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Wheel lube leaks
Hi All,
Just got back from a 22 hour drive to the Tillamook Cheese factory (it is pretty cool as far as those kind of things go.)
I noticed when we got there we had some oil lines around the wheels. When we left the house, they were all clean.
My question is: Is this “normal” or “just a part of having oil bath hubs?” OR should I expect them to be clean all the time?
One of them was replaced recently. Here are the photos of both fronts:
I like how the baby moons make me look thin. I might have to start using these photos!
Thanks!
Walt
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7 Replies
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Walt, Pull the baby moon and see if the hub is liquid filled, and if so is it leaking from the center hole or from around the base of the hub cover. Look for a possible crack between the plastic sight glass and the metal part.
If you cannot see any apparent reason, see if it is overfilled. The hub liquid level should be at about 1/8″ above the low point on the plastic sight glass. There will be a line or marking to indicate the liquid level and over filling can cause grease to leak.
If everything checks OK it might be a hub seal, in which case sticking a finger through a hole in the wheel and feeling the inside of the wheel will make your finger wet with grease. Dry dust is OK.
If it is a permanently filled non-serviceable hub it might be failing.
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Does it feel like oil or more like brake dust….was the coach in rain or washed? Sometimes the brake dust collected shows when in rain or washed…Should be able to tell if oil by touch
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Ditto what Jeff says, most of the time it’s just brake gunk, but check it out.
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Pull baby moon and look it could be leaking but it could be dirt and brake dust and stuff
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The hubs look to be correctly full – when I ran my finger across the lines they were sort of waxy – and rubbed around like some sort of smeared black goop. I guess it’s hard for me to tell if it’s oil or what.
I did wash the bus – but that was maybe a week before we left for this drive.
I wonder if it’s possible that some sort of condensation occurs overnight that then runs out in the morning. Since the wheels would be hot when you pull over – more so than anything else.
Well, I’m gonna keep my eye on them!
Walt
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If it was brake or aluminum dust it would be dry. There would be no smearing.
Keep a close eye on this. If it is a hub seal you will get a greasy finger when you put a finger through the holes in the wheel. If you just get dry dust that’s normal. I would clean it real well, using brake cleaner and after a drive see if it reappears.
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I have the same black stricks, but on the drive axle wheels. I have checked every item with no notable leaks. My only conclusion is the plastic chrome hub cover rubbing aganst the wheel.
Larry Nelson
2002 XL II Vision
12 Honda CRV
HURRICANE, UT
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