O-rings

[Choche]

Is there any specific set of O-rings you keep in the shop while working on your bikes? Sometimes it seems trivial to have the bike sit just for o-rings that seem somewhat universal. There is also a bunch of different materials like viton or viton based o-rings; just wondering if you keep a stash of o-rings, preferred brand and such. I ordered various o-rings for my Rocket while working on the cooling system; when they arrived, they seem to be very common; also, I ordered the o-rings because they one that came out of the thermostat housing seemed to be a flat design. The new one is round so either Triumph changed the design or my old one just flattened out.

Thanks in advance.

 

[1K9]

Coche. A kit of O rings for the R3 is a great idea. I have some and have forgotten to label the baggies Same thing for fuses.

 

[barbagris]

Viton rings are very often NOT as flexible as boring old nitrile rubber ones. So if you use viton you have to be sure the mating surfaces are near perfect. Alot of o-rings are used in a way that is supposed to deform them. Treat them as a service item.

 

[Tripps]

BMW used a famous O ring in their rear drives that wasn't really the proper application for an O ring, most have probably been replaced by now, but German engineers don't make mistakes, so there was never a recall.

 

[barbagris]

but German engineers don't make mistakes,

Ach! - yu hav maid ze funy.

 

[Speedy]

Most o-rings will be universal in either the metric or English systems. McMaster has an online catalog with sizing charts for both systems, so if you can measure the OD (measure three places and average as they are never round) and cross-section diameter you can fine the -xxx size. They can then be purchased from many suppliers. Be careful about cheap o-ring sets as they are often of inferior material and almost always undersized (to save 1/100 cent in material cost) and may leak because there is in-sufficient compression when installed.

Nitrile (Buna-N) is a suitable material for oil and glycol exposure. Viton is sometimes used in pressurized fuel systems because it doesn't swell when exposed to gasoline. Nitrile works too but it will swell some which can be a problem in some applications.

Do not use neoprene o-rings, commonly used for water systems, found at Ace and other plumbing supply stores. It is not compatible with oil.

 

[Choche]

Thank you all for the insight; much appreciated.