Weird King Pin Bearings with a Seal ?

Stripping the front axle for the buggy project today (more photos on the build thread later) and came across these weird looking bearings on one side only? -



The wider side of the race has what could only be described as a builtin washer with a rubber seal on it?!

Anyone seen these before? / offer an explanation?

No, but they seem to be in fairly good shape?

A sealed, tapered, roller bearing.

www.bearing-king.co.uk/bearing/lm48548l-...x25625x071-inch/3622

Different from yours, but the same idea.






Steve.

Hmmm, do you think someone used them as they were the right size then?

I can't fathom the application of the seal within the axle ball cup? It looks like an oil seal, but there shouldn't be any oil in the ball cup? Only grease?

Baffled...

Perhaps these are sealing on the "outside" so could be an attempt to keep water out rather than oil in. This has two misconceptions however:

1. The water should be kept out by proper application of a suitable sealant when fitting the kingpin, so not needed.
2. Keeping oil in, there should be no oil there (halfshaft oil seal) so why do you need to keep it in

I seem to recall another parts supplier (I genuinely cannot remember their name) fanfaring the introduction of these and trying to think what benefit they would actually achieve?

"Snake Oil" then?

Probably that "Parasource" fella back in the day?