do you have an O-rings assortment

[PoorOwner]

I went to O Reilly to match up an o-ring
their O-rings were $1 each!

So I now notice you can get an assortment 270 pcs box for $10 or so.

However I do not know what sizes metric or SAE I want to keep at home, or is the material good for auto repair at all?

 

[oldwino]

I rarely keep o-rings on hand. Don’t use many and they often get hard/cracked with long term storage

 

[Mr. T]

You can probably get a bag of 50-100 of them for less than $10. Problem is, at home, you’ll never use them. That $1 price is a fee for the convenience of buying what you need and only what you need.

I’d pay the dollar and be happy you don’t have to go through the hassle of finding a bag of the correct size, material, and hardness of o-rings.


If you want sticker shock start looking at odd-ball step-seals for metric hydraulic cylinders.

 

[The Cobbler]

o ring kits are great. got me out of pinches a few times and make repairs without having to go buy 1 or 2.
also not had the issue of them drying up. I have an sae & metric set as well as a bunch of large ones I bought at athrift store for AC work , but I have had them work well in other applications.

 

[brownbagg]

harbor freight is like 5000 for $2.50 with a nice box to hold them

 

[GRB]

O-Ring for WHAT? They aren't all the same. Any O-Rings from Horror Freight should be only used for something that probably isn't on a car. What on a car could possibly be properly repaired with their garbage?
There is the low end Chinese **** imitation Buna-N that is basically free but would be criminally negligent to use for anything on a car. The decent quality Buna-N that is about $0.10 for a 1/2"x1/16" O ring up to better ones used for fuel, different ones used for oil, and different ones yet used for R134a refrigerant. I do figure out the proper O-Rings to use on automobiles and substitute the proper material for OE rings on the parts I sell. My cost on a 1/2"x1/16" O-ring varies from the $0.10 per unit in quantity up to around $2.00. This is my cost in wholesale quantities, not what they sell for. Lots of legitimate $6.00 O-Rings used in automotive applications.

 

[tonyciambrone]

I have an assortment but I have no idea why.

 

[nadogail]

After having a tenant without water for the three hours it took on a weekend to get an o-ring, I bought a kit from Harbor Freight.

With a razor blade and superglue I can now get "close enough" to solve many common problems.

 

[Jinks]

A friend with an aftermarket motorcycle shop once told me that if he could generate enough business he'd only sell "O" rings & gaskets. He said "you can pick your own markup! They cost next to nothing to manufacture, & sell for next to nothing in bulk. ****, anybody will pay a dollar for a gasket that cost me a half cent."

I don't know what you're fixing, but a trip to the store & a dollar for a little O ring seems like a high price. Unless it's the final piece to repair a $500 or $5000 project...

 

[c39er]

Harbor freight O-Rings smell awful...
I would only use them on my worst neighbors Fiat oil pump.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I have a couple assortments. Very few times have I found the "right" size or material in those kits, but I have found some that were "close enough" or got me by until I could get the right one. A few that I use regularly (like oil drain plugs on motorcycles) I bought a bulk pack. A few bucks for more than I will ever use. Great to have them on hand when I need them.

 

[sberry]

Yes, use it all the time.

 

[tonyciambrone]

Yes, use it all the time.

sberry what do you use them on? equipment?

 

[bgarrett]

However I do not know what sizes metric or SAE

. There is also the chinese sizes

 

[unslow1]

I just go to the hardware store when I need them. They have them loose packed like an assortment box for $0.10 each.

 

[BarryWells]

Yeah. I have a large set.Used some on my backpack fertilizer sprayer yesterday.
Last week was one for the faucet head thing on the sink.

 

[rlitman]

I have both an SAE and metric o-ring kit. Both cost me well under $10.
The SAE kit has paid for its own weight in gold! Probably several times over!

The metric kit, I bought because I needed an o-ring for a pneumatic tool, and none of my SAE rings fit. The metric kit had the correct ring, but I really haven't used it since. Still, I'm glad I've got it around.

 

[rust in the eye]

Yes, and I also save any unused rings from various overhaul kits.
This has saved me parts ordering and trips to the store many, many times.
I also hoard fasteners for the same reason.

 

[GRB]

A cheap Chinese no name and unknown material is probably fine for a water faucet or sprayer nozzle.
Should be using good quality Buna-N for general automotive use and HNBR for AC systems. Brake Fluid and Hydraulics will require specific materials for the specific fluid so be careful with that. Diesel Fuel O Rings will typically be Viton.

I would never sell anyone any O-Ring that I can buy for 1 cent and represent it to be an auto part.

If you go to Amazon or eBay and do a search for "green o ring" you will find a bunch of kits with a couple hundred o rings for $10 or so. They are Chinese **** quality nitrile made in green to make you think they are HNBR. They really shouldn't be used at all on an auto AC system. BUYER BEWARE.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Yes, there are different o-rings for different applications...

I keep an assortment of quality buna-n o-rings usually for little things around the house... And for most things I just match up the size visually to as close as I can get, accounting for a little stretching of the old o-ring if applicable. If it's something more critical, then yeah I look up the exact part # and replace with that.

If you want something chemical resistant, then you would want to use viton o-orings.

Buy yourself an assortment kit on Mcmaster Carr... Spend the little bit extra over the junk horrible freight stuff... Leaking o-rings are never fun... Otherwise you wouldn't be replacing one in the first place.

 

[llaht]

Fitting up some OLD stuff is really a challenge.
have an old water filter, get a few years before the O-ring compresses and will not seal.
think it is OMNI brand.

Local hardware has display of Buna N... IF i get a 3 5/8 ID, i can't get it to 'seat' freely so it will stay in the groove while i reassemble... a 3 3/4 ID is too large. Believe both are 1/16 section, but unsure, as well as the 'dash' number.

Probably next time I'll get new 'superglue' and cut down the larger one to 'fit'... just wish i could find the 'right' size, but can't take the housing with me and be without water that long...

Agree on the HF assortments... but do have some older ones... maybe from Northern... probably not any better... but they've worked in a pinch.

Oh well....

 

[RKA]

I agree, for the most part. They would work in a pinch or on a non-critical component until the proper O-ring could be sourced. But yes, I don't use the HF kits for anything automotive. In fact, I don't even remember what project I originally bought them for.

The good thing is, there are not many components on a car or truck that require an O-ring.

Depends on the car. I have a coolant leak on my car right now...bad O ring. It's in a tight spot and in order to get everything out of the way to access it, I will encounter 6 other O rings, all of which will be replaced while I'm in there.

But to the OP's question, I keep an assortment on hand for non-critical stuff and emergencies. Rarely use it and much prefer getting the proper O ring because I don't want to do a job twice. The one above will cost me 3 hours of time, but when I'm done I will not revisit it as long as I own this car.

 

[rlitman]

I agree, for the most part. They would work in a pinch or on a non-critical component until the proper O-ring could be sourced. But yes, I don't use the HF kits for anything automotive. In fact, I don't even remember what project I originally bought them for.

The good thing is, there are not many components on a car or truck that require an O-ring.

O-ring kits are generally buna-n / NBR / nitrile in 70 durometer. That actually fits more applications than not. I find it very rare that a 90 durometer o-ring is called for.

However, if the o-ring is fuel facing, then viton would be a better choice. For coolant purposes, nitrile is just fine.

For air conditioning systems, nitrile will also work just fine in most cases, however at the hottest points of the system, nitrile can have a shortened lifespan. For that reason, HNBR o-rings are called for in AC loops, where really your o-ring kit's rings would be just fine everywhere except the compressor outlet, and possibly the condenser inlet.

For my small CO2 bottles, polyurethane o-rings last about twice as long as 90 durometer (this is one place where a harder ring is better) nitrile, BUT a THOUSAND 90 durometer nitrile rings cost me less than 50 urethane rings. Still, here, o-rings from my kit would only last a single use, and very soon my kit would be empty in that column.

 

[rlitman]

I can't speak for RKA, but the only coolant contact o-rings I've encountered were in block heaters.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I bought a cheap set and have used a couple of them. The assortment saved me a trip to town and an hour of time.

 

[MarlynOC]

Power washing uses them up for the quick connects.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I rarely keep o-rings on hand. Don’t use many and they often get hard/cracked with long term storage

This.

I'd rather have to pay more but get the freshest possible.

IF you were in a shop doing a lot of work on a particular part that uses O-rings, then it would be worth it. In that case, the shop likely provides the parts always.

 

[GRB]

If you aren't seeing O-Rings on cooling systems, I'm guessing you are working on older cars. On the later Jaguar cooling system parts I sell there are more O-Ring connections than hose clamps. Ford created that system and many of the parts and the tools used are Ford so they must be all over Fords also. Aren't they all over everything else?
For info, I just looked up some late model Ford cooling system parts in my online catalog with one supplier and there are lots of O-Rings.

 

[The Cobbler]

things that come to mind where an o ring kit got me out of a bind. in each case I did the repair at home without the need to go shopping

carpet steam cleaner nozzle half way thru carpet cleaning
portable jobsite air compressor outlet air manifold
leaking air hose reel
leaking water hose reel
pneumatic staple gun
pneumatic brad nailer
various faucet repairs for clients
old style POL propane connections
I know there's others, just cant think off hand

By all means, in specific applications, I would only want the best and the proper grade, in these situations, I am not sure the quality or type is over thought to begin with

 

[Strouty]

Where is the best place to buy good o-ring assortments? Not the cheap ones from HF and the like.

 

[GRB]

Where is the best place to buy good o-ring assortments? Not the cheap ones from HF and the like.

I've been pretty happy with www.TheORingStore.com.

They even sent me some samples when I was planning to have some strange sizes custom made.

 

[like2wheel]

I currently have a GM 3800 that has a o ring leaking on a coolant elbow.

 

[rustyjames]

I can tell you VW VR6 engines have nothing but O Ring seals on the cooling system. Thermostat housing, elbows and sending units. And a huge PITA to repair. Going through it right now, and no way am I taking any chances on brand X O-Rings.

 

[Mr. T]

I find it very rare that a 90 durometer o-ring is called for.

Most of my time spent with O-rings is on industrial hydraulic systems. And 98.975% of that time it’s specified that NBR 90A should be used.

My O-ring assortment at home doesn’t exist. But at work... I’ve probably got it.

In my experience the time to replace an o-ring is when you can see it.

Where is the best place to buy good o-ring assortments? Not the cheap ones from HF and the like.

McMaster. They are actually a really good source for all but the most specialized of o-rings.

 

[PassnThru]

I picked up two O-ring assortments at Tractor Supply one day in the clearance section - one metric and one SAE. I have found them to be fairly delicate so I don't use them for anything major. I have used them for plumbing projects but I make sure I put silicon grease on them first or they will tear.

 

[Vvmvbb]

Might be overkill but can you ever go wrong choosing Viton?

 

[NUTTSGT]

things that come to mind where an o ring kit got me out of a bind. in each case I did the repair at home without the need to go shopping

carpet steam cleaner nozzle half way thru carpet cleaning
portable jobsite air compressor outlet air manifold
leaking air hose reel
leaking water hose reel
pneumatic staple gun
pneumatic brad nailer
various faucet repairs for clients
old style POL propane connections
I know there's others, just cant think off hand

By all means, in specific applications, I would only want the best and the proper grade, in these situations, I am not sure the quality or type is over thought to begin with

I whole heartedly agree with you.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

I agree that the kits have problems, BUT, I live a good distance from any place to get O-Rings. If having a kit, when I need an O-Ring on a Sunday afternoon, or at 11:00 at night, saves my bacon, it is worth it. If I need one then, and my kit doesn't have what I need, well, I am no further ahead, or behind, than if I didn't have the kit.

Just as I can't have a spare of every light bulb that I might ever need, I can't have every O-Ring either, but if I "luck out" once in a while, I am satisfied.



.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Might be overkill but can you ever go wrong choosing Viton?

Well... There are a few instances where Buna is better than Viton... But generally for most applications that call for Buna you can interchange with Viton with no ill effects. O-Rings are made out of other materials too, but those are often pretty specific applications (like PTFE)...

 

[PoorOwner]

guys it seems like I wasted $2 on 2 o-rings. the o-ring I needed is very thin, like 1/32" material. Wishful thinking, getting the fatter assorted o-ring further up the cap. Nope, it leaks, even with some sealant.

this needs to hold back 140psi of oily air pressure in the air lubricator.

Since the O-ring gap is so thin, I decided to use Rectorseal tru-blue. I did try the fat o-ring with the sealant, but it was blowing pin hole through it and you can hear the popping sound. Then I went O-ring less, just sealant and let it dry for 24 hours. It had done the trick. Soap tested.

the tru-blu is rated for all kinds of oil, even refrigeration oil. and it dries a little like a thread locker, and is highly versatile in this way. So there, a very thin o-ring replacement by sealant.