The stock Disco seals suck.
RTC3511 double lip seals as used on Defenders are much better. Particularly if you off-road.
RTC3511_loose.jpg?t=1287516891

Also check the distance piece, as mentioned. They tend to get grooved from seals riding in the same place for a long time.

 

anti, thanks for the info. I'll order one from AB. Just to confirm, which way does the spring/lip face...towards the wheel or towards the diff?

 

I had the same problem, I had to replace my stub axle because mine had a very small burr on it that could only be felt if you ran your finger in the right direction and it was the 1st of the month with the sun directly above you and the cable box was on HBO and the kids were screaming in the back ground and your Pepsi was at room temp.

 

spike, were you not able to sand it out?

 

Nope, it had gotten nicked when the wheel bearings were replaced over 2 years ago.
It did not leak until this year, then it became a full on gusher.
Replaced the oil seal and a day later...gusher.
Went to the salvage yard and got a "new" stub axle for $15?
I still have my old one, makes a great paper weight.
I would post a pic of the nick but its to dark.

 

I packed mine with the Lucas Red Heavy Duty Tractor Grease in the silver tube. No problems yet.

 

The reason it is still leaking is because you are replacing the wrong seal. The Hub seal is not meant to contain oil, only grease from the wheel bearings, really if you look at the way it is designed you can see it is meant to keep stuff out as much as keep stuff in. This is why it has no spring, and two lips.

If you have oil leaking from around the drive member or out the back through the hub seal it is because the seal in the stub axle has failed, and the hub bearing cavity is filling with EP90 from the differential. Once it fails, oil flows through the interior of the stub axle and dumps out into the hub bearing cavity.

Please note #7 and 8 on the diagram:


Seal #7 is your hub seal. It should be noted that no oil may enter the hub until seal #8 has failed. This is the one behind your stub axle, which is somewhat intimidating being a little more involved, but not much, to fix.

Replace seal #8, and your problem will go away.

When replacing a hub seal, however, (your original question) you insert it into the hub with the cavity facing out towards the lug nuts. Here is another RAVE pic:

#12 is your part, notice the orientation in the picture.

 

Ok, I reread the posts and discovered I had missed the part where you said you put gear oil in your hub. Why do people do that? I'll never understand.

Anyhoo, if you do that, just get used to it leaking. It was not designed to hold oil, nor is it properly vented for such, and there is a reason why you grease thrust bearings anyway. But I am quite sure you have already decided the dopes that designed your truck obviously got this part wrong, and I will not convince you otherwise.

Also, after looking at that picture of the ripped seal I would suggest that it looks like classic damage from a dry or poorly supported installation. You need to grease the stub axle very well and support the weight of the hub as you slide it on very carefully, which is hard to do because it is heavy. Otherwise, the lip will stick, roll and tear just like in your picture.

 

My rear hubs are oil lubed.

If you remove the inner? hub seal the hubs will always have fresh lube, they wont pressurize and they wont leak either.

From what I have heard this is how the Series Rovers and the Military Defenders are set up.

 

And all 18 wheelers do to. it keeps the hubs a lot cooler