Swivel gaiter kits; rubber or leather?

[diffwhine]

Traditionally Payen hub seals were leather. Interesting properties - you would think steel would be be stronger than leather, but leather hub oil seals and flange seals make an excellent job of cutting a groove in a shaft or distance piece.

[Wittsend]

Series 2s & 1s used leather seals. That's leather sandwiched between 2 steel plates.

The seals need to be pre-soaked in EP90 to soften them up before fitting - something many owners didn't do.

Then the rubber/plastic type seals were invented - far superior and the Cortico brand amongst the best, not the cheapo Chinese replicas 

Old school types prefer the the old leather/steel seals but there's no reason not to use the modern replacements.

 

Of course when replacing hub seals you should replace the distance piece as well, and use a good quality part, either OE or HNJ ones.

[2286]

Land Rover Series 1/2/3 Metal & Leather Hub Oil Seal - 1948-Sept 1980 - Rtc3510G

[diffwhine]

I used some RTC3510G leather seals on a rebuild during lockdown. I didn't get on with them. They were so tight that it was nigh on impossible to set the preload my usual way (by feel as opposed to faffing about with DTI gauges).

[Wittsend]

The secret with hub replacement is to use quality parts and fit as a pair - the seal and the distance piece. The running surface on the distance piece has to be in pristine condition.

Everything has to be clean - not a speck of grit.

With the rubber/plastic Corteco type seals there is "give" on the outer edge of the seal. You don't get this with the old fashioned steel/leather seals.

You simply press the new seals in (and they are easy to prize out when you do need to change them).



The other consideration is to prevent air pressure build-up when things get warm in the axle. This can force oil past the seal. The axle breathers quickly get bunged up 
Ditch these for a set of Robin's remote hi-level breather extensions. That's one problem solved you'll never have to worry about.

 

[2286]

I used some RTC3510G leather seals on a rebuild during lockdown. I didn't get on with them. They were so tight that it was nigh on impossible to set the preload my usual way (by feel as opposed to faffing about with DTI gauges).

Did you give them the recommended long pre soak in oil?

[diffwhine]

2 weeks in a tub of EP90... If that's not long enough, I don't know what is! Also they came well soaked in a sealed bag.

[diffwhine]

Before anybody asks, I fitted on straight from the bag as it was clearly already well soaked and that made no difference.
Could have been a bad batch.

For me, I prefer the modern rubber seals. Each to their own.

[2286]

DW I did expect that you had pre-soaked.

2 weeks should have done the trick!

I was just quoting from my own experience, that leather trumps the rubber/plastic type.

The non leather type might be more dimensionally controllable from new but I have found less durable in service.

I have never yet used a dti on a hub bearing.  Using the tighten till bind then back off method with slight play.

I understand how the hub seal would ad unwelcome drag making it harder to do this.