Fork seal assembly

SPOFF · May 6, 2010

dannymax said:
This is kind of interesting and maybe a way to remove your seals w'out pulling the inner tube or damaging the seal.

Anyone ever tried this?

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/replace_fork_seals/index.html

Just for reference, this unusual process works. Did one today. Good if you need to swap out the seal on your lunch break. :biglaugh: Two things about the V-Max: Make sure you place the socket you used to remove the top cap over the valve stem (so you're not pushing on the valve stem. And the fork tube needs to be FULL. So full that it's hard to screw the top cap back on. And I'd suggest cheap straight 30 wt.

What happens is the seal will move and the oil starts gushing out onto the floor. At that point the seal is far enough out that you can carefully pry it out.

gamorg02 · May 6, 2010

good to know. were u shittin urself a little trying it?

dannymax · May 7, 2010

It would be a very simple deal to build a frame out of 2 x 6's, put a catch pan under the fork to catch the oil and use a porta-power to do the compressing.

How much pressure did it take to get the oil seal moving? I would think it would move pretty easily.

one2dmax · May 7, 2010

The seals move pretty easily most of the time. In fact you can use compressed air to blow them out. A little messier and not a technique I showed in the self help video. It's not all that hard to take them all the way apart either and lets you clean up any nicks and inspect it all. I did a set yesterday in fact. Even changed the brake lines, pads, cleaned it all up and had it bled and ready to ride in just under 2 hours (counting adjusting the steering head bearings).

Sean

dannymax · May 7, 2010

one2dmax said:
The seals move pretty easily most of the time. In fact you can use compressed air to blow them out. A little messier and not a technique I showed in the self help video. It's not all that hard to take them all the way apart either and lets you clean up any nicks and inspect it all. I did a set yesterday in fact. Even changed the brake lines, pads, cleaned it all up and had it bled and ready to ride in just under 2 hours (counting adjusting the steering head bearings).

Sean

I was wondering about using air, but you know how I do things! If a couple pounds will do the job just think how much better 125 pounds would do it!! I have gotten in trouble with that approach....:bang head:

The only time I would use this method is if I'd just had the fork all apart and maybe got a bad seal or screwed it up on re-assembly. In truth, after you take the cap off and get the spring, spacer & oil out, the rest of the dis-assembly is a breeze....and certainly less messy than dealing with another fork-full of oil!

SPOFF · May 8, 2010

dannymax said:
It would be a very simple deal to build a frame out of 2 x 6's, put a catch pan under the fork to catch the oil and use a porta-power to do the compressing.

How much pressure did it take to get the oil seal moving? I would think it would move pretty easily.

Not much at all. I used a Chinese 1 ton Walmart jack that leaks almost as much as the fork. I used my garage door frame as a brace (it's a 70 year-old wood frame) and it creaked once or twice before the seal came out. The main reason to do it this way is I didn't have an impact wrench handy. I was dropping in a set of Ricor Intiminators and wanted to quickly swap out the left seal, which was weeping slightly.

Tomorrow when the rain stops I'll give it a test ride. :eusa_dance: