fork seals.

VFR_KID

VFR_KID

VFR_KID

Soldato
Joined
3 Jul 2008
Posts
3,248
Location
Fife way up in Scotland
Anyone replaced fork seals?

If so how hard is it? or is it easier to send to a garage?

I hit a raised manhole on the way to knockhill to watch the BTCC blown one of them :(
 
I wouldn't say they're difficult to do at all.

The most awkward part is getting the forks off the bike which is a lot easier if you have a suitable paddock stand.
 
Doing conventional (Right Way Up) forks is pretty simple, as long as you have some way of supporting the bike whilst the forks are removed. I've never taken upside down forks apart, but the procedure is very similar.
 
Mines are conventional forks not usd. I have a beam in my garage i thought i coukd use a ratchet strap round the headstock and remove the front end. My paddock stand goes under the bottom of the forks.
 
They are easy to do just make sure you measure the oil properly/accurately for both forks & don't loose any of the washers/spacers, Lay them out in sequence on a bit of card as you take them out/off.


Before you do all this though are you sure the seal is split & not just got a bit of grit/dirt trapped between the seal & the fork. If so you can use a feeler gauge to go around the seal & pop it back out once you have gone full circle then pop the bit of grit out, Then you pump the front end a few times to re seal it.
 
I was going up a road that has just been skimmed and had raised iron works. To busy watching a bus and kid running about i didnt see a manhole and hit it. Nearly took me off the bike. Ten minutes later it was dripping when i stopped to pay to get into knockhill. Got home and had a small puddle under it 45 mins later. So not 100% sure if its split or what.
 
i thought they were a right pig to seperate the lower fork from the stanchion? theres two parts i think,the seal itself and the bush,your probaably popped the seal,it might not be damaged but now its forced oil past it it will leak,best to replace it as seals are cheap
 
Cheers guys. Managed to rebuild the calipers on my vfr and done loads of other stuff so with hints and tips and a haynes manual i should manage
 
VFR_KID said:
Mines are conventional forks not usd. I have a beam in my garage i thought i coukd use a ratchet strap round the headstock and remove the front end. My paddock stand goes under the bottom of the forks.
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That's exactly how I did mine, though I put the bike on the rear paddock stand to make it more stable.

Make sure you loosen the caps on the top of the forks before you slacken off the yokes, it's almost impossible to do it after!
 
Dogbreath said:
That's exactly how I did mine, though I put the bike on the rear paddock stand to make it more stable.

Make sure you loosen the caps on the top of the forks before you slacken off the yokes, it's almost impossible to do it after!
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lol yes make sure you stable the rear end I had a xs400 years back and thought it was a good idea to pull the front end up to the beam and she swung round I **** a brick :D

I now have some home made stands and take the wheel out and prop on one leg while doing the other.
 
Pretty easy non usd forks

Best thing to do is pop off top cap and drain oil (remove spring/s)
Boil kettle have cup o tea
Then use said water left in kettle to pour around seal to make it better for getting out. Use inner for tube as slide hammer to pop seal
 
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