How to Measure and Identify Oil Seals
Replacing critical components can be difficult to do correctly, especially if you don't have the original machine specifications. Thankfully, there are several ways to identify oil seals ; from their design, size and material. Since there are hundreds of different oil seals on the market, this guide will cover the four most common design types. Single Lip vs. Double Lip First, the oil seals covered in this guide categorize a single lip as the inside diameter of the bottom of the assembly. The single lip contains oil, grease or lubricant and is critical to the function of the seal. The only difference between a single lip and a double lip is the additional rubber lip on the top of the oil seal that helps keep dirt or grime from getting close to the shaft. The identification of the oil seal lip may be misinterpreted by visual inspection only. Or for this reason, you should press along the inside diameter of the top of the oil seal and if you feel a slight bulge or a slight movemen