Rear wheel bearings are failing !!

[hemi43]

I'm using 6009 2rs bearings in my rear hubs, and can't keep water out of them !!
The hubs are home made, but I basically copied the Barracuda design.
I myself for not allowing room for a lip seal to prevent this.
What I've done is  reinstall new bearings, but this time I removed the inner seals, and put a grease fitting in the hub. My thinking is that I can shoot some grease into it to displace any water that may get in.
Hopefully, this will buy me a bit of time before I can re-engineer the hub.
What bearings are you guys using? I've read that some are using VW stuff.
BTW, I'm running FWD VW Golf left side shafts and CV joints.
This is the best picture I had showing the rear hubs.
Thanks for any help, Dan

[fabr]

Seals on "sealed" bearings are only barely seals. They will only really keep out dust ond dirt. Shoot some pics of the hub so we can see if we have any ideas to prevent remaking the carriers. 

[hemi43]

Will do when I get home !!
I've been doing some looking on the web, and it looks like I could modify my hubs to take a mid 90's Golf (Rabbit) front wheel bearing. These are double row with double seals.
What do you think ?

[LiveWire]

The Drakart Formula Cross used an '80 VW Rabbit bearing. The 90's one are similar, but 2mm bigger OD. My 2000 has never worn out a Timken bearing. I have had to replace them when replacing the hubs. I replaced one with one from a local auto parts store because it was quick. That bearing failed the first time out. I replaced with a Timken and it has been in there ever since. The Timken are two tapered rollers, not balls. They will hold up much better. There is more to the seals in them than there is in a sealed ball bearing.

[hemi43]

I'm familiar with Timken bearings. The ones you use, are they made for the VW as a direct replacement, or are they ordered from the Timken industrial catalog? Do you use separate seals ? Thanks
A part number would be appreciated.
Dan
Update;
I found a listing for Timken VW bearings, but they don't specify if the bearings are ball, or taper roller bearings.
One would think that they would be taper roller, because as far as I know, that's all Timken makes.

[hemi43]

I went to NAPA after work today to look at a mid 90's VW bearing. The seals on these things are no better than the ones that are on a regular ball bearing. Also, I found out that the Timken bearings are just a double row bearing like all the aftermarket replacement ones out there, but  better quality than the Chinese crap. The one I looked at was SKF.
I guess I'm back to the drawing board !!

[LiveWire]

The 80s one is a Set35. Is is definitely tapered roller. I have taken them apart. I don't know about the later year ones that are larger. Maybe they are larger because they went to balls to save cost.

[trans man]

The 80s one is a Set35. Is is definitely tapered roller. I have taken them apart. I don't know about the later year ones that are larger. Maybe they are larger because they went to balls to save cost.

On the later bearings they did go to double ball bearing.

[LiveWire]

On the later bearings they did go to double ball bearing. 

Fixed it for ya.

That's a good reason to stay with the Set35. Someone asked me recently if my bearing carriers I have for the Set35 would work for the later ones. Kind of moot now.