Tornado Sealing Washer 1/4 in. 07741

The Tornado Sealing Washer 1/4 in. 07741 is the genuine OEM sealing washer used on the PS Series professional spotters. Tornado’s dealer catalog lists it as “Washer Sealing 1/4” — and that word sealing is the whole specification. The machine uses two. It also fits the Tornado PS8226 Spotter 98226, the 230-volt build of the deluxe PS Series spotter.

Compatible Models for the Sealing Washer

• Tornado PS Spotter 98220 — PS Series professional spotter, 115V
• Tornado PS8221 Spotter 98221 — the 230-volt deluxe spotter, Series G
• Tornado PS8225 Spotter 98225 — the deluxe PS Series spotter, Series D & E
• Tornado PS8226 Spotter 98226 — the 230-volt build of the deluxe PS Series spotter, Series D & E

The 230-volt PS8221 Spotter 98221 uses the same sealing washer on its main assembly, in the Series G book.

The deluxe PS8225 Spotter 98225 uses the same sealing washer, four of them, in its Series D & E book.

This is a widely shared fastener: Tornado’s factory cross-reference lists it on eighty-one machines, which is more than the cross-reference will display at one time, so an enumerated list would be incomplete and misleading. Within the window it returns we can see Tornado wet/dry and wide-area machines alongside the spotters. Call us at 763-535-0770 with your model and serial number and we will confirm it against the current catalog before you order.

Sealing, not plain — and that is the point

The parts book calls this part simply “Washer”, which is how it ends up being replaced with whatever 1/4 inch washer is in the drawer. The dealer catalog is more specific: it is a sealing washer, which means it carries a sealing element rather than being a plain disc of metal.

A plain washer spreads the clamping load of a fastener over a wider bearing area and gives the head a true face to turn against. It does that job perfectly well and seals nothing. A sealing washer does both: the metal carries the load, and the sealing face closes the gap between the fastener and the surface so liquid cannot pass down the fastener’s shank.

Where a sealing washer is specified, somebody decided that water must not get past that fastener. On a carpet spotter that usually means a fastener that passes through a tank wall, or through a panel that keeps solution away from something that should stay dry. Fit a plain washer there and the assembly bolts up correctly, holds torque correctly, and seeps.

The seepage is rarely dramatic — a damp patch that appears after the machine has stood, or a slow weep blamed on a hose for weeks. On a wet machine with mains electricity inside it, water taking a path it was not meant to take is worth taking seriously even in small volumes.

When to replace it

Treat a sealing washer as single-use. Once it has been tightened the sealing element has taken a compression set shaped to that joint, and a reused one does not close the gap evenly — the same reasoning that applies to any gasket.

Beyond that, replace it on sight if the sealing face is cracked, hardened, torn, swollen or has parted from the metal; if it has been extruded out past the washer’s edge by over-tightening; or if the metal is rusted, dished or distorted. Replace it if you find water on the dry side of a joint it is meant to seal, which is direct evidence that it has stopped working.

If one is weeping, fit both. They are the same age and the same price, and getting back in is the expensive part.

Fitting notes

Fit it with the sealing face against the surface being sealed and the metal side under the fastener head. Fitted the wrong way round it seals nothing while looking entirely correct, which is why it is worth checking before the fastener goes down.

Clean the sealing face first — a new seal will not bed down over old sealant residue, swarf or dried detergent. Tighten until the sealing element is visibly compressed and the joint is firm, then stop: over-tightening extrudes the seal out from under the washer and destroys it, which is the usual way one is ruined during fitting. Do not add silicone or thread sealant on top in the hope of improving matters; the washer is the seal, and sealant over it only hides whether it is working. Check the joint under pressure, or after the machine has stood with a full tank, before putting it back into service.

Twin City Vacuum has been selling and servicing Tornado equipment since 1956 and keeps spotter hardware on the shelf in Crystal, Minnesota.

You can browse every assembly for this machine on our Tornado PS Spotter 98220 parts page, and the manufacturer’s specifications are published at tornadovac.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the Sealing Washer 07741 different from a plain washer?

It carries a sealing element as well as metal. The metal spreads the clamping load exactly as a plain washer does; the sealing face closes the gap so liquid cannot pass down the fastener’s shank. A plain 1/4 inch washer in its place carries the load identically and seals nothing.

Which way round does the Sealing Washer go?

Sealing face against the surface being sealed, metal face under the fastener head. Fitted the wrong way round it seals nothing while looking completely correct, so check before the fastener goes down. Clean the sealing face first — a new seal will not bed over old residue.

Can I reuse a Sealing Washer?

No — treat it as single-use. Once tightened, the sealing element has taken a compression set shaped to that joint and will not close the gap evenly a second time. Replace it whenever the joint is opened, and on sight if the seal is cracked, hardened, swollen or extruded past the metal.

How do I order the Sealing Washer (part# 07741) or get help?

You can add the Sealing Washer (part# 07741) directly to your cart on this page, or call us at 763-535-0770. Our staff at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428 has been servicing Tornado equipment since 1956 and can help confirm the right part for your machine.

Questions? Call us at 763-535-0770 or visit us at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428.