CR Seals from SKF

CR Seals is SKF’s family of industrial shaft seals, created to protect rotating equipment in demanding real-world conditions. Built on decades of sealing expertise, CR Seals combine advanced materials, smart lip geometries, and rigorous testing to help extend bearing life, reduce leakage, and keep m

CR Seals

Pacific International Bearing is an authorized distributor for CR Seals from SKF. PIB specializes in stocking a wide range of CR radial and axial shaft seals, cassette seals, and wear sleeves, and works closely with customers to match each application with the right sealing solution.

SP-Series

COMPANY HISTORY

CR Seals traces its roots back to Chicago Rawhide, a company founded in the late 19th century that initially produced leather belting, lacing, and other rawhide components. Over time, Chicago Rawhide became a pioneer in sealing technology, launching early leather oil seals for the rapidly growing automotive and industrial markets.

By the mid-20th century, CR seals had already become a common choice for major equipment manufacturers. The company introduced innovative designs, such as the leather “Perfect Oil Seal” and later modern elastomer seals that helped define industry expectations for service life and reliability.

In 1990, Chicago Rawhide became part of SKF, the global leader in bearings and related technologies. Since then, CR Seals and SKF engineers have combined their expertise to develop new elastomer compounds, refined manufacturing processes, and highly engineered seal geometries. The result is a portfolio of robust seals designed to work in harmony with SKF bearings and other rotating components.

Where are CR Seals Used?

CR Seals support power transmission applications across virtually every industrial sector. From gearboxes, speed reducers, and motors in metal and paper mills, to pumps, compressors, and conveyors in process plants, CR Seals help retain lubricants, exclude contaminants, and manage pressure at the shaft interface.

They are also widely used in off-highway equipment, agricultural machinery, marine drives, wind turbines, and other applications where uptime, cleanliness and long service life are critical. Wherever rotating shafts and bearings need protection, there is likely a CR seal profile designed for the job.

CR SEALS & PIB PARTNERSHIP

As an authorized distributor, Pacific International Bearing collaborates closely with SKF’s sealing specialists and logistics network to bring CR Seals technology directly to customers. PIB’s goal is to make it easy to specify, source, and support the right seal for each piece of equipment.

Working with SKF application and engineering resources, PIB can help you:

• Select suitable CR Seals for new designs or retrofit projects
• Cross-reference existing part numbers using the CR Seals Handbook and online tools
  Address chronic leakage or contamination issues with upgraded sealing solutions
• Streamline inventories by consolidating to preferred, high-performance seal designs

Together, SKF and PIB focus on improving reliability, reducing unplanned downtime, minimizing maintenance, and helping customers get more value from their rotating equipment.

CR SEALS PRODUCTS

CR Seals offers one of the broadest ranges of rotary shaft sealing solutions on the market. Key product families include:

• Radial shaft seals – Standard and heavy-duty profiles for oil or grease, including designs optimized for runout, misalignment and difficult lubricants.
• SKF Wave and SKF Edge seals – Advanced lip geometries and materials that deliver high pump rates, reduced heat generation and lower friction to help protect bearings and extend seal life.
• HM grease seals – Proven designs that manage grease purging while helping shield critical bearing positions from contamination.
• SKF Flex heavy industrial seals – Made-to-order, large-diameter seals for harsh environments such as steel mills, paper machines, crushers and other heavy industrial equipment.
• Cassette seals – Multi-lip designs with integrated wear sleeves for demanding wheel end and off-highway applications.
• V-ring and axial excluder seals – Axial seals that act as primary or secondary barriers against dust, moisture and other contaminants.
• Metal face seals – Robust solutions for slow-speed, highly contaminated environments such as tracked vehicles and construction machinery.
• Wear sleeves (including SKF Speedi-Sleeve and LDSLV4) – Thin-walled sleeves that restore worn shaft surfaces and create an optimal counterface for radial seals, often eliminating the need for shaft re-machining.
  

Many CR Seals designs are available in both inch and metric sizes, with extensive coverage of standard shaft diameters. The CR Seals Handbook organizes listings by shaft size to simplify selection, while programs such as WasteWatcher and Bore-Tite coatings help improve availability and reliability during installation.

With CR Seals from SKF and the support of Pacific International Bearing, you get a sealing system engineered for real-world conditions—backed by the tools, inventory and expertise needed to keep your equipment turning smoothly.

Shop at PIB Sales online or contact us at [email protected]