Which direction is the rotor inner grease seal installed?

[RayL]

1973 Challenger.

I don't remember seeing a grease seal with a long lip like this before.

Is the seal installed like in Image #1 or Image #2?

Image #4 shows how the old seal was installed. Notice the deformed lip.

I do not trust what I find on the car as a valid reference. For example, the rear drum shoes are installed with the long shoe towards the front of the car and the short shoe towards the rear of the car (arrow pointed towards rear, not front).

Thanks!

[Katfish]

I would think #1, otherwise how would you drive it in to seat it?

[Brads70]

Image #1

[RayL]

I would think #1, otherwise how would you drive it in to seat it?

It would seat with that lip just touching the back of the bearing. A hammer wouldn't notice at all 

Thanks
RayL

[dodj]

The seal I used on my '73 doesn't look like that one. But it has to be #1 from your photos. The 'cup' of the steel faces inward on all seals on rotors etc.

[mtull]

The attached image is from the 1970 Service Manaual.  Hopefully the orientation of the wheel bearing seal didn't change from 1970 to 1973.

[RayL]

Thanks for the replies. I got the seal installed and then cleaned the cosmoline off getting ready to install. And then noticed this crack. Checked the other rotor and it is cracked too. 100% failure rate

Anyone have a similar experience?

I bought these from RockAuto back in October '24. Life happened and I'm just now getting back to the car. I'm going to see what RockAuto has to say about refunds. Not optimistic.

AAARGH

[mtull]

And then noticed this crack

You can tell they've never been used.  Hopefully RockAuto will work with you on an exchange. 
 

[RayL]

Update:

The online description for these Raybestos rotors contains this information:

RAYBESTOS Warranty Information
Limited Lifetime: All products except R-Line Calipers. 18 Months / 18,000 Miles: R-Line Calipers. Warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship. Normal/uneven wear is not covered.

Try to do the RockAuto return/refund and get this message after completing the form:

Problems should be reported to us right away. Since your order is over 30 days old, we can no longer provide you with a refund or replacement part.

How can both be true? Better question would be how to contact RockAuto?

[Katfish]

Buy 2 more, and return the these

[dodj]

Buy 2 more, and return the these

Yup, worst case is they send replacements and you have spares.

[RayL]

@Katfish - You must be a mind reader! I'll probably get another set of cracked junk, but it's worth a try.

I have another option. The thickness on the one old rotor I measured is 0.960". That leaves 0.010" per face for turning based on the minimum thickness cast into the rotor.

OEM rotors that can be turned within specifications are good to go, right?

1973_Dodge_Chassis_Service_Manual.pdf

Group 5-60, Page 181 of 897 Specifications
Braking Disc (Floating Caliper)
- Minimum Thickness should be cast on the rotor
 - Thickness: 1.000-1.010"
 - Minimum Thickness: 0.940"
 - Thickness Variation: 0.0005"
 - Runout: 0.004"
 - Micro Finish: 15-80

[Brads70]

Well that Rots being cracked. Likely need another seal now also. 

[RayL]

For those following along...

After receiving 2 cracked Raybestos rotors from RockAuto, I decided not to purchase another set from them. Even if they were able to send 2 good ones, I wouldn't have felt comfortable running them on my car. So I'm out a little over $100 there.

And no chance to turn the OEM set I have as one of them was already close to the 0.940" minimum thickness.

I ended up at Napa to order a set of their Premium Brake rotors (Part #4885566). The result? 1 was good. The 2nd had surface gouges that looked like jaw marks. So they ordered a 3rd which was almost good. Several of the wheel studs were not pressed in fully. But I was able to seat them all and now have 2 useable rotors.

5 rotors to get 2 good ones and that only after correcting a manufacturing error.

The moral of the story? Do a detailed inspection of the parts you purchase.

Rear drum brakes are next!

[mtull]

5 rotors to get 2 good ones and that only after correcting a manufacturing error.

I wonder if rotors from Rock Auto and NAPA are from the same source? Very concerning either way.  I hope you update this thread after you get a few miles on the new parts.  Best of luck and thanks for sharing!