My fork seal saga continues...

[j2dawson]

I bought a proper fork seal driver and got started but I'll be damned if I can get the bottom allen bolt out. I've hammered on it with a 1/2" impact but it doesn't budge. What is the next step to try?

Is there a way to dig the old seal out and just replace it without disassembling the fork?

Every time I touch this bike I cause more problems than I originally had. Grrrr!

 

[ninjaneer]

do you still have the stachions in the triple tree and the springs still installed? if not, i suggest doing so. the springs will put enough pressure to keep the damper rod in place. keeping it in the triple tree will help as well.

 

[ninjaneer]

hold up, trying to remember my episode....are you just trying to replace the seals?

 

[j2dawson]

I did originally but I couldn't budge the bolt. I guess I'll put it back together and give it another try. I guess it's been in there since '93 and is really tight.

 

[j2dawson]

hold up, trying to remember my episode....are you just trying to replace the seals?

Yes, just trying to fix a leaking seal.

 

[ninjaneer]

it's been six months since i rebuilt the forks. lemme watch sean's vid again....

 

[ninjaneer]

ya dude i don't think you need to remove the allen bolt in order to change the seal. please take this with a grain of salt, 'cause it's been a while. i think you can just dig out the seals and then slide the new ones over the tubes. watch his vid again. but i think another member needs to validate my claims.

 

[midmoraider]

When I lowered my forks internally, I couldn't get one side to come out. I hammered on it over and over with the impact with no luck. I then put the spring back in and tightened down, then just used an allen and torque wrench, broke it loose first turn.

I think Ninjaneer is right, you should be able to get the seals out without disassembling everything. Just be careful not to scratch your fork tubes doing it this way.

 

[j2dawson]

I just put it back together and tried the impact again with no luck. I'm giving up for tonight. I'm going to borrow my buddy's Snap-On impact tomorrow and see if it is better than my cheapie. If that doesn't get it I'll try a breaker bar then try to dig the seal out without scratching it up.

It seems tight enough that I'm scared of breaking the bolt.

Maybe Sean could send his daughter out for a couple hours to help me. She seems to have it down pat.

 

[midmoraider]

I thought the same thing when the impact wasn't working. I went forward and reverse with it over and over with no luck. I actually took that side out of the trees, and put it in a vise and then used an allen socket with the torque wrench. With the spring in the tube and tightend down, it came loose on the first turn. :confused2: Didn't make sense to me why this worked when the impact didn't. The other side popped loose just like in Sean's vid. Good luck.

 

[j2dawson]

I thought the same thing when the impact wasn't working. I went forward and reverse with it over and over with no luck. I actually took that side out of the trees, and put it in a vise and then used an allen socket with the torque wrench. With the spring in the tube and tightend down, it came loose on the first turn. :confused2: Didn't make sense to me why this worked when the impact didn't. The other side popped loose just like in Sean's vid. Good luck.

Thanks, you give me hope. I'll give that a try in the morning.

 

[DakRatFink]

Every time I touch this bike I cause more problems than I originally had. Grrrr!

I went through a streak like that for a couple weeks. I would be just doing routine maintenance and something would break. It was frustrating.

 

[ninjaneer]

I had the same frustration when I attacked the flywheel. You're not alone. I feel ur pain. Keep at it. It'll give

regards from my tapatalking android...

 

[j2dawson]

I thought the same thing when the impact wasn't working. I went forward and reverse with it over and over with no luck. I actually took that side out of the trees, and put it in a vise and then used an allen socket with the torque wrench. With the spring in the tube and tightend down, it came loose on the first turn. :confused2: Didn't make sense to me why this worked when the impact didn't. The other side popped loose just like in Sean's vid. Good luck.

Thanks for your help, that worked like a charm. A good night's sleep, a vice, and a breaker bar and it came loose.

 

[midmoraider]

Glad to hear it. If you haven't already put the new seals on, do it just like Sean does and not what the manuals say. I put a little dab of grease on the inside of the seal to help it slide on, and now I get a little ring on my forks that looks like its leaking. Drives me nuts. Just put electrical tape on the top of the tube and that should protect the seal enough to slide it down.

 

[j2dawson]

Thanks to everyone's help I got the seals changed and all is well.

Jim