Technology: everything you need to know about Dual Compound fork seals
Dirt bikes are real torture devices for your seals. SKF has a good reputation for building durable fork seals for motocross. Now they are going one step further with their latest creation: the Dual Compound seals.
Every motocross rider has to deal with it: a leaking fork seal. That literally means fork oil looking for the easiest way out and you having to survive your series with a poorly functioning suspension. SKF's new technology catches our attention because the new seals promise superior sealing, better dirt removal, less fork stiffness and a longer lifespan. SKF Dual-Compound fork seal technology was developed to achieve superior sealing performance by combining two different compounds into one fork seal.
The green compound rubber is used as fork seal wipers. It is tough and durable. The red compound is used against the fork tubes. It is softer, more flexible and has a newly designed sealing lip. The softer rubber can follow imperfections in the fork steerer to maintain a good seal against leakage. The dual-compound rubber is a metal insert that provides structural integrity, the fork rubber has a self-cleaning spring to increase the sealing pressure of the wiper.
Kayaba, Showa, WP, Ohlins or another fork? They all leak over time. A fork seal must operate in a dirty environment where it must endure a very long stroke at high speeds with abrupt changes in direction. SKF Dual Compound fork seals will do their job better than conventional seals and, according to SKF, they will last twice as long. The additional cost of this type of seal is quickly recouped. Moreover, the additional cost is negligible for a service on the fork legs of your dirt bike.
Photos: SKF
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