Should There be a Gap Between Grease Seal and Bearing on Trailer Hub

Question:

Hi. I used a bearing race and seal driver to put a new seal in. Using this I accidentally drove the seal in to the point it looks like the rubber on the seal is in contact with the bearing and there is no space. Is this OK or would the rubber impede the operation of the bearing?

asked by: Nick

Helpful Expert Reply:

The grease seal and your inner bearing should not be in contact with each other. There needs to be a gap between them. The grease seal doesn't have to be perfectly flush, sometimes it sits down in there slightly. Still, that only works if it isn't touching the bearing. You're going to have to remove the grease seal and install one again. I recommend using something like a 2x4 to drive it in. This will keep you from driving it in too far so it sits flush like it should and won't contact the bearing.

expert reply by: Robin H