Rear Wheel Hub Spindle

[Glennman]

1974 MCI MC-8. I was installing my genset a couple of weeks ago when I noticed oil on the floor at my rear duals. Rear hub seal is out. After pulling everything apart, I find the break shoes covered with oil, etc. After disassembling the whole thing, I find that a previous inner bearing race (the ones I removed are in perfect, like new condition) had apparently froze up causing the lower half of the spindle to wear such that it had grooved it out a few thousands deep (maybe the previous bearings had seized). This led to the appearance that any newer bearing race would ride a few thousands higher due to the race being up inside this grooved area of the spindle. This in turn would cause the seal to ride in an oval fashion, causing premature wear. Short of having the spindle spray welded and re-turned (the best fix I suppose, if someone in my area even does that), I incorporated an idea from a friend that had a similar problem with his pickup truck. I took a sharp pointed punch (45% angled tip) and hammered in a series of peens so that the area around each peen would be raised enough that I was able to sand the high spots down back to the original level of the rest of the spindle. My theory is that I have at least 50% area of raised steel causing the bearing race to set in its original position. It went from the race having somewhat of a loose fit to one that I can hardly get back off without a lot of force. The bearings races fit tight now, and the new seal is exactly centered. I don't know how long this will last, but I figured at worst case I'll have to opt for the more expensive fix if I blow another seal. I'm still waiting for my relined shoes, and some other parts for the brakes, so I'm hoping to reassemble everything this weekend. I'll let everyone know how it worked. My friend's truck has lasted 50,000 miles so far.

Has anyone ever had to have their spindles spray welded and re-turned?

Thanks everyone, this forum is great. I had an old fishbowl bus in the 90's and used this forum back then. It's nice to be back. Glennman

[chessie4905]

You can convert the rear hubs to grease and corresponding seals to deal with this. They make a plate with a seal that rides on tip of spindle, keeping grease in hub and bearings, and gear oil in axle tubes and differential. We changed our 4104 back to grease for this very same problem.

[buswarrior]

I think the description is that the bearing surface is scarred, not the seal surface?

Call a mobile axle doctor near you. They come to you and do the re-build.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[chessie4905]

The bearing surface is what I'm referring to. The inner bearing doesn't ride properly, causing seal to move out of it's tolerance to seal properly on sealing surface on the spindle. Also, getting brakes on that side to adjust properly is an issue. If you have the duals off the ground when adjusting brakes, when you lower, the bearing rides up on the worn surface, causing the brakes to drag on that side. Of course, the amount of wear where the bearing rides determines how much of an issue he has. Hopefully, he is lucky and wear is minimal. I would, at least, use a seal that seals internally. I would think these type of seals are more tolerable although I have no evidence whether this is true.

[oltrunt]

"I would, at least, use a seal that seals internally."  My little bus has this type of seal but it didn't stand up to the beating it took when I drove over an open sewer manhole (no doubt someone stole the lid to sell for scrap).  The blow was sharp enough to slightly flatten 3 rollers in the race and the seal wasn't up to the challenge.  Jack

[luvrbus]

I been haveing real good luck with a seal that former employees of Stemco and another manufacture started making. they seem to hold on about any axle check them out www.revhd.com,they also have some nice training videos free of charge

[Glennman]

Just to give an update on my repair to the rear driver's side hub seal leak at the drive axel that I spent so much time on, on my 1974 MCI MC-8. I drove it to the beach (500 miles round trip), and it is working very well so far. No leaks, drives nice, etc. Thanks all... Glennman

[chessie4905]

Great to hear that it is working fine. Usually, we never find out if the repair was successful or not.

[chessie4905]

Great to hear that it is working fine. Usually, we never find out if the repair was successful or not.