is the wheel bearing/spindle o ring/seal necessary?

[apollo18]

i sometimes read online that people recommend changing out this o ring when doing hub replacements
any ideas on what it does or what the purpose is? did you guys just use the old one or install without it?

ACDELCO 290300 GM Original Equipment Front Wheel Bearing Seal (O-Ring)

i dont think wheel bearings come with a new o ring and when i watched the guy at the shop do my wheel bearing/hub replacement i saw him throw the old o ring in the garbage and i dont think the new wheel bearing/hub came with a new o ring

hoping it is fine with no o ring cuz i totally dont want to go back and install a new o ring

[davester]

When I did the front hubs on my '04 3500, I re-used the old o-rings with a light coating of grease on them.  From what I recall, it didn't appear to sealing the internal bearings from external dirt/water, perhaps it was more for keeping water out of the mating surfaces so it wouldn't rust together?

 

It really is up to the mechanic to do the job right...he should be the one who did it right the first time, and correct the problem if he didn't...

[Jsdirt]

I don't recall ever seeing an o-ring on any hub bearing jobs I've done. Up here, they rust and fuse together so bad it takes alot of pounding and heat, so any rubber normally doesn't survive any of that.

 

What I do is grind the bore out good with a twisted wire wheel, or method of your choice, and use large amounts of a thick, waterproof grease in the bore and around the bearing and flange itself. Even doing this up here, you'll still need to beat them out with an industrial air hammer replacing them a second time years later, but it's nowhere near as difficult as the first time. The factory uses no lube whatsoever.

Edited August 10, 2020 by Jsdirt

[apollo18]

thanks for the help guys! when i saw him take the hub off it came off rather easily, i think he wanted to put the o ring back on but it kinda lost shape when he removed it and i dont think it sit nicely so thats why he didnt use it. im 99.9% sure the bearing didnt come with a new o ring as ive read the same thing on forums too.

 

ive also heard and read mixed opinions some people say its a NEED and that it stops water and rust and debris from entering but some people say it doesnt really make a difference

 

i wont be able to go back to that shop since its 4 hours away.

 

what would you guys do? go back and take it all apart, buy a new o ring, and install it?

or just forget it

[Jsdirt]

Don't even waste your time - it won't do a damned thing.