Ariete Fork Dust Seal 48 X 58,4 X 5,8/13 mm Y-2 CAP

Ariete Fork Dust Seal

Over the last few years, the main fork manufacturers, such as Kayaba, Showa, Ohlins,White Power, Marzocchi, Paioli, etc. have introduced a subtle but very significant modification to the specification of their forks.

The top models now have fork tubes finished in a thin layer of titanium nitride, TIN, with the aim of achieving a smoother surface, thereby reducing friction, and improving the "boulevade ride" of the tube in the slider.

This surface treatment increases the hardness of the steel, and also allows the manufacturer to achieve a much smoother surface, which has a very fine finish.

However, there is a disadvantage to this. The smoother the surface of the tube, and the finer the surface finish, the greater the friction of the lips of the oil seal which adhere very strongly to the metal.

This is because two perfectly smooth surfaces rubbing against each other tend to create friction because there is a larger area of contact, thereby producing more friction and developing more heat.

To resolve this problem, the ideal solution is XNBR rubber, as used to manufcture our oil seals.

This has a high degree of abrasion and temperature resistance, and when this rubber is lubricated with our special arisil silicone lubricant, it also improves the sliding action between the mating surfaces.

ARISIL has been designed in the laboratory to reduce the friction between metal and rubber components.

Ariete fork oil seals, custom-made for your fork:

Ariete fork oil seals are different! the quality of their execution is matched by the unique nature of the material used: the carboxylated elastomer known as XNBR.

This compound offers unique characteristics of resistance to abrasion, to high temperatures, and to the complex lubricants with numerous additives, which are used in modern forks as fitted to motorcycles and scooters.

The reciprocating action of the fork tube against the seal subjects it to a notable degree of abrasion, which is complicated by the heat generated as a result of hydraulic displacement within the fork, plus the friction of the components involved.

This mechanical wear and tear leads to accelerated ageing of the rubber which is also obliged to deal with the chemical action of the various additives in the lubricant.

Oil seals are normally made from a nitrile rubber, known as NBR.

This is used because it is cheap, and plentiful, not because NBR is the best material for the job.

Our technical staff have accumulated 60 years of experience in the rubber industry, and have spent many years looking for a better material for the manufacture of oil seals

In our view, the carboxylated elastomer known as XNBR has the following major advantages when compared with NBR:

Although the cost of xnbr is almost twice that of nbr, the sophisticated technology used to make our oil seals enables us to put them on the market at highly competitive prices.

In this way, the ariete customer enjoys the benefits of a very high quality product, which satisfies the most demanding requirements, at a competitive price.

Arisil special oil seal lubricant:

ARI fork oil seals are made from a rubber compound specifically developed to work with the lubricants used in front forks, with all their various additives.

This compound is completely different from that normally used for rotating shaft seals, since the physical environment inside a fork with its reciprocating movement, and the specialist lubricants, are completely different.

We have designed ari oil seals with a variety of lip profiles to make them longer lasting, while reducing to a minimum the friction effect against the moving shaft.

Over the years, we have discovered the key role of a separating lubricant between the fork tube and the rubber of the oil seal to reduce to a minimum the surface friction, without affecting the function of the oil seal.

After exhaustive testing, we have chosen a lubricant which is produced in the usa, and devised specifically as a rubber/metal lubricant for mechanical components used in the nasa space program.

Typical characteristics:

• Product type: grease.
• Colour: pink.
• Composition: silicone lubricant with additives.
• Temperature range: -65º degrees C => +175º degrees C.
• Coefficient of friction: 0,003 - load 6.3 N at 10 mm per second 24h.
• USA military specificationg: G-4343 C.

The advantage of this special grease, which we call arisil, is that it extends the life of the oil seal, and helps it retain its vital characteristics of flexibility and chemical resistance.

For this reason, every set of ari fork oil seals and ari dust seals contains a single dose sachet of arisil, sufficient to lubricate the two oil seals supplied.