Rear Wheel Axle Shaft Oil Seal Leaking

Some advise please from one of you Jimny experts on this great site ! Back in December I ordered rear wheel bearing kit from BigJimny shop as my rear axle was rumbling like mad. Dismantled and sure enough bearings were shot to pieces but not bad after over 100K miles including lots of off road stuff. Its a G13BB first registered in 2000 and yes blue in colour. Just had an mot which it passed but with comment oil evident on rear drum. Took drum off to find oil leaking from seal. Very disappointed after fitting new bits so recently. I was surprised at the time that the bearing retainer was not highly polished as this is the surface the oil seal runs on but assumed that as the parts came from a reputable source they would be ok. On dismantling I have found that there is a distinct line on the bearing collar which I did not notice at the time of originally fitting. See photos. On the photo with shadow you can make out the oil lip seal starting to polish collar. Dont have easy acces to a lathe to polish this out. What do you suggest ? Any ideas ?

That line on the bearing retaining collar could be enough to allow oil to leak out.

Kirkynut

By polishing it out you are going to reduce the diameter overall and it will leak worse! You could try some of the putty that comes in two parts(normally in a tube form and you cut off a length and them knead that together so it is all one colour. Used to be called Herrmetal but there are lots of different brands now. It sets rock hard and is sandable so with a bit of care you should be able to get it to fill the gouge .

That looks quite a deep groove? Almost looks like a slitting disk?



Can't see how that would happen when it rotates?...

Who originally fitted the bearings for you?

That doesn't look right.at all, I have had one previous complaint a while back on these bearing type where someone "split" the retainer ring when pressing it on. A groove like this might explain how it split.

I have one in stock of the same brand, if you want a replacement.

I will also look at other brands,

Martin

I originally dismantled the old bearings and retainers but decided to get my friendly local garage to press on the new bearings and bearing retainer. Have just been down to show them and they have said yes this groove is enough to let oil pass. They did not realise the bearing retainer also has the oil seal running on this surface. When I put it all back together in December I did not inspect the parts other than a wipe with clean rag therefore did not spot this flaw on the retainer. It has not been caused by fitting onto drive shaft but looks more like a mark left in surface from when it was originally manufactured. From my past experience in engineering saw these marks caused by raw material bars being pushed through collets which have not opened up.
The groove is too deep to polish out therefore I need a new retainer. (Martin ?)

It will be in the post tomorrow

MArtin

Thank you very much Martin and thanks for the comments from other members on this forum.

Replacements arrived in post today. Decided to let my local friendly garage dismantle old bearing retainer and refit new parts to shaft. Thanks to BigJimny store for replacing. Should be back on the road at week end.

All back together and on the road again. Thank goodness.