Ever seen a felt axle seal?
 

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1371080350.jpg

I wanted to check , and re pack the bearings on the 5th wheel camper I bought this spring. Ordered 4 axle seals from my local advance auto parts, and was surprised that when I opened them, the sealing surface is made from a felt like substance. It seems pretty firm. Hope it does not spit grease everywhere. I've been at this a long time, and cannot remember ever seeing an axle seal made like this before.

seems similar to the old leather seals. once oiled it probably glazes over and hopefully works as designed.

every cessna single engine uses them

That does seem old school. I don't know where I've seen them, but I have.

Felt rings inside some pilot bearing?

Also isn't a felt ring used on a flywheel seal on a vw type1?

Been so long since I've been in one of those I've forgotten..

Funny thing about where old time solutions are still in use..... the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" school....

Flax packing in shaft logs on inboard powered boats..... Oakum... etc...

Reminds me of packing that was used long time ago at the end of the shaft of the axle on train cars that kept the copper/brass bushing lubricated.

My 1960s era Clark forklift uses a rope seal on the engine output shaft. Not many guys even know how to replace it anymore.

The early Fel-Pro gaskets were made of felt as the company was originally called Felt Products. They made felt blankets for horses but as the car developed, they made gaskets for the Model T that were/are made of felt. There is still allot of old technology out there.

My old BMW motorcycle has a felt seal on the shaft that actuates the clutch.

Not that I've ever seen. The rear axle seals on my '47 Dodge look a lot like the ones in that photo.

Looks almost identical to an early VW axle seal

The seal for the "stuffing boxes" for propeller shafts on old boats was made of an organic material. It worked. They were supposed to drip just a little bit. Isn't old school stuff amazing?

That must be where I saw it.