'86 wheel hub assy inst. problem..

[muzy67]

I am having a problem on installation. The inner seal p/n 14046941 does not seat on the washer that is on the shoulder of the bearing. There is a gap between the two due to the knuckle housing id being smaller in dia than the seal od. Does this SEAL press into or take up the space between the hub assy and the spindle? When I disassembled the old(failed) hub assy, there was alot of dust and the spacer was on the outboard side of the knuckle. When I unbolted the hub from the knuckle, and took the knuckle off, it was lying against the shoulder of the bearing hub which had in/out play due to failure. The way it is now, I have the seal against the spindle and inbd side of knuckle with about 1/4 in gap. betw/ seal and washer.Then the washer just sitting in that space which can't be right. Does anybody have any experience on this condition. I would appreciate some suggestions. This forum has been very helpful to me in the past, very good mechs on here.

 

[muzy67]

I have been doing some reading on other forums and it's not clear but I think I may have found my problem. I have an '86. The seal has been discontinued for some reason. I guess the only component between the spindle and the hub is the washer. The seal, which is metal and about 1/4" thick should not be in the assy. I think I can bolt the hub to the knuckle with the washer on the spindle, put the spindle through the knuckle to where it is against the washer/hub with NO gap. If this is the way it goes, then it makes more sense than having a rotating spindle,washer,bearing moving freely without a bearing seal making contact with a fixed knuckle. I replaced this hub before and cannot remember if I replaced a missing 1/4" seal per the manual diagram when it wasn't there to begin with. When I torque the spindle nut to 160-180 ftlbs, will I be right on the cotter pin hole or will it be beyond the castle nut indicating some thing missing?