The Top 5 Essential Tips for Buying Grommets

It’s very important to do research before buying grommets. Keep reading for the top 5 essential tips for buying grommets.

Your friend’s just gotten engaged, and soon, you’re all going on a bachelor party weekend. You’ve volunteered your car for the trip, so you’re taking a day to inspect it before the big day.

You’ve noticed the wiring grommets are wearing away, so you’d better get that fixed before the drive. But where do you even start when buying these things?

To help you out, here are the top 5 essential tips for buying grommets.

 1. Look at the Types of Rubber Grommets Available

Rubber grommets don’t just come in one shape and/or size. There are the push-in, bonded, UL-50, logo, wire, and medical plunger rubber grommets.

Take a close look at the ones in your vehicle to determine exactly which type you need. Considering this will be used for your car, you probably won’t need a medical plunger one.

2. There are 2 Types of Rubber Used

The 2 types of rubber used for grommets are butyl rubber (isobutylene isoprene elastomer) and nitrile and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR).

The former is very resistant to a number of elements, which means it’s definitely durable. It can also absorb high levels of energy.

The latter is better to use when you’re dealing with things like alcohol, oils, and hydraulic flurries. Depending on where you need to place the rubber grommets, you may want to go with one or the other, or even both. You might want to consult with a mechanic first, just to make sure.

3. Measure the Grommets

Not only do they come in different types, but rubber grommets also have various diameters. You might be tempted to just eyeball it, but when it comes to purchasing items (especially doing so online), this can quickly backfire.

So take the extra time to measure your rubber grommets. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re surfing online through page after page of grommets.

Don’t just measure the outer diameter of the grommets either. You’ll also want to measure the inside diameter, plus the distance between the lower surface and the end of the grommet.

4. Get Yourself Some Grommet Tools

If you were hoping to get your rubber grommets on and off by hand, think again. When you have the right tools, the process can go so much smoother.

There are many products available on the market, such as dead blow hammers, rawhide mallets, and even home grommet kits. Consider looking into those.

5. Consider Other Grommet Types

We’ve been talking solely about rubber grommets, but just in case you need grommets for other applications, we thought you’d like to know about the other materials available.

In addition to rubber, grommets can also be found made of plastic or metal. Some common metals used include aluminum, zinc, brass, and stainless steel.

 

Make Sure You Buy the Right Grommets

As you can see, grommets come in all different shapes, sizes, and even materials. While buying them might seem like a daunting task at first, the most important thing is to get all the proper measurements down. If you do that, then it’ll be smooth sailing from there.

Want to read more? Then take a look at this article about rechargeable batteries.