NSF Hub/Swivel 'Oil' Leak.

Hi - new to me 1992 defender 110 200tdi.

Noticed 'oil' on the front wheel a couple of days ago the leak is dripping after I've driven - spent much time looking at web for ideas/answers - lots of reading and I am now read up and ready to do a complete axle overhaul! - learnt loads...

However I am planning to take it off the road in Oct to do more major overhaul so need to do something more surgical in terms of repair. Looking at the photos you can see that most of it is oil free - so no leaks on brakes, back of assembly. Slight build up of sludge on the swival balls (free of pitting or corrosion) - but the rear seal appears intacts.

From the front it appears it looks like it might be leaking from the thin gasket holding the hub on or from the dust cover cap (which admittedly needs attention/replacing). So...

Can oil leak out from the dust cap end or am I looking at failed seals inside the hub itself (requiring me to strip out the bearings)?

Which oil is likley to be getting through - is it from the diffs or from the swivel housing - or is it just grease from the bearings.

I know I could strip it down more - find out - but if I can get the likley parts in then I can do it in one go. Oh and I don't have my hubnut tool yet!

Hopefully today I'm going to drain/refill the diffs and swivals so I might find out where its coming from but any guidence welcome!

Some pictures...

Looks like fun. Yes indeed, they do sometimes leak from the gasket between the drive flange and the hub, but in reassembling you'll presumably be putting new gaskets on anyway which should be a lot better. Plus the plastic cap doesn't always seal on well, so new ones of those might be desirable. There's also a seal where the chrome ball swivel goes on to the axle to keep the grease in the swivel separate from the oil in the axle. If you're taking everything apart it would be worth replacing this too. In fact it's probably worth replacing everything that looks like a bearing, seal or gasket in the whole thing, and then it'll be good for another 100,000 miles or so with a bit of luck. Here's me doing mine http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f16/axle-refurbishments-272149.html Rear axle first so scroll down for the front.

I'll sell you my old axle which you can do up at your leisure and then roll under yours when it's done. It's a good axle, just needs new swivels etc.

Diff is bang on.