How do oil seals work?

I have an RC car. The bulkheads are just like the one pictures accept they are CNC aluminum. Is it possible to seal the axle shafts and bearings?

I'm not posting this question in an RC forum because what I'm trying to do isn't normal. I've had great success with oil over grease but as expected, it leaks over time.

Any ideas on how this could be sealed? The rest of the bulkhead is sealed with RTV which has worked so far.

 

Buy sealed bearings.

 

Try some small o-rings. The problem will be making the groove to accept the o-ring. As an alternate, you could try RTV form a gasket.

Sealed bearings are sealed against dirt intruding into the bearing.

 

Doesn’t look like there is adequate space to put a traditional oil seal like is used on car engines. Also not sure you could find one with the correct OD and ID values due to the large discrepancy in diameters. I’d try sealed bearings, RTV on the outer nearing races to the case, and a heavy weight oil.

 

Why?

Ordering bearings from fast Eddy is super easy and cheap in comparison. Just wash the gears with dawn dish soap and reassemble the whole thing... Plan to do this often if you drive in water.... in the 90s we cleaned and relubed the bearings too. Now they are easy to come by


Sorry RC

 

Already sealed. It's leaking around the bearing.

 

Machining a groove for an oring would likely cost too much. I like the RTV idea.

 

Sounds you are using oil instead of the suggested grease? The oil being thinner is leaking? Try the other way, use “red-n-tacky” grease.