3588 Transfer Case Flywheel Shaft Oil Seal Leak

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Silicone grease and lubricants aren’t just a nice to have for o rings, but they can quite often be a must-have. 

However, with so many greases and lubricants to choose from, it can often be a minefield choosing the best ones and the right ones for your o ring and appliance. 

In this post, we’ve provided some essential information on o ring lubricants and silicone grease. 

Grease vs. Oil

 

Grease and oil lubricants are used on different applications and products, depending on what is required. 

For example, we tend to recommend grease lubricants on parts operating at low speed and at relatively stable temperatures. 

Whereas oil bunnings should be used on parts that operate at high speed and high temperatures. 

However, whatever, and whichever product you decide to use, lubrication will reduce the wear on products as it helps to reduce friction between these moving parts. 

What to look for in a lubricant

 

Of course, this will be dependent on what role and function you need the oil to perform; however, ideally, you should look for a lubricant that can: 

• Offer stability

   

• Work well in the temperature required

   

• Be water-resistant

   

• Offer pumping ability

   

• Consistency

   

What lubricant is best for o rings?

 

Silicone lubricant grease.  Protective, waterproof, simple to use. 

As o rings are made from synthetic rubbers such as Neoprene, nitrile, and EPDM, you can use petroleum grease to perfectly lubricate the o ring. 

However, knowing if the o ring is made from ordinary natural rubber or synthetic rubber is where the problem lies, as petroleum will degrade natural rubber. 

To avoid such problems, we’d recommend the use of silicone lubricant for seals and o rings. 

Waterproof and lubricating, silicone lubricants err on the side of caution. 

Silicone Oil Bunnings

 

It’s not just o rings that silicone lubricant bunnings are used on either.  Due to its versatile offering, you will also find it helpful and used within: 

Plumbing.  Of course, the most popular area, where you will find silicone grease used on faucet fittings, water filter housing threads, and o rings. 

Pressure pumps and hose o rings.  Silicone grease is often used on hose connections to make installation and repairs easier and provide an additional protective layer over the o ring. 

Underwater devices, including scuba diving equipment.  Protecting gaskets found in dry suits, flashlight seals, camera case seals, and more. 

Watches.  Used to help with reassembling the watches gaskets and preventing them from tearing. 

Pens.  O rings are often found inexpensive pens, which, when people start to take them apart to look at their workings, they often find they need a little grease to help seal and protect them as well as put everything back together again. 

Different types of silicone lubricants

 

The two types of silicone lubricants available on the market include a safe and food-grade safe. 

For lubricants that fall into the category of food-grade silicone grease, the most popular silicone oil bunning is PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), as you will find it to be clear, non-toxic, inert, and non-flammable.

Find Out More Here!

Why lubricate o rings or pressure washer hoses?

 

Ultimately?!  

Because it makes o rings last longer, protecting them from pinching, cracking, and cutting. 

It also helps to speed up installation, helping to seat o rings perfectly into position. 

Spray vs. grease – which ones best

 

We’d advise avoiding silicone sprays where possible as often sprays will only be approximately 5% silicone and have petroleum-based solvent and propellant included to make it a spray. 

If you find the o ring is hard to reach, we’d recommend placing some silicone grease on a screwdriver and use it to reach the o ring and lubricate it as best as you can. 

Drip oil lubricant (silicone) can also be an alternative if you need to lubricate and grease several o rings all at the same time.  (A great time-saving activity!) 

When should o ring lubricants be applied and reapplied?

 

1. When changing and installing new o rings.  Offering easy installation and helping to seat the o ring correctly.

    

2. Every time the pressure washer is reconnected to the pump. 

    

Call Specialist Sealing Products or visit this page to find out more about o rings and the best lubricants to help you on the job! 

Read the next article: Tips for best o ring maintenance 

Modify: Mar. 22, 2023

Oil seal is the customary name of general seals, which is simply the seal of lubricating oil. It is used to seal grease (oil is a common liquid substance in the transmission system, also refers to the general meaning of liquid substances) mechanical components, it will drive parts in need of lubrication and output parts of isolation, so as not to let lubricant leakage. Static and dynamic seals (general reciprocating motion) are called oil seals with seals. The representative form of oil seal is TC oil seal, which is a double lip oil seal with self-tightening spring completely covered by rubber. Generally speaking, oil seal often refers to this TC skeleton oil seal.

Common materials for oil seals are: Nitrile rubber (NBR), fluorine rubber(FKM), silicone rubber, acrylic rubber, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene and so on.

1. NBR

It has good heat resistance, wear resistance, resistance to various lubricants, greases, oil and gas mixtures, suitable for temperature - 30 - 120 degrees Celsius, but can no longer be used in phosphate hydraulic oil and gear oil containing extreme pressure additives, stable performance in gasoline and mineral oil with low aniline point.

2. Polyacrylate rubber (ACM)

Excellent oil and heat resistance, abrasion resistance, ozone resistance, ultraviolet radiation resistance, especially extreme pressure fluid containing lubricants, gear oil, motor oil, oil series hydraulic oil, etc., suitable for - 30 - 150 degrees Celsius range of work.

3. Fluororubber (FPM)

Aging resistance, heat resistance, oil resistance, almost applicable to all lubricants, fuel oils, gasoline, oil containing extreme pressure additives is not easy to harden, but cold resistance, high temperature wear resistance is poor, compression deformation is large, suitable for temperature - 20 ~ 250 degrees Celsius.

4. silicone rubber

It has outstanding resistance to high and low temperatures, can be used at 150 degrees Celsius for a long time without performance change, can be used at 200 degrees Celsius for 10,000 hours continuously, and can maintain its unique use flexibility, ozone resistance and weather resistance in the operating temperature range of - 70-260.

5. Teflon

It has outstanding chemical stability, thermal stability, friction reduction and self-lubrication. Its pyrolysis temperature is over 400. Therefore, it can work normally in the temperature range of - 200 - 300 degrees Celsius. Except for free fluorine and alkali metals, it has excellent corrosion resistance to chemicals, solvents, hydroxides and acids.

Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and fluorine rubber (FBR) are widely used oil seals. The former has low cost, but its temperature resistance and sealing performance have been improved obviously, but the cost is higher, and it still has some bad common characteristics of ordinary rubber materials, such as poor wear resistance, short service life, especially sensitive to the eccentricity of the shaft, etc. Leakage phenomenon is still widespread. PTFE oil seal is a product with high technology content, which is the direction of oil seal development in the future.

Attention:

When choosing the material of oil seal, the compatibility of material to working medium, the adaptability to working temperature range and the ability of lip edge to follow the rotating axis at high speed must be considered. Generally, the temperature of lip edge is higher than that of working medium at 20-50 C. Attention should be paid to the selection of oil seal materials. The working range of oil seals is related to the materials used in oil seals: NBR, ACM, FPM and NBR.