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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Rear hub bearing oil seal

Hi all

Due to nice smelly gear oil finding it's way on to my brake shoes I've set about dismantling the rear to replace the hub oil seals.


Half shaft out, hub off after making a spanner to fit the nut. Bearing drifted out easily with a suitable sized socket.

I can however not for the life of me get the seal out, I suspect they are the 49 year old originals.

I have scoured the archive and attacked it with screwdrivers, bent tipped screw drivers (cant get the bent tip in behind the seal) etc.. but cannot get it to shift. My main worry being damaging the internal surfaces of the hub.

Most of the rubber internal flange has crumbled/ripped away at this point.

I've seen various hooked type implements described as oil seal removal tools, will they actually work on the hub seal without causing damage? If so I might just invest in one …

Any further hint & tips gratefully received. I've been trying to get the seal out for nigh on 3 hours now. Maybe I'm just being to delicate and worrying too much about attacking it with too much gusto?


G Hawkins

I’ve changed many, over the years and always managed to prise them out with a screwdriver. Sometimes have to hammer the screwdriver in to get the seal moving.
Dave O'Neill 2

Well another open ended spanner gave it's life for the cause and I managed to make a tool which helped no end and I finally got it out.You know whats coming next right? ....

Best way of getting the new one in?

I fear I have managed to knacker the new one.

I was able to utilise a clutch alingment tool to pull it in in almost flush with the back of the bearing recess, but cannot find any suitable thick walled tube to use to press it fully home.

Foolishly I thought that maybe light taps all around with a hammer and blunt chisel would work but alas it just kinked almost straight away. oops.

G Hawkins

Well half an afternoon of hunting around and a cut off bit of a plastic rainwater downpipe fitting proved to be the right size. Whole lot clamped in a vice (with various packers and the seal is now in.
Pretty sure I can use the old bearing to press it's replacement one in … if I can find where I put the old one!!

So hopefully the second side will go swimmingly well now I have all the 'tools' …

It will have to wait though as I'm taking the opportunity to do a few repairs to the brake backplate, as due to a previous owner not realising the adjusters only screw out from the drum side, the metal strap across it has been missing (apart from 2 sharp metal ends) for the 30 years I've owned the car.
G Hawkins

I remember much swearing was involved when removing my seals. I ended up using various tools - including a blow torch to try and melt them out and a Stanley knife. I got then out eventually with out damaging the hub.

IIRC the old bearings can be used to press / hammer in the new set.

What bearings did you use? Some people fit bearings will oil seals for a belt and braces approach to leaks.
C MADGE

Mine were non sealed type.

Bearing is now in and all back on the car …

The problems, as always do not end there though, but I'll start a new thread for that.
G Hawkins

G,
What bearings did you use?
When refurbishing my midget as a new owner winter 2016/17 with out any experience in the classic cars, among many tasks there was the oil leaks in the rear hubs as you experience.
I thought why not sealed bearings. I did not know this forum at that time, I consulted the North American "MG experience" forum. People the were not all fond of the idea of fitting sealed bearings. Some of them even recommended, that I could remove the sealing towards the diff. ?? But why, as I know all new cars, for many, many years are fitted with sealed bearings, and the just last for hunred of thousands of miles.
As far as I remember the bearings are metric, very easily found, low priced and that's what I did. So, yes, in a way belt and braces, and I don't expect evern ver to have a leak - or worn bearings there.
And the work is the same....
Jan
Jan Kruber

This thread was discussed between 01/05/2019 and 04/05/2019

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