Aftermarket Crank seals -vs - OEM crank seals?`

[Mad Professor]

Yeah, I see your point. But the only other gasket on a 250 is the exhaust. Unless the carb gaskets are included?

When I called the dealer, I asked for a set of crank seals? He said they're twenty-one dollars A PIECE, plus tax. Should I have asked for a complete gasket set???
I got two other dealers, but they're farther away. Guess, I'm gonna try one of those fellas.

If they was any kind of a decent person. They would have told me the cheapest route. That's just wishful thinkin. Ain't it?

That is two crank seals crankcase gasket, exhaust gasket. All the seals for the crankcase, NOT oil pump stuff.

P.S. not all dealers are decent, find one who is, then tell everybody about him/her, I have:

Thanks Billy Bratcher, Gage St. Bennington Vt. A stand up human being, honest, and will not rape you for parts or repairs.

Merry christmas Bill!!!!

 

[lwn9186]

My dealer has five parts guys, went in to order crank seals for an 044 20.00 each, I said order me the gasket set! One of them who had been in parts for at least 15 years said I will but the seals won't be in it I said bull. He went on to tell me they have never been in the gasket sets and would bet me they won't be. I told him to go ahead and if it came in with seals free to me and if they aren't I will pay double. Ordered it and the seals were there! No charge to me. So I always tell him Parts Man My A$$.

 

[chuckwood]

since we're talking about seals....

How difficult is it to get crank seals for 70's vintage Husky saws? I have some L65's and new parts are getting difficult to impossible to find. Seals are one particular part that you can't get from junk saws. I've done about everything with saws except split a crankcase. That's my next adventure.

 

[67L36Driver]

How difficult is it to get crank seals for 70's vintage Husky saws? I have some L65's and new parts are getting difficult to impossible to find. Seals are one particular part that you can't get from junk saws. I've done about everything with saws except split a crankcase. That's my next adventure.

Learn to run a dial caliper. Shaft seals are cataloged by the shaft dirmeter, housing bore (where they press in), the width and style (single lip, double lip, material etc,).

Then, get thee hence to an industrial supply house that sells bearings, belts, shaft couplings, snap rings, seals and so forth. Take the old seal, bearing, or whatever, with you.

 

[parrisw]

So far I haven't had any troubles with aftermarket seals.

The last time I bought Stihl seals here they were $34 each!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then once I bought a complete gasket set including seals for an 066 from the same place and it was only $35? WTF?

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

At times I've asked for the part that didn't have the gold plating! =$$$$$!

 

[pioneerguy600]

I'm with Jerry and Mark on this one. That said, seals are like just about everything else, vastly differing prices and quality levels. Don't for a second think that "OEM" means the very best seals you can buy. Manufacturers select "OEM" seals and bearings getting the best quality for money spent that is proven adequate for their needs. Not the best you can buy necessarily. Buy the same token "Aftermarket" is always painted with a very broad brush as being of very poor quality. This is not the case. You can go from a very cheap and near useless seal to a rather expensive seal used in the aerospace industry all with the same dimensions. The trick is you knowing the difference and buying the right "Aftermarket" seals or bearings.

The only advantage to "OEM" is that you don't have figure it all out. The manufacturers have done all the leg work and usually get paid very well for their efforts.

You state the truth so eloquently Robin, I don`t have the knack for that. I learned the good stuff from the not so good as I worked my way through engine fitter to machinist on a lot of marine work, ships, drill rigs industrial engines and automotive. I know what I am looking for and ask for it. I find a lot of stuff that is OEM in all saws, yes,.. even Stihl saws that I know there are better quality parts out there and when rebuilding I will pay extra if I have to to get them, that`s just the way I am. You would have to twist my arm completely off to use a bearing that I don`t have much respect for, we were taught how to check new factory bearings for tolerances and smoothness. When a bearing on either end of a 6" dia. shaft is carrying 40 ton load turning 4000 rpm then you need the best bearing available to last from one shut down til the next.
Same goes for seals, they are not all created equal in quality and I guess you just have to know the better makers if you cannot feel and see how they are made.

Pioneerguy600

 

[HARRY BARKER]

You state the truth so eloquently Robin, I don`t have the knack for that. I learned the good stuff from the not so good as I worked my way through engine fitter to machinist on a lot of marine work, ships, drill rigs industrial engines and automotive. I know what I am looking for and ask for it. I find a lot of stuff that is OEM in all saws, yes,.. even Stihl saws that I know there are better quality parts out there and when rebuilding I will pay extra if I have to to get them, that`s just the way I am. You would have to twist my arm completely off to use a bearing that I don`t have much respect for, we were taught how to check new factory bearings for tolerances and smoothness. When a bearing on either end of a 6" dia. shaft is carrying 40 ton load turning 4000 rpm then you need the best bearing available to last from one shut down til the next.
Same goes for seals, they are not all created equal in quality and I guess you just have to know the better makers if you cannot feel and see how they are made.

Pioneerguy600

i cannot feel and see how they are made.

 

[rickyrooster]

I have only used aftermarkets seals and have never had a problem yet! I hope I didnt just jenx myself. Rick!

 

[Mad Professor]

You state the truth so eloquently Robin, I don`t have the knack for that. I learned the good stuff from the not so good as I worked my way through engine fitter to machinist on a lot of marine work, ships, drill rigs industrial engines and automotive. I know what I am looking for and ask for it. I find a lot of stuff that is OEM in all saws, yes,.. even Stihl saws that I know there are better quality parts out there and when rebuilding I will pay extra if I have to to get them, that`s just the way I am. You would have to twist my arm completely off to use a bearing that I don`t have much respect for, we were taught how to check new factory bearings for tolerances and smoothness. When a bearing on either end of a 6" dia. shaft is carrying 40 ton load turning 4000 rpm then you need the best bearing available to last from one shut down til the next.
Same goes for seals, they are not all created equal in quality and I guess you just have to know the better makers if you cannot feel and see how they are made.

Pioneerguy600

Thanks , I learned from men who made nuclear rocket parts at General Electric.

Besides your considerations above , a 2-3 o C temperature difference will mess things up; parts expand and contract. When you measure millionsths of an inch 0.000001", if if is warm or cold, things change,

No I did not do a typo above. 0.000001"

p.s. two uncles. master machinists in navy ballistic nuke program


That being said why hunt down better than OEM at $15?

 

[Stihls_are_best]

With Stihl as far as I know it has always been cheaper to buy
a seal kit. And how can anyone say for sure that Stihl or any other
brand don't have them made to their own spec. when they bulk order a batch
of seals using better quality components than after market.
For my own use and piece of mind OEM for me please.


.

 

[Cantdog]

Well.......for some, OEM is NLA, you have to sink or swim so to speak...that's when it pays to know a POS seal or bearing from a very well made unit. The industry is pretty well standardized and you learn that OEM is just one choice.

 

[bluejean]

seals

Stihl seals cost 20.00 a piece, aftermarket seals are 2 for 12.00. What aftermarket seals are good quality? And where are they made?

 

[old-cat]

Those cheapo seals on ebay from Hong Kong are identical to STIHL seals, at least what I have seen. I have bought from other suppliers also with good results. Rules here says I can't say their identity.

 

[bluejean]

seals

Old cat send me a e-mail

 

[smallengineredemption]

Ya if anybody can recommend quality aftermarket seals I'd appreciate it. I'm in Tennessee