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discarding manual hub o-rings/seals


rkneeshaw

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
469
City
Northern Michigan
Vehicle Year
1994
Transmission
Manual
So I just recently picked up some o-rings for my manual hubs, which didnt have any installed at all:

d35007.jpg


Now I know the theory here is that the o-ring will keep water out of there and if you go through standing water you won't have to repack/regrease your bearings and do full hub maintenance after each wheeling trip. (theoretically of course)

But what if I left these o-rings off of there?

Its been discussed that for the most part, water will stay out of your hubs because of the seals. BUT, if they are super hot, the cooling effect of the water on the hubs will cause an air pressure differential that will "suck in" water through possibly the axle seal. So if that happens, what lets the water drain back out?

See where I'm going with this?

If I leave the hub o-rings off, it might let in a little water but at least it would theoretically just drain back out... and with grease being somewhat water resistant maybe it would reduce the damaging effects of water in the hubs and I could go for a longer period of time without doing hub maintenance.

Thoughts?
 
you own a RBV no way to get around proper bearing maintence, i would just use a bead of rtv on the back of the hub, slap it on there and call it a day, your supposed to pull them apart and regrease them after every serious wheeling trip anyways
 
i just installed my hubs and they didnt have any on them either. i've been looking around for them, where'd you find them?

the rtv sounds like a good idea too, i think i'd rather have something on there than not.
 
Not only will water get in without the o-ring there, but your bearing grease will also leak out and spray all over the inside of your wheels (and possibly onto your brakes too).

Ford sells the O-ring as pt# FOTZ-1K106-A (you also get a nice new little "4x4" sticker with it to put onto your hub dial too lol)

I would imagine if you can find an O-ring that size elsewhere, it'd probably be cheaper.
 
If you use rtv the hubs don't fall off when you take the wheels off.
 
The o-ring is available at any hydraulics shop. Hell, In three years I have had mine, I have yet to but a "ford" one. Take a hub or o-ring with you and they can match it up.
 
Well I've run my hubs without them (because I didnt know better) for the last 2 years :icon_surprised: I guess I better get some more grease in there...!!

... i've been looking around for them, where'd you find them?...

NAPA part number 727-2153, $1.60 each :icon_thumby:

I tried the ford part number and they wanted like $16 for each side, pfft
 
NAPA part number 727-2153, $1.60 each :icon_thumby:

I tried the ford part number and they wanted like $16 for each side, pfft

THANKS MAN! :icon_cheers:

$16 for an o-ring????? F'ing stealership, i'd hot glue them bitches on there before i paid that much
 
well they do come with cool 4x4 stickers.... :) actually I think that might be a rebuild kit that includes a few other bits. When I went to carquest they wanted to sell me a rebuild kit to get the o-ring too, $20 or so per side. Ouch.

I'm getting more and more impressed with NAPA
 
when i went to replace my rotors, i found that one of my o-rings had split. i put on the ones i had that came stock with my auto hubs, drilled and tapped the hubs & rotors and used high-temp r.t.v.
April270.jpg
 

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