Final drive bearing and oil seal question

[Dorsal Fin]

Before I get shot down in flames and get told to "do a search", I have already but I have a question anyway ....

I noticed an oil leak from the FD oil seal, of course I read Steptoe's comments and advice on checking the bearing, so I popped out the old seal and checked the bearing, everything looks as it should, I then popped a new seal in and I've still got a leak

My question is ..... what's causing the leak? the surfaces where the oil seal touches anything are fine, so is this a sign the bearing is on it's way out? If someone (Steptoe?) says it's the bearing is going home and then I'll strip it down and replace, the bike has done 45k.

And if Steptoe reads this, it's me who bought the 1150 with a noisy gearbox and I had to collect the mirrors from you

Thanks
Peter

 

[Packer]

The two big output side bearings that have failed on me both went suddenly though not completely catastrophic, I was able to complete my journey in both cases. I have however had the input side seal start to leak with oil getting into the paralever/FD boot and then dripping slowly out of the bottom.

You still end up with oil under the FD, it's just come from a different source. Mine failed at a similar mileage to your current reading. Unfortunately it's not just as easy to fix, you'll need a very strong means of securing the FD to a bench and a special tool to fit the castellated nut and exert 250 Newton Metres (I think).

I sent mine to Scriminger Engineering who replaced the paralever bearings at the same time for about £100 IIRC. Good people.

 

[sockpuppet]

Could be you've not seated the oil seal correctly? Did you push it too far back (DAMHIK)?

 

[Dorsal Fin]

I pushed the seal in as far as it could go, was that wrong? Can someone post a picture of how it's correctly fitted?