swivel ball seal spring?

[brdcollie]

Just replaced one of my swivel ball seals (67 llA SWB) using TeriAnn's method (http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/LRhubseal.htm) of splitting the ring and seal to avoid disassembling the whole swivel ball. It worked and great seems to have solved the majority of the leaks (at least at the swivel ball!) I found the hardest part of the process to be unscrewing the spring that goes around the inside of the seal and screwing it back together. I actually forget to install the spring on the first seal I replaced and drove the Rover around for a couple of days without it, until I saw it laying on the workbench. Question is - it worked fine without the spring and didn't have any leaks around the swivel. The spring doesn't seem to have that much tension anyway. Just wonder how necessary it really is?

[o2batsea]

It'll work until it doesn't any more.

[Les Parker]

It is there for a reason, in a couple of months - all will be clear or at least dribbling !

[I Leak Oil]

Thousands of oil seals are made every month with such a spring. It's not there for looks.