New grease seal leaking-rear hub

[RebekahsZ]

I need some advice from somebody who has been thru this and won.  I have a 240z with the Desert Z disc brake conversion.

 

I replaced my rear hub bearings about a year ago and replaced the seals, packed the bearings, packed the recesses of the hubs as indicated in several of the threads here on the forum that showed pictures from the factory FSM.  Tore down brakes today to change out a coil spring and found grease had slung out of the hub, stuck to the back of the rotor near the flange and run down into the brake shoes and slimed the back side of the rotor.  I have cleaned everything up first with simple green then brake cleaner and am about to bolt back together.   What I'm praying is that the leak may stop???  Wishful thinking?  Perhaps I over-packed vs the seal is no good.  Or am I likely to find that once the seal starts leaking it just contines until I re-do it all...?  Big sad-face - I can't get a break!

Edited March 16, 2013 by RebekahsZ

[Nigel]

Over packing will definitely do this. Worst case, the seal in the outer bearing can actually blow out. You can see it sticking out once you clean all the grease away between the bearing and the stub axle wheel flange. This happened to me a couple of times before I learned my lesson... more grease does not equal better! You can clean it up, put new brake pads in and hope for the best?

 

Nigel

[RebekahsZ]

Opposite side just had the usual "sweat" on the hub, not enough to drip.  Gonna keep an eye on it for now, stub axle swap planned for later this summer.  If it keeps leaking, I'll just move that up and be more sparing with the grease next time.  Everything is cleaned up and back together.  Thanks!