Which way do these seals get installed - they seem to fit equally well either way!

Metal facing up away from the rotor, and the interior tension spring side facing inboard down inside the rotor. Think of how a seal puller works at these from behind if you were to remove it.

If you try to install seals the other way the seal will get wrecked almost guaranteed.

Just so we're clear ... photo 1 or photo 2 ??

FWIW, there is no tension spring in this seal. But I know what you're talking about. That rubber lip has me scratching my head ! Will it rub the face of the knuckle ??

The pictures on the right look proper with where the tension spring would normally go facing inboard towards the car. Looking at it again with that extra rubber lip hanging out there these may be a pain to install?

Never seen a wheel bearing seal made like that before. It very well may rub or bottom out once the rotor goes on the spindle depending on the depth of the bearing in the rotors and how it all fits so beware of that. If it does not work just get another more conventional seal with the same inside and outside diameters.

If you have some clay you can install one rotor without the seal and use the clay to see how much gap you have between the rotor seal surface over to the end of the spindle and then check that against how wide those seals are,

Pretty sure it will be pic 2. The metal ring seats in the rotor. The rubber sticking towards the knuckle acts as a dust seal. The inner rubber lip should point towards the grease you are sealing in. The shoulder on the spindle will stop the rotor from pushing the dust seal too far against the spindle(the inner bearing will hit the shoulder) Been a while but I'm pretty sure that's how they were.

The seal installs in the rotor so it is positioned as in your picture #2:


The rubber lip faces the knuckle and acts as an auxiliary dust shield at the rear of the seal. The lip type seal was original equipment in 1973-1989 rotors. Replacement seals for earlier applications may include it.

Pic 2

Pic 2 it is then! Thanks all !

Lip on an oil/grease seal typically always faces the lubricant. I say "typically" because I've run into one exception to this, the axle seals on a riding lawnmower transaxle.

if one obtains a seal with the garter spring, remember to pack grease in the spring cavity to prevent the spring popping off during installation.

The rubber seal faces in towards car. You need to press in or tap in the metal side of the seal into the drum or rotor. as stated by others, lube the inside and outside parts of the rubber seal.

Wouldn`t the rubber part of the seal hit the wheel bearing if installed the wrong way?

No. Cleared everything comfortably. That's why I was posting.