Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

31 Woody

31 Woody

Senior Member
Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

I am working on the rear brakes on my Cabriolet. Tonight, after packing the rear roller bearings I tried to put in the hub seals. Ugh—they seem too big to go in. Is there a trick to this or do I have the wrong seals? Just to confirm, the seal lip points “in” toward the bearing?
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

I used this for my 1929 Coupe and it worked well.
Snyder’s part number:
HUB SEAL DRIVER
Part # A-1175-T | Model Year 28-31
Use this handy tool for pressing the A-1175 seal into the rear wheel hub. Presses seal in to the proper depth for the snap ring to be installed. U.S.A.
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

Chalk this up as experience—I learn the hard way again. Thank you LAV—looks like I need to get a seal driver.
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

I have access to a lathe, so I made a driver out of some round stock. Regardless, after you get the seal in place but before you install the snap ring, go around the outside of the seal and tap-tap-tap the perimeter down with a large punch and hammer to assure that it’s in place and square.
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

About 4 years ago I had a pair of seals that were definitely a smidgin too large, prudent emerying of the seal resolved the problem. The more recent seals seem to fit OK using an off-cut of wood and gentle tap tap tap technique.
"Just to confirm, the seal lip points “in” toward the bearing?" YES
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

Borrowed the seal press tool from a club member, and now on to the next part of the project. Thanks for the advice all—it went together just fine with the right tool.
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

I just did mine. Broke down and bought a HF seal driver. I tapped it in just below the snap ring groove. Installed the snap ring then dropped it a couple times (about 8- 10") for the bearing to drive the seal back against the snap ring.
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

I use an old bearing as a tool to drive the seal in and stop just as the groove for circlip is exposed.
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

Synchro909 said:
I use an old bearing as a tool to drive the seal in and stop just as the groove for circlip is exposed.
Click to expand...

Exactly, this is the answer. Save the expense and time of locating a tool. Just use an old bearing to install the new seal.
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

I always recommend to customers installing ANY oil seals to use a socket slightly bigger than the OD of the oil seal itself whether it's imperial or metric NEVER EVER press on the seal it self as you could damage not only the housing (OD) BUT more&most importantly the lip &spring which holds the lubricant in.
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

Hitman said:
Exactly, this is the answer. Save the expense and time of locating a tool. Just use an old bearing to install the new seal.
Click to expand...


Oldcarbearings said:
I always recommend to customers installing ANY oil seals to use a socket slightly bigger than the OD of the oil seal itself whether it's imperial or metric NEVER EVER press on the seal it self as you could damage not only the housing (OD) BUT more&most importantly the lip &spring which holds the lubricant in.
Click to expand...


I've used this method in the past (I also use sockets for pressing U Joints). But I didn't have a 3" in dia socket or an old bearing........
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

I have the Harbor Freight seal driver kit. It comes in both standard and metric sizes. I found that one of the metric drivers fits the Model A hub.
The kit was inexpensive and worked perfectly..
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

How much larger should the seal be than the hub?
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

A trick that has helped me is to put the seal in the freezer well before I am going to work on greasing the bearings; make sure the edge of the hub where the seal is going to be inserted has no burrs then after the bearing is in place, put a smear of light oil at the top and quickly put the seal in place using the Rear Hub Seal Driver (Snyder's PN A-1175-T)
 
Re: Installing rear hub seals—what’s the trick

The Snyder tool A-1175-T tool works better with a press than just banging it with a hammer.
 
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