Proper Installation Of PEEK Sealing Rings

Sealing rings in automotive automatic transmissions have evolved over several generations in just a few decades, from the initial cast iron sealing rings to polytetrafluoroethylene materials (commonly known as Teflon or Teflon) and then to PEEK (polyether ether ketone), an emerging polymer material.

PEEK ring properties

PEEK rings has very excellent high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and self-lubricating, but also has outstanding mechanical properties, that is, at the same time with rigidity and flexibility, comparable to alloy materials.

PEEK ring VS PTFE ring

Anyone who has come into contact with PEEK sealing rings can feel that they are much stiffer than Teflon sealing rings, and improper installation can cause significant wear on aluminum and even steel dyadic parts.

We will introduce the correct installation method of the PEEK sealing ring and airtightness testing method, which will enable users to install the PEEK sealing ring correctly to ensure its normal operation and maximize its effectiveness.

At present, the PEEK sealing rings used in automatic transmissions are designed in the form of openings to facilitate installation, and the connecting parts at both ends of the openings usually use a right-angle mortise and tenon buckle structure or a flat interface structure, but regardless of the interface, as long as it can be installed correctly and a good airtightness test can ensure that it works properly.

How to install PEEK rings?

The installation method of PEEK sealing rings is similar to that of Teflon sealing rings with beveled cuts, but the installation process is slightly different.

We should follow the following installation steps and do a good air-tightness test of the sealing ring before the parts are assembled.

• Step 1: After applying assembly-specific grease, install the PEEK sealing ring into the ring groove of the center shaft, paying attention to the fact that the two adjacent sealing ring interfaces should be staggered 180°.

In the center shaft shown in the figure, there are three PEEK sealing rings, of which the top one and the bottom one have the same interface direction, both facing inward, and the middle one has a sealing ring interface 180 staggered with the upper and lower two, facing outward, so that the requirement of 180° staggering of the adjacent interfaces is achieved.

• Step 2: Install the clutch drum onto the center shaft.

• Step 3: Submerge the complete assembly (clutch drum and center shaft) in transmission fluid.

• Step 4: Remove the complete set of parts from the transmission fluid and hold the center shaft stationary, rotate the clutch drum to the left and to the right as many times as possible to allow the sealing ring to be installed in place.

• Step 5: Use a high-pressure air gun to align the corresponding hydraulic runner holes on the center shaft, blow in, and check whether the clutch action can be executed correctly and whether the sealing ring plays a sealing role.

Summarize

During the installation process, it may be necessary to repeat steps 4 and 5 several times before the sealing ring can be installed in the correct position to achieve the sealing effect. In the vast majority of cases, the above five steps will ensure the PEEK sealing ring is correctly installed in place, for some possible accidents, you need to additionally check the inner hole of the matching parts, as long as to ensure that the matching parts of the correct diameter of the hole, it will be able to PEEK sealing ring installed in place to achieve the normal sealing function of the whole installed after the first round of shifting clutch action, PEEK sealing ring will be able to fall in the correct position. The sealing ring will be able to fall in the correct position of the device will be able to work normally.