Causes and Prevention of Oil Seal Leakage in Agricultural Machinery

Number of hits：802024-11-07 16:39:19　

　　Oil seals are crucial in agricultural machinery. They are responsible for keeping lubricating oil and hydraulic oil from leaking out, while preventing dust and impurities from entering. Agricultural machinery such as tractors and combine harvesters operate in harsh environments all year round, and the sealing performance of oil seals directly affects the reliability of the equipment. However, a common problem with oil seals is leakage, which leads to insufficient lubrication and affects the normal operation of the machinery. The following will discuss the main causes of oil seal leakage and protective measures.

　　Common causes of oil seal leakage

　　Improper installation: If the oil seal is tilted, deformed or reversed during installation, it is easy to cause the seal to fail. In addition, when assembling the shaft head, the thread or spline may damage the oil seal or even cause the spring to fall off. Randomly adjusting the spring length can also easily lead to weakened sealing performance.

　　Wear and deformation of the shaft: After long-term use, components such as the crankshaft and rear axle shaft may bend or wear, resulting in radial runout exceeding the standard (for example, the radial runout of the rear axle shaft should be less than 0.04 mm). The runout during mechanical operation will cause the oil seal lip to separate from the shaft surface, causing leakage.

　　Shaft surface wear: Long-term contact will cause annular grooves or oxide layers on the shaft surface, affecting the fit between the oil seal and the shaft. If it is not replaced or repaired in time during maintenance, the oil seal lip will wear quickly, causing seal failure. Data shows that wear at the contact point between the shaft and the oil seal lip is one of the main reasons for the failure of rotating shaft oil seals.

　　Improper position of the splash plate: The splash plate installed upside down or in the wrong position will block the flow of gear oil, resulting in insufficient lubrication, dry friction of the oil seal lip, and damage to the sealing effect. The splash plate opening should face the direction of the oil seal opening to ensure smooth flow of oil.

　　Untimely maintenance: Excessive or insufficient gear oil will affect the effect of the oil seal. Regularly check the oil level, replace the lubricating oil according to the season, reduce the accumulation of impurities, and help extend the service life of the oil seal.

　　Impurities in gear oil: Residual sand, casting residues or metal chips in the gearbox or rear axle housing will accelerate the wear of the oil seal. Cleaning and properly storing the lubricating oil during maintenance is the key to preventing impurities from entering.

　　Oil seal quality problems: The oil seal itself is not of good quality or is improperly stored, which may cause the lip to age and lose elasticity, thereby affecting the sealing effect. Regular inspection and replacement during overhaul helps maintain the quality of the oil seal.

　　Measures to prevent oil seal leakage

　　Deal with overheating in time: Overheating will aggravate the wear of the oil seal. It is necessary to control the temperature in time, avoid overloading, and reduce the excessive running speed.

　　Check the oil level and oil quality regularly: Maintain a sufficient oil level, and replace the lubricating oil in time when impurities exceed the standard to prevent the oil seal from being affected by oil quality problems.

　　Check carefully after overhaul: After overhaul or replacement of the oil seal, it is necessary to observe closely in the early stage to ensure that no oil leaks to sensitive areas such as the clutch and brake.

　　Ensure that the splash plate is installed correctly: Confirm that the splash plate is in the correct position to ensure smooth oil flow and avoid dry friction of the oil seal lip.

　　The above measures can effectively reduce oil seal leakage and ensure the normal operation of agricultural machinery. Regular maintenance and attention to installation details can not only extend the life of the oil seal, but also reduce the mechanical failure rate. These measures help to improve the efficiency of equipment use, while reducing losses caused by downtime, which is conducive to the continuous and efficient agricultural production.