Swivel ball seal

Does any one know if its possible to simply drain oil from old type swivel ball housing and replace with grease as later ones thus avoiding oil drip on drive. Failing that any short cut to replace seal without hub removal etc.

Yes
Yes
No

Thanks folks, looks like a job for next weekend

you can replace the seal, if you unbolt the ball from the end of the axle, and then remove the brake caliper, it slides off with the half shaft still in, and you can then replace the seal over the back of the ball.

However, if your ball is pitted then no amount of seal replacement will stop it leaking.



Paddocks are selling new take-off balls for £20, im getting one very soon.

Someone on here ages ago was saying they managed to split a seal put it over the swivel ball an super glue it back together keeping the split to the top, to stop it leaking to get it through an MOT. Don't know how long it lasted though.

I cut the seals years ago for a IIA rebuild. I just sealed them at the top with a blob of silicon. They didn't leak in 8 years, so I guess it's OK...

Ah knew ah seen it somewheres.....

Swivel seal 'cheat' - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

if yu are gonna take em apart - its worth considering the gaiters at the same time. They are glued with superglue.

boydy1989 said:

However, if your ball is pitted then no amount of seal replacement will stop it leaking.

Click to expand...

but filling the pits with some of that fancy metal masticky glue gear is very effective

oi sean,her aint got the bulkhead it was b.e.r. sos mate

oil dripper said:

oi sean,her aint got the bulkhead it was b.e.r. sos mate

Click to expand...

no worries - i wuz just wanting to avoid modifying the one i've got for a 300 depender to suit me series

if you hear of one in the next week or so lemme know

no worries mate

Sean said:

but filling the pits with some of that fancy metal masticky glue gear is very effective

Click to expand...

Hmm. Why have i read that 12 hours after i bought a new ball...

jimwyllie said:

Does any one know if its possible to simply drain oil from old type swivel ball housing and replace with grease as later ones thus avoiding oil drip on drive. Failing that any short cut to replace seal without hub removal etc.

Click to expand...

my mechanic did more grease and some housing oil. reduced the leak down the tyre a lot!!!

What's all this about stopping leaks, how are people going to check their levels anymore? If there's no oil under it, there's no oil in it!

leaks are just an indication of lack of maintenance

they dont leak by design

Boydy1989 and others

Thanks for your reply, been around engineering for more years than I care to remember, and been making up o rings from kits with 'glue'. However new to the mysterious world of old land rovers. I thought that someone somewhere would have unbolted swivel ball from axle