

 

these seals don't have a spring, I think only high pressure seals have springs...unless they sent me the wrong seals. Good idea about the sandpaper, I'll be sure to do that.

 

Are you running gear oil in your rear hubs?? It just dawned on me that you should have grease instead of oil in there unless you pulled the inner axle seals to run oil.

 

this is on the rear, yeah i'm running 75w oil..other side is fine..no leaks.

 

Yeah ive been running grease on my front and rear bearings. Nothing wrong with running oil I was just curious why you had oil leaking there.

 

i prefer running oil in the rear so the bearings have a good supply.. but if I can't stop this leaking switching over to grease and packing bearings is a option

 

I like using oil myself but I have enough leaks as it is lol. That and with my lift its hard to get my rears full of oil since my fill plug is a lot lower. All you would need to do is put a new inner axle seal and pack the bearings full of grease.