What is the purpose of a seal cross reference number?

The purpose of a cross referencing a seal's part number is to help find the right seal for a specific automotive application, notes timken.com. By cross referencing the number, customers can be sure that they have received the correct part from the manufacturer.

Oil seals are used in vehicles to protect bearings from contaminants and retain liquids. Examples of different seals include O-ring seals, heavy-duty seals, light-duty seals and automotive V-seals. Seals are also used in rail, wind energy and industry applications. Since seals play an important role in the function of machines, cross referencing their part numbers is necessary before replacing the seal.