How's that for a more specific topic headline?
My right front hub seal is leaking a wee bit. I have some black radial streaks on the wheel. No significant change in the hub oil level. I am having the hub oil drained and replaced next week and the seals on both hubs replaced at Cummins.
Does anyone know the part number for the seals? (Not IFS) is this a complicated task to replace the seals? Anything I should make sure they do or watch for?
Maybe it was overfilled? Maybe just need new red caps?
Thanks,
Roger
Stemco Hub Cap Window Kit (http://beamalarm.com/Documents/Stemco_hub_cap_window_kit.html)
Roger,
Are these oil streaks ob the outside on the rim or on the inside only seen while looking at inside/ back of wheel?
If on outside, the oil level is over filled and / or bad rubber center plug.
If on the inside, yes the hub seal is leaking.
Thanks Barry, You are a treasure.
Hi Dave, Without taking the wheel off, it looks like there is no streaking on the inside. The insides of both front wheels are equally dirty. So I will have the Cummins folks look closely. I didn't start seeing any of this until last summer and have been watching it closely. The oil level is between the inside and outside ring. Maybe a bit more now than last summer. I hope it is just the cap.
Is this oil level something that would get checked during a chassis lube?
Thanks for the feedback.
I sure hope I get a chance to meet more of the great folks here on the Forum.
Roger
If the oil streaks are on the outside of the wheels, I would check the rubber plugs on the window, they are probably hard and not sealing, You can get new ones at NAPA and replace them yourself. They are not very expensive. Just take one along as an example. I had to replace the ones on our front axle and also on the tag axle.
I had to replace the entire plastic window and plug, as somebody before me used the wrong one AND used RTV and made a mess. It's about a 5 minute job (well, 15 minutes of scraping RTV off) and parts cost at NAPA was about $7.
Snip: "I had to replace the entire plastic window and plug, "
Might you have a NAPA Part Number, or........ ? I have one hub leaking around the plug (I think) and have been casually looking for solutions. If NAPA is a source, I'm static for a few days and will check. Thanks!
3 places on the outside to leak.. already mentioned are plug.. and plastic cover.. next is the puter hub cover with gasket.. still an easy fix.. 5 bolts hold it on I think it is.. any of the 3 is a minute fix.. the ones we like to see leak if anything must leak. someone may have already mentioned.. I have been reading fast as we have a KW out in the show getting new king pin set and another getting a d2 air governor... don't know why I think I have to be out there looking over my mans shoulder.. he could raise up real fast and bloody my nose.. my shop and I reserve the right I suppose.
MOT parts sent my lil red plugs, I lowered the oil level to lower ring, BINGO, no more leaks or streaks, why make it difficult !
Dave, sometimes your too smart :)) Had the same issue on the way to AZ, stopped by a international dealer the mechanic says as long as you have oil in the sight the seal will last.
But, I like your simple approach to issues! ^.^d
My guru buddy had to train the local cummins shop to not overfill the hubs. The outer circle is the correct line not the inner.
I'm away from home and do not have the PN with me, but the PDF Barry put up has them. The NAPA I was at just looked up the stemco number
Thanks; I was responding via the e-mail, and I should have looked at the forum posting before asking! (Thanks Barry!)
Thank you all for your information...we just arrived in Maine via Michigan and I found my hub leaking. Sure enough after researching here I found my red plug with some dry rot and the seal still holding oil. Off to NAPA for a plug and oil to top off. If that doesn't work I'll stop for a repair otw back to Michigan.
Now to get the oil off the side of the coach eeerrrrrrr
If anyone know, I am struggling to pinpoint a part number for red Hub Cap Plug. It is for Stemco 4024.
Is it Stemco 359-5990 Rubber Plug (https://www.amazon.com/Stemco-359-5990-Rubber-Plug/dp/B002D49WE6)
Here is two pictures of my 2003-GV-295 Hub Cap Stemco 4024 (https://goo.gl/photos/cPLR37yqEmMHfyQu9) with a side plug (bolt)
Thank you,
AL
Al,
Take it by any parts place that caters to OTR trucks. A very common part. While plug is removed, use tape or something to cover the opening to keep it from being contaminated.
The outer ring on the cover is the correct oil level. Not the inner one
Al,
If you are still in the DFW area run by MHC Kenworth. They have a bushel basket full of them under the parts counter.
Pamela & Mike
Bob,
I disagree. Outer ring is min oil level. Inner ring is full.
Reading all these oil level discussions, I have never been positive whether you are to read the inner and outer rings on the lower half (below the axle) or on the upper half (above the axle). The answer to that question would seem to answer which ring represents minimum and which maximum.
You read oil level at the six o'clock position.
Thanks Brett. That is what I had assumed, but assumptions are not always a good idea.
Agree with Brett, just checked mine, inner ring says full. If you take the red plug out and oil comes out you are overfilled, if you can only see a little bit at the bottom, add till just below the plug hole.
My guru buddy mentioned strongly that the inner ring can overflow and he had to train the cummins dealer here to not overfill his customers coaches.
Not sure if one is cold or hot or any other reason why he would mention this so strongly but I am brave and posted what he said.
Versus say nothing? Maybe more research will help?
Better off if I stayed out but there should be info around?
He was the Newell local warranty service guy for many years and does primarily big stuff.
Maybe they heat and expand the hub oil more from the heavier loads?
For a few dollars more I would get the whole cover and the red cap,if the plastic cap is old/worn so is the cover.There is a gasket
between the cover and the aluminum base.The oil also needs to be changed once in a while,the expanding of the oil as it gets
hot and cold will over time draw in air thru the vent hole and over time draws in dust.I know that Foretravel uses silicone to seal
the base to the hub but Stemco in their video strongly advises not to use silicone but a gasket instead.They claim the silicone
will get between the oil and the bearings causing wear.I myself would rather change oil and a gasket instead of a bearing.
Silicone, be it o-ring, sheet gasket mat'l or caulk is not a proper sealant for oil.
Below is an elastomer/chemical compatibility chart.
John
http://www.cmrubber.com/pdf/elastomer_compatibility_chart.pdf
I think the proper use for silicone with a gasket is intended just to hold the gasket in place not to be the gasket.The Stemco kits I
bought for my hubs did not have the gasket,that was a seperate part that can be found at truck parts stores.
RTV sealant is oil resistant.
RTV sealant is Silicone. Per Permatex it is compatable with acids and alkys but not oil.
Permatex® Clear RTV Silicone Adhesive Sealant - Permatex (https://www.permatex.com/products/adhesives-sealants/sealants/permatex-clear-rtv-silicone-adhesive-sealant/)
For the wheel bearing hub gaskets I coat with Permatex " Permatex® Form-A-Gasket® No. 2 Sealant - Permatex (https://www.permatex.com/products/gasketing/gasket-sealants/permatex-form-a-gasket-no-2-sealant/) Non hardening, pliable sealant. Enhances gasket seal, especially on gaskets that are sealing porous (soft metals) and under low bolt torque pressure like the hub seals.
I use this; RTV Sealant | ACDelco (http://www.acdelco.com/auto-parts/vehicle-maintenance/mechanical-repair/rtv-sealant.html)
I use this; RTV Sealant | ACDelco (http://www.acdelco.com/auto-parts/vehicle-maintenance/mechanical-repair/rtv-sealant.html)
Gotcha, that's not silicone. Looks good.
Interesting, I always equated "RTV" with silicone. Learned today that RTV means room temperature vulcanizing.
Gettin' schooled! ^.^d
When I changed the oil in our hubs day before yesterday, I found a sizable rag inside the driver side steer hubcap. It was apparently there to absorb seepage from the hub, and that hub was the only one of the 4 that was overfilled. I removed the rag, and filled with new oil to the correct level. So far no seepage after about 125 miles.
I have always installed new hub caps dry. I have done several over the years and have never had any leakage. Several mechanics and Kelly Truck here in Nacogdoches told me to install the gaskets dry and tighten to 14-16 ft. lb. torque. When I first looked at the 04 I just bought from MOT it had oil streaks on the right front wheel before they cleaned it up. When I got it home I pulled the wheel cover and someone had put sealant on the gasket. After pumping the remaining oil out I bought a new hub cap from Kelly Truck and installed it and not had any problem since. On several other hubs I have replaced over the years I have never had any problem leaking after installing them dry. The left front wheel was not leaking and did not have sealant. I did pump the old oil out and replaced it. I have always used Lucas Hub oil, since that is what it is made for.
Think the hub cap Mark is talking about is the chrome piece covering the hub.
The red caps shrink over time due to heat cycles. They don't leak much, but leave the streaks. I keep paper towels in the caps of my crane and when I see they are getting oily I change the little red cap. I can actually wiggle the cap when they shrink. I can't have the streaks showing because of Highway patrol inspections. They would think the axle seal or bearing was bad. The right one in my coach was loose when I purchased it. Because I changed both inner seals I put new plugs in and don't use the paper towels so I can monitor any leakage. There is a very small hole in the plugs to let the pressure out, if they somehow get plugged the cap will leak also. Two years latter the hubs are still dry.