Hi all,

I'm replacing my rear wheel bearings with the Timken tapered roller type with built in spacers. There's a picture on the Mini Spares site for your reference:

http://www.minispares.com/images/products/600/GHK1548.jpg

Which way should the seal be facing?

According to Haynes, section 10.14, "on models fitted with taper roller bearings, the oil seal lip faces away from the bearing." This seems strange to me - the side with the spring would be facing outwards from the hub, toward the brake drum backplate.

I did have a spare hub lying around which had an old Timken bearing in it with the seal spring facing inwards toward the bearing, which looks right, but what's the opinion of the experts on this forum?

Thanks,
Colin

Yes, the side with the spring faces inwards towards the bearing (and the grease it needs to retain).

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Thanks Mick, I feel better about putting them in after your advice.

It was just that sentence in the Haynes manual that threw me. Although after checking again it doesn't specifically mention Timken bearings - maybe it's referring to a different design of seal.

Colin

with some of the latest models Rover fitted the seal facing the wrong way. maybe Haynes wrote it during that time.
result was a big recall due to worn and sized bearings ...

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Rover 214 atm ....

Ah, that sounds a likely explanation. My book is copyright 1999, so that passage could have been written some time before then.

Anyway, the new bearings are now in and spinning nicely. The outer races certainly took a lot of effort to get in, but I got away with only one blood blister.

I was told the reason they fitted the seals arse about (in UK) was to keep mud and slush out.
Sounded BS to me, surely if it's full of grease and the seal the `right' way round, the crap won't get in anyway!
Whatever- but it didn't work, hey!

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

The Leyland Black Book does make specific mention of cars fitted with Tapered Rollers and that the seal should be fitted other way round, that is spring OUT. I've taken a few apart that were like that (late Mokes) from the factory. I've always put them back together spring IN.

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