rear hub leak

[ian theobald]

Just noticed on my TC a rather bad leak of oil coming from hub and down spokes after taking it out fora run now that all back together again. I wiped it clean and when next stopped wet again
The passenger side has always weeped a bit to leave inside of rim damp with oil but drivers side never.
I was going to purchase new seals and bearings but parts supplier said possibly leaking through shaft and hub and a common fix was to plug with a rubber bath plug but to check how much movement as may need to be welded.
There are no clunks or noises at the moment so do you just plug up and forget .
Have not had a chance to jack up and check for movement or for that matter try and look up old posts to see if anything relates to this matter.
Apart from that the car ran great now that grille does not rattle and felt happy up to 60mph .
My TC has a latter type diff cut off at the ends with TC mounting points so have no clue as to what ratio is running
You eliminate one source of noise only to hear another that was once masked.Was the over flow pipe from carburettor ratling against front engine mount.
My pipes were bent all over the place so I removed ,straightened and ran as per pictures of Doug Peltons site but there is no evidence of any original bracket down below such as in a picture of a nother members car.
Hope the oil leak is not to serious and easily fixed. Ian

[ian theobald]

Have jacked car up and no difference between either side ,just the slightest hint of movement but could be movement of wheel on hub, . Given the fact leak has just happened must asume that an oil seal has given up.Have not removed the brake drum yet to see if wet inside but not sure what symptons a worn seal gives on a TC. If so will be another job wont have to worry about in the future.

[Steve Simmons]

The only thing stopping the oil from pouring out is the reverse scroll in the end of the axle tube. These wear down over time, especially when there is slop in the bearings which allows the axle to move a bit. The best solution is to install sealed hub nuts. Roger Furneaux sells a kit. Better yet is to install one of Bob Grunau's uprated axle kits which eliminates the risk of axle breakage, and give a completely leak-proof unit.

When you have it all apart, check the tightness of the hub on the axle shaft. Rapping on the hub should give a ringing sound, not a thud. If the hub isn't extremely tight on the shaft, it will eventually ruin the bearing and possibly the carrier.

[stephen stierman]

Make sure the hubs are tight on the axles, your movement could be the wheels on the splines, but maybe not. The oil is leaking between the axle splines and the hub where the axle is pressed into the hub. You will need to pull the hubs and the axles out, they should come out as one unit by undoing the bolts holding the brake drum assembly to the bearing carrier. If you hold the unit up to the light you will probably see day light between the splines of the hub. Clean the back side of the splined hub well with solvent and put in a good thickness of hi temp silicone sealant. Let this setup over night and re install making sure to use sealant between the hub and bearing carrier also prior to bolting it all back together.

[ian theobald]

Thanks for repllies. Will remove hub but for it to leak so much so sudenly seems strange as has always been bone dry . Passenger side has been a little damp but never to bad ,just enough oil for dust to attach.
.Many years ago I owned a 2 1/2 Ltr Riley and replaced it,s rear bearing with sealed type but also fitted new leather seals as well.
Has me puzzled though about sudden leak.
My car as later type diff that has been cut off and TC ends welded so assume half shafts are identical to a TC as handbrake etc same as original.
Will see once apart.
As for conversion or upgrade is there a web site or post to view. Thanks Ian

[ian theobald]

Have got home from work and sat down and looked up all the various fixes and solutions .
Some suggest removal of seal-scroll insitu and others talk about new slip sleve and seal so guess untill I have apart wont really know untill everything cleaned and inspected.
If like other side and dry inside brake plate but wet inside hub then perhaps the old bath plug solution is the way to go but worrying that has just happened.
The leak is quite severe as took car out for run down to shops 10 minutes away and oil was splashed over previously wiped rim.
Interesting to read about the need for 4 thou clearance,no mention in my owners hand book.
The sealed bearings fitted on my Riley seemed to do the trick on it but when it leaked ,it all went inside brake.
Will keep posted Ian.

[NAMGAR Mike]

The 1947 TC that I just bought has the same problem (otherwise a very nice car), so I am very interested in this thread. The TC was restored in 1998 and has only been driven 891 miles since then. The leak wasn't obvious until I gave the wheels a thorough cleaning. After a 10-15 mile drive, there typically is oil residue on 3-4 spokes. How long can I put off the repair?

Not sure I want to take on this task myself. Although I've owned MGs in the past, including a TC (briefly), it's been a while since I've done any serious wrenching.

[Tim Jackson]

As Steve says, the quick solution is the 50mm nut with built-in lip seal and tab washer for each hub (see photo), and the complete solution, tapered half shafts with machined hubs. Bob Grunau in Canada and Roger Furneaux in UK do both (price lists attached).
grunau.garage@sympatico.ca
roger.46TC@virgin.net

[Gene Gillam]

I concur with the above...very satisfied customer with dry hubs and brakes.