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MG MGB Technical - hub pulling?

hoi,
There is oil leaking on my wired wheels so i think there is a leak behind the hub, but how can i pull off the hub?

thanks guys, hope you can help me.
mike

I assume you are talking about the rear wheels ?? If so, the brake drums should back out by gentle tapping/pulling. If not, try small amount of penetrating oil around spline hub. Still no luck---use a drum puller. Incidently, check inside of wheels/tires. If wet also, it may be a wheel cylinder leak.
charles updegraph

Is leaking from the front wheels or the rear? What year is your car? Does it have a banjo or tube type rear axle?

The front hubs are pretty easy. Remove the road wheel. Remove the brake caliper and support it so it is not hanging by the hose. Inside the hub there should be a cup that fits over the hub nut. This cup is a press fit to the inside of the hub. This cup is designed to prevent grease from leaking out. THere is a bolt attached to the cup. The thread is 5/16 inch, fine thread. Once that cup is removed, there is a cotter pin (split pin) that goes through the hub nut and axle. Remove the split pin, and the nut. The hub, along with the brake disk should fall off easily. This applies to all but the very earliest cars. They had a slightly different grease seal.

On the rear of the tube axel (all GT's, roadsters beginning during the '67 model year), it is not difficult either. Remove the road wheel. The hub nut is 1 5/16", but the inside of the hub is a very close fit. Many sockets will not fit inside the hub. You must look around to find one with a thin wall. Some people have ground a standard socket down or used a lathe to turn it to a smaller diameter. Remove the hub nut. The hub should come off fairly easily. A few taps with a hammer may be necessary.

Remove the four bolts holding the brake backing plate on. I'm told that you can bend the brake pipe and get the backing plate clear of the axle, without disconnecting the brakes. This might be a good time to overhaul your brakes, though. Remove the four bolts that hold the axle end plate and oil seal on. Remove the end plate.

The oil seal is pressed into this end plate. Remove the old oil seal, being careful not to scratch the surface of the metal. The new oil seal is easily pressed into place. I start it by hand, making sure that it is started evenly all around its circumference. Then I use a block of wood and a hammer to carefully drive it the rest of the way. The outer edge of the seal should be flush with the outer surface of the end plate. Do not allow the seal to distort as you press it into place. Make a note when you remove the old seal. They do have an "inside" and "outside". Make sure your new one is oriented the same way as the old.

A word of caution. It is possible that the axle surface where the seal makes contact can be worn. A small groove can wear in the axle. It will be easily visible if this has happened. If so, a company in the US (Chicago Rawhide) makes a device called a Speedi-Sleeve, which is a very thin steel cylinder that is pressed over the worn part of the axle, creating a new smooth surface for the seal. If you have such a groove, replacing the seal without doing something about the axle will simply cause the new seal to fail before long.

If you have the older banjo style rear axle, I believe the process is essentially the same, except that the hub nut is a large octagonal nut that requires a special tool. Moss USA sells the tool. I imagine that most mg specialists in Europe sell them as well.
Paul Noble

hello,
thanks for the tips paul and charles, It is the rear axle that is leaking on the wired wheels. so now i am gone try to fix it.

byyyyyyyy
mike

Mike,

Wire wheel cars have an amount of grease placed on the axle splines. I think it is designed to prevent wheels rusting to hubs.
This can look and feel like oil as it spins out through the wheel spoke holes where they enter at wheel centre. It shows along the spokes moving out from the centre.
Make sure that this is not the cause - otherwise you will go to a lot of unnecessary trouble.
Once you have removed the wheels, wipe the inner surface of the wheel and the axle splines, replace grease - just a light smear - and then re-install thw wheels.
Good luck.
Roger
Roger

Roger,

I forgot about that. You're right, of course.

Some people have sealed the spoke nipples from the inside with silicone. I have not tried this, but it is one idea. Someone warned, though, that doing this might prevent any water that happened to get in from getting out.
Paul Noble

Paul,
Thank you for your valuable contribution. I have noted the info for future reference. I have not been anywhere near that extent of work on wheels yet - bought my B in April this year.
Roger
Roger

This thread was discussed between 03/09/2001 and 07/09/2001

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