Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

dhirocz · 10-03-2017, **(Subject: Stemco wheel seals )**

It's about that time again, this time, on the steer axle.

Curious what you guys are getting out of your wheel seals. I've used SKF, seems like a decent generic wheel seal. Don't really have an issue with them leaking if properly I stalled and the surface it rides on is properly prepared.

I just bought some new pro-torq lock nuts and see that stemco sells a few different variations of these wheel seals. What are you guys running, and what kind of life are you seeing out of them?

Also, at one time in the past, I saw some steel shim axle flange gaskets that had an impregnated rubber seal on them, which I thought would work fine here...better than just paper or rtv alone, but now cannot find them for the life of me...been awhile since I've seen them. Something from my military days perhaps?

Nilao · 10-03-2017, **(Subject: Stemco wheel seals )**

I still have the oem wheel seals as far as I know. They have almost 800k miles on them.

dhirocz · 10-03-2017, **(Subject: Stemco wheel seals )**

800k on a set of wheels seals? That's crazy! I was figuring replacing them every 200k at most. I hate oil soaked brake shoes.

Rawze · 10-03-2017, **(Subject: Stemco wheel seals )**

(10-03-2017 )dhirocz Wrote: 800k on a set of wheels seals? That's crazy! I was figuring replacing them every 200k at most. I hate oil soaked brake shoes.

They don't generally go bad unless you neglect torquing your hub bearings regularly like your supposed to.

JMBT · 10-04-2017, **(Subject: Stemco wheel seals )**

Stemco is the best I have found. I use the Stemco Discover, my brother runs the Voyager. Both seem to work well. The Discover is supposed to be the "long haul seal". Stemco claims 400K, I think.

Hammerhead · 10-04-2017, **(Subject: Stemco wheel seals )**

The SKF Scotseal Plus XL are what I use.
The thing I like about these is that no special driver is required to remove or install them, so I pack a couple of spares and think nothing of changing my own wheel seals while away from home because of that. That and I'm usually off the beaten path, so even if I don't wanna do it myself parts and install tools are always "in stock" cause I can supply them, very handy feature.
They'll last 400k pretty easily in long haul application.
I tend to do my steer and trailers between 2-250k as I like to change the oil due to no filtration and no real way to change the oil without breaking the seal anyway.

dhirocz · 10-04-2017, **(Subject: Stemco wheel seals )**

So those seals last awhile taken care of...good.

I an going axle by axle and fixing all the dumb stuff that gets missed or half assed by half a lifetime worth of company driver-ness. With the availability of the SKF, it sounds like that's the way to go. All 3 axles are getting new wheel bearings and pro torque nuts as well so I can dial the end play in better and to increase seal life and lessen drag. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving something on the table with the seals.

Hammerhead · 10-04-2017, **(Subject: Stemco wheel seals )**

(10-04-2017 )dhirocz Wrote: So those seals last awhile taken care of...good.

I an going axle by axle and fixing all the dumb stuff that gets missed or half assed by half a lifetime worth of company driver-ness. With the availability of the SKF, it sounds like that's the way to go. All 3 axles are getting new wheel bearings and pro torque nuts as well so I can dial the end play in better and to increase seal life and lessen drag. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving something on the table with the seals.

Your doing exactly what I did to my trailer about 5-6years ago, when I rebuilt my trailer 2 years ago only one wheel seal had been changed in the 3-4 previous years. Keep in mind I barely ran 100k miles/year and 4 of the 6 trailer axles spend half their life being hauled around stacked up, to give you an example of life expectancy. Also the loaded miles, are ALL permitted weight, from 38-45k lbs/tandem, so definable weight used but not speed abused.
When I did this, I also installed Tru-Balance wheel centering devices and Centrimatic balances at the same time. The increased tire life from doing all of the above paid double the investment of the parts! That was ~2 sets of tires ago, easy money!
With all of that done with synthetic 75/90 oil in the hubs, my hub temps dropped 10-15 degrees (iirc working on memory). But the best part was all 12 wheel ends (6 axles) on the trailer were within about 7*f hottest to coolest! Using my infared gun. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it myself. I was anal, and because of the accuracy of the ProTorq nuts I set every single hub at 0.003".

dhirocz · 10-04-2017, **(Subject: Stemco wheel seals )**

Sounds about right.

I've already installed centrimatics. Tires are about 30k old.

Those wheel centering devices actually work? Doesn't the wheel center itself via the hub? I can see maybe a little fore and aft play before tightening down the lugs...I never thought much about them for this reason...care to share?

As far as end play goes, I have a magnetic base with a dial indicator I can use for measuring this. I figured I would set the end play more precisely after the new bearings had some seat time, but haven't decided how to approach this yet either. I'm still waiting to get home so work has not started yet.