Leaking swivel hubs

[Paul64]

Hi, can anyone tell me at what point do leaking swivel hubs become an MOT fail?

You know the old steel ball type that gather stone chips which then knick the seals?

Cheers,

Paul

[pinny]

hello my disco was weeping with ep90 in hubs i replaced with the grease which isnt showing passed mot no prob chris

[101nut]

Method:

Drain most of oil out of swivels (if there is any!), drive to MOT and have MOT done, fill swivels.

What leaky swivels at MOT?

AndyG

[GBMUD]

When it leaks badly enough to get on the brakes - or the MOT man!

Chris

[bill van snorkle]

I believe there is a ''standard'' for oil leaks. You place a paper towel on the floor under the drip, and if within 3 minutes the drip covers an area of one square inch or larger on the paper it's a fail. If its a series landrover it's best to drain all the oils out of the transmission and axles and fit the bell housing drain plug around the corner fom the MOT station.

Bill.

[Bush65]

hello my disco was weeping with ep90 in hubs i replaced with the grease which isnt showing passed mot no prob chris

Often it is an indication that the swivel bearings need attention. Slack/worn swivel bearings allow the housing to move away from swivel ball, taking the pressure off the seal.

IMHO EP90 does a better job of lubricating the cv than grease.

[Les Henson]

If the leak is slight then it might just be an advisory, but excessive or on the brakes makes it a fail. Some MOT stations treat a swivel leak the same as a CV boot split and fail it.

Les.

[Paul64]

Thanks for all your comments. I can see that the steel surface has taken several stone chips in the surface and this has roughed up the edges of the seals. I have cleaned it all up and there is little to see overnight, so hopefully all will be OK. I think it was rejo that told me the later swivels were titanium coated so surface damage is less likely? Would eventual replacement be expensive?

Cheers,

Paul

[Les Henson]

Not titanium - Teflon. The jury's still out on which type is better although chrome swivel balls are getting harder and harder to get as the chroming process in the UK is banned due to dangerous chemicals used in the process.

Les.

[Paul64]

Thanks Les,

rejo probably did say Teflon. Better get that straight before the abuse starts!

[02GF74]

Often it is an indication that the swivel bearings need attention. Slack/worn swivel bearings allow the housing to move away from swivel ball, taking the pressure off the seal.

IMHO EP90 does a better job of lubricating the cv than grease.

Why do you say that?

I've got the one-shot stuff in my swirvels for the reasons stated above and when I took the fronts apart to fit stage 1 brakes, the UJ was covered in the grey/silvery stuff.

I did not look at the top swivle pin but the inside surface was covered in grease so I would assume that was being lubricated.

[Turbocharger]

[insert can of worms here]

A bus will fail the MOT under 'Oil and waste leaks' for the following:

1 Any oil leak or combination of leaks from any assembly which can create a pool 75mm in diameter in 5 minutes or a number of leaks which collectively would deposit oil at the same rate

2 Leakage of waste whcih is likely to cause unpleasant or dangerous conditions for other road users, or damage road surfaces

3 Leakages which, when the vehicle is in motion, can heavily contaminate the vehicle such that it causes a health or fire risk

For more than one leak under (1) there is debate whether you add the diameter of the puddles together or not, but most testers will use common sense.

[Les Henson]

That rule doesn't apply to normal road vehicles - must be a bus 'thing' and maybe HGV.

Les.

[Turbocharger]

Buses are "normal road vehicles" Yes, it's lifted from the PSV tester's manual. Being a bus company, we don't carry the PLG one...