Oil splashes in wheel arches

[Chris Skinner]

Adding to an old post---
I have a few drops of oil that seem to be coming from somewhere under the left front wheel hub ball joint. It drips onto the inside of tyre. I assume its front diff oil leaking out the outer seals.
Can anyone offer any advice here... how difficult to fix etc, or should I just take it to Graham?

[Wilkie]

Graham has got the seal wiper kits in stock

[Peter Connan]

Chris, this is unfortunately quite a job to fix.

It doesn't help just replacing the hub wiper seals, because firstly they are not designed as oils seals, and because fixing that is masking a more serious problem.

There is an oil seal just in-board of the birfield joint, and that's the bugger that's leaking. And if it leaks, it gradually washes the grease out of the birfields.

To fix it properly unfortunately requires stripping down the hubs, wheel bearings, swivel hub bearings and pulling out the side-shafts. Note that in theory it is possible to leave the swivel hubs in place, but your chances of damaging the oil seals becomes much higher. So just do it properly and take the opportunity to re-grease and set up the wheel bearings and swivel hub bearings, clean and service the hubs etc.

[Tinus lotz]

Hey Chris
Check your stopper is not turned in to deep its a 14 bolt and lock nut it turns on deeper when you hit the stopper and makes you turn sharper than you should. In turn your birfield pushes the seal to one side ....open the drainage bolt at the bottom of the wheel hub drain the oil and see if you still have a problem

[Chris Skinner]

Cool, worth a shot, will try that thanks Tinus.