Are all O-Rings Created Equal?

[Gale Hawkins]

The major oil leak on the side of the transmission housing of our JD 310B BH was due to a dried out O-Ring. It occurred the first time I used the new thumb but I do not think it was related.

Did not make it to NAPA before they closed and did not try the other guys since I need other lines and seals too so I can get those future failure points address while I am under it greasy and the tools spread out.

My question are there different grades/qualities of O-Rings like there are for belt and hoses?

 

[pjbci]

Im positive there is a difference in the ones you might get @ napa versus the junk stores like autozone, advance auto, and oriellys.

 

[Kioti Tom]

No, All O-rings are not equal.. Oh Yes! There are many differences.If you want to really get confused go to
google "parker o-rings" and bring up the catalog. Materials, fluids uses will stagger the imagination.

 

[Combustix]

The O ring on my kegarator for the tap is still as good as the day I bought it 14 years ago. All others pale in comparison. Just saying

 

[crazyal]

I often deal with o-rings that could barely fit around your pinky finger that cost $400 or more. So yes there is a wide range of o-rings depending on what chemicals the are going to be exposed to, static seal vs dynamic, elasticity, heat ranges, and more.

Even the basic Viton o-rings come in different varieties. Lately we've been seeing some plastics that work very well and are cheap entering the market. My guess is in 5 to 10 years you'll see them take over for the generic Viton and Buna o-rings.

As far as what you'll get at the local parts store, it's anyone's guess. But it'll probably last as long as the original o-ring.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

http://www.parker.com/literature/ORD 5700 Parker_O-Ring_Handbook.pdf

I see what some of you are saying. The Parker info shows the differences are many.

First I will start with NAPA and tell them the application and judge the info.

What bites it looks like someone had removed this main valve body feeding both the hoe and FEL circuits that boths directly to the transmission case before and replaced one of the two. One looks new like and the other one now is very undersize, pale in color and broken. The valve body is held on by three bolts and only two look OEM.

I will replace both while there as well as the hose to the hoe since the wire layers are already loose and snagging on roots, etc.

The BH is 29 years old and still has a lot of the OEM hoses it seems.

 

[Baby Grand]

Are all O-Rings Created Equal?

No.
A lot of attention was focused on O-rings in the wake of the last flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Seal design and material selection depends on what type of fluids you are trying to seal and in what environments. Parker publishes what I consider to be the O-ring gospel:

http://www.parker.com/literature/ORD%205700%20Parker_O-Ring_Handbook.pdf

 

[Ford tractor]

I got a couple sets of o-rings from HF. They seem to last pretty well.

 

[varmint]

I can say from experience with my solar heating system that O rings are not all equal. The standard buna O rings will swell up and soften when exposed to the synthetic oil used as a heat transfer liquid. Viton works fine, but some gaskets, like the ones that came with circulator pump flanges, must be buna, because they have to be replaced with whatever comes close in viton. My biggest problem is with the expansion tank- the bladder material is not compatible, and I can't find viton bladdered tanks like the original ones from the late 70's. Always something.

 

[Johnp33]

"O" rings are a bottomless pit of innovations and improvement. I worked on Class eights, and never threw out any "O" rings they all have different characteristics and uses some are made to swell. Cat was a great source.
When in doubt get the right one, and pay the extra dollars, that is the best chance you do not have to do the job multiple times.

 

[Scrambler82]

Ok so you got your answer on different quality but one important thing, use a good quality O-Ring Grease to coat the o-ring before install.

Some applications do not call for grease (you will need to use your own discretion), you will need to watch which is which but alway rub a little on the rubber seal where applicable.

DuPont makes a great Silicone Grease for O-Rings and there are others.

I have found that although there are different quality of O-Rings if you add a little grease to them they will last longer or at least look like new (not dried out) when you think to replace them again.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Thanks on the grease tip. It might help keep the o-ring in place since it will be a very tight fitting and blind vertical mouting of the valve body with a large flexible hose already connected to it.

Until reading the Parker o-ring bible I did not know that O-rings moved after they were installed even when there was no movement of the metal surfaces holding them in place.

 

[Baby Grand]

Thanks on the grease tip. It might help keep the o-ring in place since it will be a very tight fitting and blind vertical mouting of the valve body with a large flexible hose already connected to it.

Until reading the Parker o-ring bible I did not know that O-rings moved after they were installed even when there was no movement of the metal surfaces holding them in place.

Yup-they can react to changes in pressure and move in the groove.
Grease is especially good to reduce twisting of the ring in the groove and also helps eliminate "nipping" it when it gets installed in the mating part.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Viton 75 Black Cord : The O-ring Store - Where you can find a huge selection of o-rings, hydraulic seals, o-ring kits and accessories!, We make placing your o-ring order and getting o-rings as easy as possible! Get the o-ring seals you need, in your

I had no idea O-rings were rope glued together.

All I was looking for is the proper glue to glue an o-ring into the grove so when doing a blind fit it will not fall out before contacting the mating surface yet it is good to know you can make your own on the fly.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Ultra Control Super Glue Gel from Loctite Adhesives

One option for sizing your own 0-rings. :thumbsup:

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Loctite 00112 #112 O-Ring Splicing Kit, O Ring Splicing Kit, 00112 Loctite | Toolfetch

I kept finding more stuff after the first post and the title feature of the link does not seem to work on edited posts is the reason for the different posts.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Finally found the right size O-ring at the Case dealership but was ready to cut a larger one down to size and super glue it like they do in the o-ring rope kits.

Now the leak is gone and at least the stablizer pads will lift the rear to max height unlike before blowing the o-ring. It may be due to new fluid and or cleaning the clogged intake screen that is mounted in the bottom of the transmission housing that feeds the hydraulic system.

Traveller RENEW Tractor Fluid, 5 gal. - 8060038 | Tractor Supply Company

I have not run it enough to know if the RENEW univeral fluid is worth the extra cost. Expect using a gallon of the Lucas Hydraulic Oil Booster might be more cost effective.