Rear Seals

[JimS123]

The old grease thread got me thinking. Didn't want to hijack it, so here's a new post.

My 2017 Karavan is the only trailer that travels long distances. It's also the first one that I ever had with EZlube bearings. It does NOT have brakes.

Last Summer due to local conditions we did not take it on vacation. When I serviced and winterized it in the Fall I noticed that one of the rear seals was leaking and there was grease on the inside of the wheel. The other side was OK. I don't think it had 50 miles on it since the previous year's maintenance.

I always pump grease until all the old grease is out, rotating the wheel as required. It's only a few years old, but I never saw and water or discoloration when the old grease came out.

I used to buy US made rear seals with the spring inside the rubber. I usually stocked up so I could have a 3 or 4 year supply. Last time I needed them the marina only had chinacrap, so I went to an industrial supply house that ONLY carried bearings and seals. All they had was chinacrap as well.

The other thread referenced triple lip seals. I've only seen double lips in the past. My questions are: can anyone provide a reference to USA made rear seals, and is a triple lip more likely to prevent blowout?

 

[ahicks]

Jim, I have a utility trailer that follows me back and forth twice a year on my "snow bird" migrations between Michigan and Florida (at typical 70+mph expressway speeds), plus all the incidental use it gets while on each end. It's also EZ lube, w/20.5x8.00x10 tires. Some might accuse me of relying on a "break down" maintenance program when it comes to some things, but in this case, it's how I can share that the inner seals are holding fine on that rig, and they have close to 15k on them!

My point is, as easy as it is to spot a failed seal that's spraying grease all over the inside of a wheel, I doubt seriously I would spend a lot of time looking for anything real fancy to replace a failed one. Even if our trailer would have a seal start leaking early on a trip, I would think there would plenty of grease available to finish the trip with no concern. That's me though, FWIW. -Al

 

[JimS123]

I'm not really "worried". But with 4 trailers and 8 wheels its the only one that is currently a problem, and I will replace it in the Fall. I have a couple in stock that might fit, but I hate to use crap ones if I don't have to.

 

[ahicks]

Might want to check to see if the area that seal runs on doesn't have a nick in it, or maybe rust? Just a thought.

 

[JimS123]

Yes, I'll check it when I tear it apart.

 

[bruceb58]

Buy a quality brand seal. I know its hard to find Timken seals made in the US these days but at least they are made to a higher quality standard than some of the crap that comes out of China. Personally, I would buy a high quality double lip seal. The Timkens I have been buying are made in India.

Pull your hubs and hand pack and actually inspect the bearings.

 

[dingbat]

Buy a quality brand seal. I know its hard to find Timken seals made in the US these days but at least they are made to a higher quality standard than some of the crap that comes out of China. Personally, I would buy a high quality double lip seal. The Timkens I have been buying are made in India..

Timken does not nor has ever made seals. They have a distribution agreement with Federal-Mogul, aka National

Most seal failures are the result of poor installation, poor surface conditions or alignment (mechanical/run out) issues.

I have yet seen a seal fail in the field from a manufacturers defect and we use seals in locations that make a boat trailer application look like a laboratory setting.

The design of the seal is far more important (double lipped is not a design, it’s a characteristic) than a wrongfully placed quality bias based on country of origin.



Ran Chicago rawhide for years. The seals

 

[JimS123]

Timken does not nor has ever made seals. They have a distribution agreement with Federal-Mogul, aka National

Most seal failures are the result of poor installation, poor surface conditions or alignment (mechanical/run out) issues.

I have yet seen a seal fail in the field from a manufacturers defect and we use seals in locations that make a boat trailer application look like a laboratory setting.

The design of the seal is far more important (double lipped is not a design, it’s a characteristic) than a wrongfully placed quality bias based on country of origin.



Ran Chicago rawhide for years. The seals

This is a new trailer, so any installation issues were from the manufacturer. I have not taken it apart yet.

Still looking for a suggestion for a good seal, and where to source it.

 

[dingbat]

This is a new trailer, so any installation issues were from the manufacturer. I have not taken it apart yet.

Still looking for a suggestion for a good seal, and where to source it.

Understand...don't assume the factory did anything more that take the part out of the box and bolt it on your trailer.

Worked three doors down from a "reputable" trailer manufacturer for a number of years. Got to know a lot of their assembly employees. Enough said..

I've had two issues with bearing and seals in the past 15 years. The first one was a factory assembly. The run out (on the bore) in the hub was out of tolerance. Keep "egging" the bore of the seal. Instead of changing out the hubs, I installed seals designed to accommodate "excessive" run out. The seals and hubs are still in use today.

The second issue I attributed to a bad sealing surface on the axle until I mic'ed the shaft to size a Wear Sleeve.

Turns out the new brake hubs came with the wrong seal from the supplier. The hubs had a common 1.719" bore seal instead of a 1.687" seal to match the shaft on the trailer.

Ultimately, I blame myself for the issue. Should have measured the seals prior to installation. Not going to see a 0.03" difference by eye.

From a quality perspective, there is not a lot of quality differences in seals from reputable suppliers. My preference is for CR (SKF) seals simply because I used them in my design work for years. Nothing to do with quality. Everything to do with knowing their product offering like the back of my hand.

I get my bearings and seals from our local motion supply house simply because it's convenient (OE discount and they deliver to work) and I've known the owner since he was a counter jockey back in the day.

Your bigger bang for the buck is to "upgrade" the seal design to fix a particular issue your having.

For the life of me, I don't understand why they use grease seals designed to withstand 3 psi instead of 5 psi operation except for price.

 

[JimS123]

Dingbat, thanks....

My PM is still all fugly, can't read some and can't reply.

Here are the specs:

Part Number: 217-00001-NA-A

SEAL 1.75" I.D. 2.56" O.D. (17255TB)

 

[bruceb58]

Timken does not nor has ever made seals. They have a distribution agreement with Federal-Mogul, aka National

Hence why my first sentence which was to buy a quality brand seal! I just gave Timken as an example.