Wheel Bearing Seal Options

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Wildergarten
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Wheel Bearing Seal Options

Post by Wildergarten »

My Dana 60 full-floating axle has grooves worn into the existing wheel hub seal journals .0005 (L) and .001 (R) deep.

I see three options:

1. Polish it out with fine sandpaper.
Advantage: It's not that much wear and I have the worn groove as a guide to make the diameter even.
Disadvantage: I might be kidding myself about how close to round I can get it.

2. Slip Speedy Sleeves over the seal journals.
Advantage: Hard, polished, and oversized surface for the seal to ride on. Possibly better sealing on a larger diameter.
Disadvantages: $50 cost, possibly accelerated wear because of the diameter.

3. Turn a shim to set the seal out about .060.
Advantages: Rides on the factory diamter surface. Relatively simple.
Disadvantages: Time to make it, and the seal may not seat as tight in the hub.

Thoughts? Does anybody have experience here with Speedy Sleeves?
'69 W200 (thumbnail)
'68 W200 (RIP)
'68 W200 383 NP435 3.53
'67 W200 383 NP435 4.10 w overload springs, Dana 60, PTO winch & flatbed dump, racks, crane, c-air (Max)
Mark Vande Pol
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PwrWgnDrvr
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Re: Wheel Bearing Seal Options

Post by PwrWgnDrvr »

#1 - u didn't include the time to hand sand that much steel off.
#2 - time savings is worth the cost. repair solution accepted for decades for dozens of applications throughout industry. Ive seen them on a number of trucks Ive parted. Never examined them in detail.
#3 - roll the dice

Remember this truism: A lot of people can't afford to do it right, but they can afford to do it twice.

tguinn
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Re: Wheel Bearing Seal Options

Post by tguinn »

I used the speedi sleeves on mine, works great, no leaks, been over a year. The seals can take that much difference, you may have to make your own tool to install them, the one included wasn't deep enough. Tim

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Re: Wheel Bearing Seal Options

Post by Kaegi »

they wont leak with grooves that small. modern seals are double lipped and ride in two places

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