SKF Low-Friction Dust Wiper Seal Kit: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

Servicing your fork at regular intervals is one of the best things you can do to ensure it will work well and last as long as possible. Using the right tools and the best parts help ensure that no issues will arise in the future. Read on as our friend Patrick tells us about servicing his Fox 36.

Intro:

I have been using SKF fork seals for a few years now. I am a bit biased though, after an experience I had with my old Yamaha WR450. That thing had a big problem with leaky fork seals. I tried just about every brand of seal available, and they’d all start leaking after about four or five rides. Then I discovered SKF seals, which ended up lasting over a year. I’m an engineer for a robotics company, and we have used other SKF products, such as bearings, in our robots for years, and the quality has always been excellent.

Tools:

It was time to do the first 125-hour service on my 2020 Fox 36 forks, so of course, I decided to go with SKF seals again. There are lots of videos online that you can follow to complete this basic procedure. You will need the following items (some items may vary depending on the exact year and model):

• Fox 398-00-681A Air Spring Removal Tool
• Fox 398-00-682A Damper Removal Tool
• Fox 32mm Top Cap Socket
• Fox 20wt Gold Fork Fluid
• Fox 5wt PTFE Infused Suspension Fluid
• Fox 36 Seal Driver Tool
• Graduated cylinder or syringe for measuring fluid
• Torque wrench capable of 50in-lb (damper & air spring nuts) and 220in-lb (top cap)
• Plastic coated steel tire lever or similar for prying out old seals
• Slick Honey

Service Tips:

It is possible to get by without the Fox tools, but I paid a lot for my fork, so I see no reason to cut corners. Plus, this won’t be my last pair of Fox forks and my friends have been happy to borrow my tools. I see no point in removing the fork from the bike. I just set the bike upside down on the floor when it is time to pour the fluid into the lowers. Make sure you reinstall the top cap after adding the 3cc to the air chamber or else that oil will drain out when you turn your bike upside down. Pad whatever you use to pry out the old seals with a folded-up rag so that you don’t mess up the paint next to the seal. It does take a decent amount of force to pry out the old seals. Some people use a wrench to pry out the seals, but this ends up putting a gouge in the aluminum. Fox applies way too much grease on the air shaft—to the point where it affects the volume of the negative chamber. Clean all their grease off and then apply Slick Honey only to the air piston and rod.

Final Thoughts:

The SKF seals look almost identical to the original Fox seals, except they are a blue-green color instead of black. They installed into the fork with an appropriate amount of resistance. Included in the seal kit was a set of new foam rings which I saturated with 20wt oil prior to installation. Replacement damper and air spring nut seals were also included. The air spring nut seal is made from translucent plastic, whereas the original is black. I can’t tell a difference in friction between the new and old seals. It was obvious that one of my old seals was going bad because one fork leg had a decent amount of dirt down in it, while the other leg was perfectly clean. It will be interesting to see how the forks look inside after another 125 hours.