At 07:39 PM 3/20/2009, neil N wrote...

>Issue: if I press it in place, the only way it stays in is ~ 3/16"
>below the hub face.

It is what it is. As long as it's not touching the bearing, it should
be fine.

>The way I read Haynes and Bentley, it tells me the groove (with little
>wire) faces bearing. Is this correct?

One side of the seal is "open," and you can see a wire/spring inside.
That side should be toward the bearing. That spring holds the seal
against the stub axle. Put another way, in cross-section, the seal is
shaped like a "C" and the open part is toward the bearing. It's hard to
tell from the picture, but I think you've got it right.