I noticed this on my Saleens and now my Cragars too. From either a coin op spray wash or my own pressure washer or maybe even a garden hose, water is collecting under the center caps on my custom wheels. I rotated my tires today and noticed a heavy rust on my back hubs and the front hubs had collected some water in them and the water was mixed with wheel bearing grease! I assume no 2004-2008 F150 do not come with front hub cap covers like on older cars? (the cap that covers the nut on the spindle) My concern is over time water will work its way into the bearing themselves?? Anyone else notice this?

 

Bad seal maybe? Just shooting blind here, I've never been in front bearing/hub before. :o

 

Do you remember when your front wheels were off? The spindle nut is exposed not like before when they used to put caps over the wheels bearings, now their is no caps so if water gets behind the wheels it can get into the grease too....

 

I didn't really pay attention but I did notice a small bit of rust, but no water or grease.

 

Most likely, thats the rears, yeah those are different but as you noticed by the rust, water is collecting in there at times and forming the rust, same way with the fronts but the nut is exposed and thus so is th wheel bearing grease.

In this pic you can see what I mean, if water is getting under the center cap of the wheel, it will be able to get into the hub because their is no cover anymore, like on older cars and trucks:


So this is just an FYI to all of us with custom wheels: pay attention and see if water is collecting under your center caps due to high pressure or 4 wheeling cause water, grease, and steel/iron don't mix too well!

 

No, I'm talking about the fronts. Didn't see any grease or water. I did recently have the rears off though doing the rear axle seals.

I change my wheels out for various reasons through the year.