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The paper will review existing seals used in off-highway heavy equipment, both radial lip seal applications and face type seal applications in general use on track vehicles. With the trend towards improved reliability and durability, together with the never ending quest for quality and product improvements, the paper will discuss a number of seal development programs which will result in products that meet the new and projected future requirements for seals from the off-highway heavy equipment manufacturers.

The truck wheel seal requirements have changed over the past ten years. Some of the critical requirements for a truck wheel seal in today's environment are: the ability to exclude dust, mud, and water over a wide range of operating conditions; the ability of the elastomeric sealing element to tolerate various aggressive lubricants over a wide range of operating conditions; the ability to provide an adequate OD seal when installed in aluminum housings of various surface finishes; and the ability of the seal to be installed with minimal opportunity for installation damage or improper installation. An improved unitized truck wheel seal was developed to accommodate the above requirements. During the development program, it became obvious that an advanced Nitrile rubber (NBR) formulation was necessary to assist the seal design in accommodating the more demanding performance requirements.