I've got a 1952 Buick Special. The oil seals on my brake drums are grinding at the base of the spindle and marring them both up. I believe this began after I had the drums turned and I cleaned and repacked the bearings. I didn't replace any parts, everything that came off was cleaned up and put back on. Any ideas of what would cause this, and more importantly, how to fix it?
Is this all original style parts, or some kind of conversion? Figure 6-4 here is a section of the OEM front hub and spindle http://www.teambuick.com/reference/library/52_shop/files/6-a.pdf It shows the face/shoulder of the inner race being higher (larger diameter) than the shoulder/abutment on the spindle. Also the original seal consisting of a "packing" in behind a "shedder." Bearings are almost always supposed to make direct contact with the spindle shoulder. bearing and original type seal replacement here- http://www.teambuick.com/reference/library/52_shop/files/6-c.pdf Getting the packing to seat fully against the shoulder of the inner race appears to require special effort. I picture if the packing was not fully seated the bearing inner race would not extend fully thru the shedder. The desired near zero endplay wheel bearing adjustment would NOT be based on solid metal-to-metal contact. The squishy packing would be asked to resist thrust (which even the car weight creates due to the angular contact bearings) (Even tho angular contact ball bearings are used, the adjustment to achieve almost 0 endplay is similar to more modern taper roller designs)
Is there a machined large diameter (2.000 inch) on the spindle? It looks kind of like the forged surface extends right down to the face where things have been rubbing. http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1992143&d=1375163712 >>If<< there is a machined 2.000 inch diameter it looks like a modern lip seal replacement is available. NAPA oil seal NOS 20118 for 16 bux http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/C...heel-Seal-Front-Wheel/_/R-NOS20118_0068458342
To the best of my knowledge, all parts are original or correct replacements. there doesn't appear to be any sort of conversion. The base of the spindle (near the face where things are rubbing) is a machined surface. The manual seems to interchange the terms oil seal, and packing/shedder. I believe you are right that the packing is not fully seating and that the inner race is not extending through the shedder. When everything is assembled in the hub, the packing is convex (bulging outward past the shedder, towards face that is rubbing). The inner race is dropped down below the shedder but I can pull it out past the shedder with my fingers and push it back in below the shedder. I'd say I can move it about 1/8" back and forth. I'm wondering if the packing got pushed out when I removed it and if I can simply push it back in to a concave position, sort of an oil can effect.
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