Investigating the relative movements of wheel-hub seals on heavy trucks and trailers

The performance of wheel bearings on heavy goods vehicles is significantly dependent on the oil bath seals located in the bearings between the wheel-hub and axle spindle.

The performance of wheel bearings on heavy goods vehicles is significantly dependent on the oil bath seals located in the bearings between the wheel-hub and axle spindle. In order to be able to test this type of seal under simulated operating conditions, the seal movements under driving conditions were measured in five degrees of freedom using a specially developed displacement transducer system consisting of 16 noncontact inductive displacement transducers of type Tr 8.

During the road tests, vehicle parameters were varied and different maneuvers carried out. Assessment criteria were produced for the effects of different parameters. It was found that the greatest effects were produced by the vehicle loading and the wheel-bearing adjustment.

The experimental reproduction of the load characteristics recorded in the road test took place in a specially developed servohydraulic simulator. There was a good correlation between the results from laboratory tests and those from the road tests.