How hard is it to change fork seals?

[DMAN999]

Bump.
So I stripped the Hex Bolt on the Bottom of one Fork.
Any Ideas for getting that out (Like Grabit or Easy Out Extractor) or even just Drill it out ???
or Should I just take it to a Stealership and let them remove it for me ??

And does anyone know the exact Diameter of that Bolt itself so I can get the proper size Drill Bit/Extractor ?

 

[sdt354]

pm'd ya.

 

[DMAN999]

Thanks,
PM received and reply sent !

I still need to know the exact Diameter of that Bolt itself,
so I can get the proper size Drill Bit/Extractor if I decide to give it a try.

 

[CaptainKyle]

Bump.
So I stripped the Hex Bolt on the Bottom of one Fork.
Any Ideas for getting that out (Like Grabit or Easy Out Extractor) or even just Drill it out ???
or Should I just take it to a Stealership and let them remove it for me ??

And does anyone know the exact Diameter of that Bolt itself so I can get the proper size Drill Bit/Extractor ?

I have been able to hammer a larger Torx Bit into some striped allens & remove them its worth a shot if you have one.

 

[DMAN999]

I have been able to hammer a larger Torx Bit into some striped allens & remove them its worth a shot if you have one.

Thanks,
That might be worth a try.

 

[gamorg02]

91314-08032-00 is part number so its an 8mm. i'd try an extractor first. torque is < 20 ft lbs so it shouldn't be in there that hard.

i'd almost be tempted to epoxy an allen driver into it wait a day then crack it loose if an extractor didn't work. but thats kind of extreme.

 

[DMAN999]

4V4-23181-L0-00 : BOLT,HEX SCKT HEAD is the Bolt that I stripped.
I took it to a machine shop and they removed it for me without incident and only charged me $10.
I got a new Bolt and Copper Washer today and got it all reassembled.
I wanted to take a test ride but it was Raining and then Sleeting so the test ride will have to wait until Friday.

 

[rebar]

Finally getting around to cleaning and putting back together with new seals and oil.. Perks of having more than one bike. Or maybe a bad thing since I tend to forget things..

I just noticed a bit of rust pitting on the fork tube in between, and back behind the triple tree's. Not in the oil-seal travel area, but I have to slide the new seal over this pitting because I dont think I can slide them up from the bottom since the #16 slider bushing needs to be driven in before the oil seal. Can I polish this pitting up enough not to damage the new seal, or maybe cover it with electrical tape to protect the new seal?

 

[one2dmax]

Smooth even pits with no sharp edges won't be a problem. OR, just do the electrical tape thing and don't sweat it.

Sean

 

[rebar]

We install thousands upon thousands of feet of PVC conduit every year. We are currently working on a project at Ohio University running about 6,000' feet through a HV right of way.

I have every size of sch 40 PVC from 1/2" up to 6" (and some larger sizes)on the shelf here at work. I could not find anything that matches the size of the fork seal.

We do not deal with schedule 10 PVC and I was not going to buy any ( I believe sch10 would do the trick) so, I hacked up a 1.5" coupling and connected it to a 2" PVC slide hammer. It was free, and it worked.

Said this before.. But I'm now really putting these back together! :biglaugh:

I have 2" pvc pipe. A 2" coupler and a 1 1/2" coupler but nothing is tight enough. Thought maybe 1 1/2" pvc.. But the 40mm/1.5748" fork tube is to large.. wtf I sure hope I dont need to buy the tool!

Looks like sch40 1 1/2" pvc is 1.61" ID.:eusa_dance: perfect but maybe to thick for the #21 slide bushing install

 

[mr.maxx]

still have the old seal>?? cut about an inch out of it and then turn it face down over the new seal....you can use a small hammer to tap around and press the new seal in. then pry out the old one. just go easy in small increments.

 

[rebar]

still have the old seal>?? cut about an inch out of it and then turn it face down over the new seal....you can use a small hammer to tap around and press the new seal in. then pry out the old one. just go easy in small increments.

Thanks, but Im trying to set the #21 slide bushing right now. And the 1 1/2 sch40 I have is 1.577" ID. Not the 1.61" I need.:bang head:

Update.. This is what worked for me. Short piece of 1 1/2 pvc, but before cutting ran a 1 1/2" wire wheel up inside it to enlarge slightly. Then a 2" to 1 1/2" bushing and 2" pipe

 

[rebar]

Just got the bike off the road and its a different bike with the new seals. That nasty noise when I hit bumps disappeared. And not a drop of oil from the seals or set screws blocking the air ports. Also tightened the head bearings. Absolutely no wobble at any speed.

The video was a great guide. Thanks Sean and please dont ever remove that. Iv got my other Vmax to do.. This winter maybe.

One thing about the video. You dont need a vac pump to get the oil level correct. Just over fill 1/2" and unscrew the oil drain screw. It leaks out slow enough to stop it a the correct level.

 

[Sonoran6]

for the fork oil, does it have to be synthetic power steering fluid or will regular power steering fluid work? I have also heard you can use ATF fluid?

 

[sdt354]

for the fork oil, does it have to be synthetic power steering fluid or will regular power steering fluid work? I have also heard you can use ATF fluid?

I've been using type 4 fully synthetic ATF fluid for a while. Power steering fluid looks a lot like ATF to me. Most mfg's will let you run ATF in the steeering systems. I'm not springing for motorcycle fork oil ever again. But, I'm a cheap
bastard which must be taken into account.
Steve-o

 

[Sonoran6]

Ok, but does it have to be synthetic? I am also cheap! Just got my progressive springs and seals from Sean today. Going 1" lower. I'm changing the trans filter on my Durango so I'm already going to have to buy a few gallons of ATF 4+

 

[Sonoran6]

I don't mean to be annoying, bit I'm disassembling them tonight and rebuilding them I'm the am, I just want to know before I take it apart if I NEED synthetic.

 

[one2dmax]

You don't HAVE to use synthetic. BUT, synthetic is more stable on the viscosity and also easier on the seals and aluminum parts.

Sean

 

[Sonoran6]

Thank you! I got em all tore down and only needed to buy 1 tool. I had a 21&23 mm socket, but no 22! LOL. O'Reillys is proud of their sockets.. $6.99 for 1.

 

[Fire-medic]

My local Habitat for Humanity store had a nearly complete set of individual 1/2" drive Stanley sockets indiv. packaged for about $2/apiece. I made my own set though I already had some of the same sizes.

I used ATF in my dirt bike back in the '70's in the tranny & changed it after every race (2-stroke). Isn't there a sticky about oil viscosities for different manufacturers or am I thinking of another site? What I seem to recall is that ATF was a bit < 10 wt.