Installing Seal to Replace TCM 171255VB Trailer Seal

Question:

I have a different question with respect to this Transcom seal. TCM 171255VB seal I just pulled one wheel on my travel trailer to repack the bearings. This seal appears to be a single lip seal. The sealing edge is inside the hub, or below where the seal seats flush to the hub. Replacement seals including the RG06-050 seal that is recommended on this site appears to seal debris from above where the seal seats. Since the seal I removed sealed in a different position on the spindle the replacement appears to seal further up the spindle which is pitted and not clean metal because there has never been a seal in that location. Do you have a recommendation for me?

asked by: Tom

Expert Reply:

The old seal you have pictured is certainly a single lip seal. Which can be replaced by a double lip like # RG06-050. A double lip seal basically means the seal has a spring to reinforce the rubber seal.

From the looks of your pictures the one that isn't fitting the same doesn't appear to be a typical trailer grease seal. I see what you mean because the rubber seal does look to be going the other direction and that could cause an issue with grease leaking if it doesn't make a tight seal on the spindle. I can't say for sure if it will work or not. There isn't much harm in trying it and monitoring as long as you're able to replace it with a more standard seal like the # RG06-050 if it does end up leaking.

expert reply by: Charles S