Did I put the bearing seal in backwards?

[ben parrish]

Refreshing front suspension and replaced the bearings. The new seal looked different than my old ones; old ones had solid metal on both sides..new ones have a solid side and a "hollow side. I put them in with the hollow side facing the inside of the car. Now think it might be designed to go with the solid side facing the spindle spacer not the inside of the hub.
Did I do it wrong?

If so, any harm or do I need to order two more?

[Hodgey]

pics would be good Ben...

[ben parrish]

Already got them both back together...should have asked before I got it all buttoned up.
As I said,the old seals had a solid surface on both sides with rubber in the center to seal. The new one only had a flat/solid surface on one side with the other side being open ...still has the rubber center. I now think this opening may be intended to serve as a grease reservoir.

I hope that since the old one did not have this void, I will be OK with the orientation.

[Walt Fricke]

Ben - the hollow side should face the grease. The solid side should face the centerline of the car.

It might work OK if backward. The lip of the seal runs on that spacer on the axle, which looks like it is part of the spindle, but is actually a separatge part.

If a backward installation still places the lip on that surface, that might be enough. You can just drive the car and keep a watch on things. If you see signs of grease being flung about, you can get new seals and go back in and change it. Unless, that is, this moves the lip so far outward (relative to the car) that it misses the surface it should run on.

But seals are usually designed so the garter spring which tensions the sealing lip is facing the grease or oil. Especially if there is some pressure on the lubricant, as with a crankcase. But there isn't really any significant pressure in a hub.

I've not seen a seal with two "solid" sides. That would have confused me, too. No grease reservoir needed, though.

[DanielDudley]

Flat out.

[ben parrish]

sheeeet!

[KTL]

The recent Elring Klinger seals are the "solid" ones. The Kaco brand is the traditional type of shaft seal ring with an open back on it.

Pictures in the catalog don't show it too well.

Porsche 911 & Carrera Axles & Bearings - Page 3

I prefer the Kaco seals. They seem to go in easier

[Nine9six]

Rule of thumb regarding seals as relayed by a master mechanic: grease, hydraulics, oil...: "Lips to the liquid", or in this case grease.
Meaning the seal lip always faces the oil, hydraulic fluid, or grease.
What Walt said...

[Quicksilver]

Seals in general are designed so the pressure that they are retaining will press on the seal to increase sealing.

In the following picture of a seal's cross section, the red arrow shows the "inside" of the sealed area and you can see how pressure from the direction of the arrow will increase the seal's sealing force.

[Eagledriver]

If it's all back together, try it and see if any grease comes out. If not you should be fine until the next time you do this job.

-Andy