Hello All,

I FINALLY got my rear right wheel off during work today and noticed black grease between the brake disc and the splash guard. It kinda smells like CV axle grease. Disco2Guy suggested its the hub seal. If it is that, what is the BEST procedure to replace it?

 

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but I have the same problem and I thought it was the seal (o-ring)... It turns out it was the bearing seal itself, not the o-ring...

hub us about $400 new and $250 used...

Perhaps yours is the o-ring... In that case, you remove in order the following (according to RAVE):
- wheel
- brake caliper
- brake rotor
- disconnect the ABS sensor line
- remove the 4 bolts of the wheel hub
- release and remove hub and drive shaft assembly

Then install you new o-ring and reverse the order...

I think it would be easier to remove the stake nut, then remove the hub while leaving the drive shaft in the axle... But what do I know... RAVE is gospel, right?

 

If you are to replace only the o-ring seal, then leave the nut on. Sometimes an air hammer is required to drive the shaft out of the hub as it gets seized up with rust. I do recommend replacing the hub and o-ring, though, as about 8 out of 10 times the hub bearing itself is the actual culprit.

 

Over the weekend I removed the hub. I simply removed the brake caliper and un bolted the 4 bolts that hold the hub to the axle and it all came out no problem....drive shaft and all. Then to my horror I found that there is a nick on the inside of the axle groove where the hub sits in.

Additionally I noticed the O ring seems to be some what stretched as it does not sit tight in it's groove. Is that normal for this O ring when it goes bad? or should it fit tight all they way around? (Have NO clue)

This was just a preliminary inspection. I will buy the O ring and replace and see how it goes. Im just really concerned about this nick in my axle....


Thanks

 

Even the new O-Rings seem to be a little loose, when o-rings start leaking is when the have a cut or crack from being hard and brittle, or they will kind of "square" out. As far as the nick goes, you might try a little rtv around the groove, it should fill it in and seal up against the o-ring too and it shouldn't harm anything as long as you don't go overboard with it, just enough on that spot, that part doesn't rotate, soit should be fine.

 

Thats what i was thinking too....

Which specific RTV should I use for this application??

 

I would use something like Permatex Black, it should be high temp and resistant to oil.

 

Thanks I will keep you all updated when I replace the O ring and RTV this dang hub in a few days.....

=)

 

No luck....

I replaced the O ring and used RTV on the nick and it only held for about one day. It still leaks but not as much. As suggested, it may be the entire hub, in which case I have a second brand new O ring and once I get another hub i'll install it and see what happens. =(

Question 1: It may be a while before I get a hub so is anything going to get messed up if I keep driving with a leaky rear hub? (besides my brake components getting oily and the hazards that come from that?)

Question 2: Also... I can EVENTUALLY run too low of rear diff fluid right? I'll just top off the fluid level just to be sure, then once I stop the hub leaking I'll replace all the diff fluids.

Question 3: What can cause ONE hub on a 2003 Disco with 59k to leak? The used dealer from which I purchased my Disco from said it was sitting there for MONTHS with no test drive or anything. It had the original battery, which died 2 weeks later, and there were spider webs all over it! haha

Question 4: Are hubs either good (if not leaking) or bad (if leaking) regardless of age? For example, can I buy a 2002 rear hub to replace mine with and if its "good" it won't leak until it actually goes bad???

Question 5: Roverlandparts.com lists their hub to fit DII's from 1999 to 2004. BUT atlantic British sells their hub for DII's from 1999 to 2002 BUT they also sell the hub O ring for 99' to 03'.... Im confused about that!


Thanks!!