Seal assembly for truck hubs with radial labyrinth

A truck wheel hub assembly comprising:

• an inner axle with a central axis;
• an outer hub disposed about the axle and having a bore, the axle extending through the bore and a bearing rotatably coupling the hub with the axle such that the hub rotates about the axis;
• and
• a seal assembly including:
• an inner annular case having an axial portion disposable about the axle and a radial portion extending radially outwardly from the axial portion;
• an outer annular case having an axial portion configured to be coupled with the hub bore such that the outer case is configured to rotate about the central axis when the hub rotates about the axis, the outer case further having a radial portion extending radially inwardly from the axial portion and configured to be disposed axially between the bearing and the radial portion of the inner case when the axial portion is coupled with the hub, the radial portion having a first axial end facing in a first direction and a second axial end facing in a second, opposing direction;
• and
• an annular elastomeric seal member having:
• a base portion disposed on the radial portion of the outer case;
• a rigid radial projection extending radially inwardly from the outer case radial portion and having an innermost radial end configured to be located adjacent to and spaced radially outwardly from the inner case axial portion or an outer circumferential surface disposed about the axle so as to form a labyrinth seal gap configured to restrict lubricant flow from the bearing, an outer radial end, a first substantially flat radial side surface facing in the first direction and extending continuously radially between the outer radial end and the innermost radial end, at least a major portion of the first radial side surface being spaced axially in the first direction from the first axial end of the outer case radial portion, and a second substantially flat radial side surface facing in the second axial direction and extending continuously radially between the outer radial end and the innermost radial end, at least a major portion of the second radial side surface being spaced axially in the second direction from the second axial end of the outer case radial portion;
• and
• at least one flexible axial seal lip with a first end integrally formed with the base portion so as to be spaced radially outwardly from an innermost end of the radial portion of the outer case and a second, free end sealingly engageable with the radial portion of the inner case so as to retain lubricant within the bearing.