Lucas Hub Oil for Leaky Seal

[GnarlyBus]

My front left inner wheel seal is leaking. Not a ton but it is leaking. I know the only way to truly fix it is to pull it and replace which i plan on doing this fall.

Would it help if I drain the 80w90 in there and replace with a 50/50 mix of Lucas hub oil and 90w145? Shouldn't be too cold here in Oregon for a while.
I'm trying to debate if it's even worth the effort or if I should just wait until I can make the repair.

[buswarrior]

There's no short cuts to leaking wheel seals.

And it leaks onto the brakes...

Just fix it.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[Utahclaimjumper]

Stay with what you have,,,,,,,if you only need brakes on three corners.>>>Dan

[luvrbus]

Jack it up and check the wheel run out (play ) excess play can cause the seal to leak, sometimes with the right run out adjustment they will stop leaking but your wasting your time with Lucas it is not a cure

[chessie4905]

Switch them over to grease. Cleaning brake shoes and hardware and drums suck!

[GnarlyBus]

Switch them over to grease. Cleaning brake shoes and hardware and drums suck!

I'm considering it. It seems like a good option for me because I don't put in many miles. All the threads I've read about it people go back and forth over it. Some say companies changed to oil for a reason and some say grease is better. Idk.

[chessie4905]

I think the main reasons for oil seals in otr trucks is a slight improvement in fuel mileage, especially in cold weather. Much longer life between wheel service intervals. Remember how many miles a year trucks travel and accumulate miles.
Since our  most of our vehicles travel relatively few miles a year with most time sitting and the avoidance of potential oil soaked brakes and drums, and lower cost for plain grease seals over oil type, it is sure a choice to be considered. I've dealt with oil soaked brakes on coaches,trucks, and cars over the years. It is a pita on cars and trucks and a major pita on a coach. Don't forget the gloves pile of rags and or towels and cans of brake cleaner or equivalent cost and time. Not even talking about loss of braking from a soaked wheel. Not as critical with a tag with the extra braking surface. Keep in mind that leaking gear oil onto shoes and drums can have the potential of starting a wheel fire, especially to an operator going down a mountain and not realizing he has a wet drum.
Btw, Mobil sells semi fluid synthetic grease for packing wheel bearings.

[luvrbus]

Check the bearing numbers on the MCI and call tech support some bearings are oil only on the MCI ,the ones on my DL were clearly marked for oil only

[chessie4905]

Don't know what the difference would be. Couldnt find anything on the net. Maybe MCI has their own preference or hub doesn't have a grease retention pocket? Either way you go, here is hub service info on oil, semi fluid, or regular synthetic grease.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.hendrickson-intl.com/getattachment/e492c099-b370-40b4-bb42-55e20a224b8d/L496-Wheel-End-Maintenance-Procedures-(1).aspx,.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi_2eqfmIfiAhVLJt8KHVqiBdYQFjAOegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0l-SqHPqjnA4esgG3J8lrH

[luvrbus]

Only difference I can see is the oil bearings have a couple of cut out on the cage to make the oil flow through I don't for sure if the cut outs would not retain the grease or not but I choose not to gamble.He can buy sealed bearing for the MCI no grease or oil needed but they come at a price to much for me  to change out every 75,000 miles ,the newer Prevost those are standard issue on the front and tag axles. Most of the the seals leak from poor installation people not having the proper tool beating on 1 with a hammer and a stick or blunt punch 

[chessie4905]

Also, with your experience, Cliff, there will be almost no chance of installation error. And you know what areas to inspect to guarantee the new seal won't leak. That expertise is lacking with many that work on their coach. I wonder how many know how to properly inspect bearings and the proper procedure to pack a bearing with grease.

[bevans6]

There is no reason to run differential oil in a hub and lots of reasons not to.  Lucas hub oil is almost a grease, it's highly viscous, thick, sticks like crazy to the metal surfaces, and is very easy for the seals to keep in.  It's designed specifically for hubs, after all.  I recommend anyone with oil hubs use Lucas straight out of the bottle.  It's the right stuff.  It might not solve your seal problem, but it might slow things down.

[chessie4905]

It's probably STP in a different bottle, but it has several recommendations from various sources.