I've bought two sets of ball housing seals and both were rubber. The smaller is round and flat and the larger which goes around the ball housing is bevelled. They work fine. I did use the flat thin washers on either side of the smaller one which goes at the end.
Another thing is that if you get leakage from the big collar you can loosen the four bolts and remove one of the cardboard shims.


1949 Chevy 1/2-Ton
"Sedgewick"
In the Gallery
1989 Caprice