Oil Seals (50 products containing 10226 Items)

Oil seals

Of all the types of rotary shaft seals, oil seals, also referred to as Viton oil seals, are the best known. Contrary to what the name suggests, a oil seal is also often used in applications involving a medium other than oil. These seals are sometimes called Simmering seals, based on a brand name used by Freudenberg.

When purchasing a oil seal, you must always consider the shape and size, and the material used for the product.

Types of oil seal

Most oil seals are designed in accordance with the DIN 3760 standard. This standard includes several models. For example, there are oil seals with and without a dust sealing lip. A dust sealing lip prevents dirt ingress from the outside. A useful feature as it reduces contamination in your application, which in turn results in a longer service life.

Oil seal dimensions

Our range includes oil seals in various sizes. Always keep in mind the dimensions of the groove where you will install the oil seal. Once you know the shaft diameter, groove diameter and groove width, you can easily select the right product.

Lip materials

Most oil seals consist of (1) an outer metal jacket, or a metal insert inside a rubber jacket, and a sealing lip. The metal outer jacket or insert acts as a base and determines the shape and size of the product. In most cases, the sealing lip and the jacket or insert are made of different materials. A brief summary of the most popular lip materials and their properties is included below.

• Oil seals with a lip made from NBR

Most sealing lips are made of NBR. This material has many desirable properties. For example, it is highly resistant to various types of hydraulic oil and lubricating oil. However, NBR is not very resistant to ozone, UV radiation and high temperatures (above +120°C).

• Oil seals with a lip made from FKM

FKM, commonly referred to by the brand name Viton, is the sealing lip material to use for applications involving high temperatures (up to +180°C). Furthermore, the standard compounds are resistant to many strong acids and bases, but not to hot water or steam. Only a few special FKM compounds are suitable for applications that involve unusually low temperatures (-40°C or lower).

• Oil seals with a lip made from EPDM

Some sealing lips are made of EPDM, although this is a lot less common than NBR or FKM. EPDM is mainly used for applications involving solvents, hot water and steam. All EPDM sealing lips can withstand low temperatures (down to -50°C) and are resistant to UV radiation. Some compounds are also suitable for high temperatures (up to +150°C).

• Oil seals with a lip made of VMQ

VMQ (silicone) does suit some applications, but is not often used as a material for oil seals. The reason is that VMQ has low mechanical strength, which makes it less suitable for dynamic applications. The material does however withstand both low (-60°C) and high (+200°C) temperatures well. It is also flexible.

Jacket materials

The jacket of a rotary shaft lip seal is made of metal or rubber in most cases.

• Metal exterior

Oil seals with metal outer jackets are often cheaper than those with rubber jackets. They are more difficult to install though. To prevent leakage past the outer jacket, the type of metal used for your oil seal needs to be the same as that of the groove in your application. This avoids a mismatch between the coefficients of expansion. When replacing a oil seal, a product with a rubber jacket may be better in some cases.

• Rubber exterior with a metal insert

As an alternative to a product with a metal outer jacket, you can choose one with a rubber outer jacket and a metal insert. This design is widely used in the maintenance industry because the rubber can accommodate damage or inaccuracies in the groove. Consequently, numerous products with a rubber outer jacket are available.

What if a classical oil seal with a metal or rubber jacket is not what you are looking for? Take a look at our fabric-reinforce