----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 8:26
AM
Subject: RE: Axle Seals
The six
axles will run through a length of pipe about 8 inches long, half in the
hull
and half
outside of the craft with the free space inside along the axles pumped full
of
lake-friendly petroleum jelly (not traditional axle grease)
and on the outside,
possibly a
second (rotating) sleeve with another pipe section connected to the wheels,
slipping
over the hull axle sleeve pipe that has the axle inside. In theory it should
keep the water out.
If anybody
has any better ideas, I'd love to hear them. A subcontractor is cutting
and welding
the axle
hubs so I will be testing this concept within a month or two. I did get some
waterproof
bearings a
long time ago but securing them to the hull so they fit tight and are
waterproof around
the edges
would be a huge challenge. I thing the ultimate technique is to get
watertight
flanged
bearings, but those are usually really expensive. Unless somebody has a good
source.
Nick
H.
Kingston
Armored Defense Force
What does the SWAMPCAT use to seals its
axles?
Francisco