Damn, something else to fix!

[dcarver]

Hmmm.

FWIW, I do these 'tricks' and haven't had one leak post install yet, dirt or street.

1. Use thin plastic over fork tube, like Saran wrap, cut so that no 'wadding' of Saran occurs.

2. If not a hot summer day, soak each seal in a cup of warmish to hot water.. make 'em nice and flexible.

3. Use thin grease, (they actually make fork tube grease, but any thin grease will work), coat the seal's inner lip and also the Saran wrap.

4. Ensure seal orientation is correct. They seal just like a piston ring does, pressure on the inside pooches the seal out against the fork tube. You probably got this right.

5. Ensure the seal installs evenly on the fork tube, don't let one side drop down, only use light 'hand touch' force. No manly Wfooshee muscle required..

6. Ensure seal is fully seated - a good indication is the machined groove for the retainer spring. Once again, make sure the seal remains square when driving it home.

7. Be sure the oil level is correct. Too high of level and any seal will leak... Many folks also forget to prime the cartridge..

8. As SkooterG mentioned, check them fork tubes visually and by hand. especially the area passing through the seal.

9. Afterthought, use good quality seals, no FleaBay imitation 1.25 specials...

Good luck!

 

[Bounce]

First I had a crash and another crash

step 1: stop crashing

a lot of that breaking stuff stops breaking when you use it the way it was designed.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

most seals I install, and it's alot, the v groove or the valley in the seal will go against the oil or pressure side. when oil pushes against it, it spreads open and seals, the more pressure the better the seal works. I can't speak for this particular application, my manuals not with me.

 

[wfooshee]

OK, I took one of the forks apart again to ensure proper orientation. Here's how I had the seal installed:

Down, towards the axle. V-shaped groove, thin lip.

Up. Wider square groove, tiny coil spring around the lip.

That fits everything I'm told, but it's not going back together until my buddies here confirm it for me.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Ya had 'em in upside down Walt.

 

[wfooshee]

Yeah, looking at the lips on the inner surface, I guess so. I was putting the thin lip down. Oopsie.

At least it was my own bike, not somebody that came over here 2 days' ride to get it worked on, right?

OK, back outside. It's a little chilly this afternoon, like upper 50s. Tough working conditions.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Yeah those 2 day rides just to fix something and end up wrong are a real hoot. :lol: Actually the furthest was Scott at 1 plus day.

Waytago Klown :blum:

Upper 50's? Damn you have to be about froze!! Winter showed up here yesterday morning. The way the weather clowns was a carryin' on before it got here you'd have thought Michigan never received any snow.

Warnings and how to prepare for 5 or 6 inches of the ****. I swore I'd been transported to the deep south listening to the dumb *****.

Ended up with maybe 4 inches and I'd say half of it melted away today :lol:

 

[majicmaker]

Yeah, looking at the lips on the inner surface, I guess so. I was putting the thin lip down. Oopsie.

At least it was my own bike, not somebody that came over here 2 days' ride to get it worked on, right?

OK, back outside. It's a little chilly this afternoon, like upper 50s. Tough working conditions.

Great News! We learn something new every day. So, when I head up there for some maintenance, try it a couple times on yours first! Ok?

 

[Bounce]

Upper 50's? Damn you have to be about froze!! Winter showed up here yesterday morning. The way the weather clowns was a carryin' on before it got here you'd have thought Michigan never received any snow. Warnings and how to prepare for 5 or 6 inches of the ****. I swore I'd been transported to the deep south listening to the dumb *****. Ended up with maybe 4 inches and I'd say half of it melted away today :lol:

glad the fix got fixed.

what's this "upper 50's" crap. it was hovering near 80 most of this last week. yesterday was around 60-something. t-shirt weather. we got even more done on the shop.

https://www.fjr-tips.org/misc/pics/shop/shop.html

 

[HotRodZilla]

Well, I coulda started a new thread, but I decided it'd be better just to zombie this one a little bit. I just noticed that my right fork seal is leaking like a *****. It's all down the fork and onto the caliper. First time I've ever had that happen.

Since I'm a ***** and don't really know anything about taking these forks apart, I'm just gonna take it to my dealer on Tuesday, or maybe Saturday and have them done. If I need new brake pads, I'll replace those myself. ****!!!

 

[majicmaker]

Well, I coulda started a new thread, but I decided it'd be better just to zombie this one a little bit. I just noticed that my right fork seal is leaking like a *****. It's all down the fork and onto the caliper. First time I've ever had that happen.

Since I'm a ***** and don't really know anything about taking these forks apart, I'm just gonna take it to my dealer on Tuesday, or maybe Saturday and have them done. If I need new brake pads, I'll replace those myself. ****!!!

Zilla! When you pit stop to take a leak, point it away from the bike!! :lol:

 

[wfooshee]

Well, I coulda started a new thread, but I decided it'd be better just to zombie this one a little bit. I just noticed that my right fork seal is leaking like a *****. It's all down the fork and onto the caliper. First time I've ever had that happen.

Since I'm a ***** and don't really know anything about taking these forks apart, I'm just gonna take it to my dealer on Tuesday, or maybe Saturday and have them done. If I need new brake pads, I'll replace those myself. ****!!!

Hey, if it had happened on a 200-mile ride you coulda had the whole bike coated, like my pics in post #1.

The work doing the fork wasn't that bad, really. Much easier than I expected, except for the one really stubborn damper bolt on the one fork, and then being stupid and not noting the orientation of the seals (gay or straight?) and installing the new ones upside down, causing another trip into the forks, although no new parts that time. You need an air wrench and an 8mm hex bit to fit it. The rest is hand tools. And the oil is messy.

Except you've got the Gen-II with the extra bushing....

 

[HotRodZilla]

Man, what a pain in the ***. The leak is really new too. Last night I moved the bike and saw what looked like oil spots on the floor. I thought, "That's weird, there's nothing there that can leak." Figured someone had spilled something.

Today after I saw the leak, I inspected a little closer, and I'm surprised at the amount of oil that has leaked. When I put it back in the garage, I again saw the spots and realized they are from fork oil leaking down and dripping off the fork.

So, now I'm wondering. Do I have to replace the brake pads on the right, or can I take the pads out and just clean everything up? If I have to replace them, do I gotta replace the left ones too, for symmetry? I think I'm still on the OEM pads, so maybe its just time anyway at 41K. I'll have to check my service receipts.

 

[majicmaker]

Man, what a pain in the ***. The leak is really new too. Last night I moved the bike and saw what looked like oil spots on the floor. I thought, "That's weird, there's nothing there that can leak." Figured someone had spilled something.

Today after I saw the leak, I inspected a little closer, and I'm surprised at the amount of oil that has leaked. When I put it back in the garage, I again saw the spots and realized they are from fork oil leaking down and dripping off the fork.

So, now I'm wondering. Do I have to replace the brake pads on the right, or can I take the pads out and just clean everything up? If I have to replace them, do I gotta replace the left ones too, for symmetry? I think I'm still on the OEM pads, so maybe its just time anyway at 41K. I'll have to check my service receipts.

It's Time. Mine went down to the metal at 38K not too long ago. I'm at 53K now.

 

[wfooshee]

I left my pads in after giving them a thorough cleaning. If it looks like they're coming apart after a while then I'll replace them, but if they're gonna work, they have a LOT of life left in them.

 

[Denver_FJR]

Fixed a leaking seal last summer. Not sure how much fluid got on my pads, but obviously some. Washed them down several times with brake cleaner and no problems since.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Walt and Denver, that's what I was looking for. I'm hoping a thorough clean up will render them ok. However, with the mileage on the bike, Magic is prolly right, and I may have to do them soon anyway. I rotated them a while back, but didn't replace them.

Oh well...I'll take it in on Tuesday have it back before the week is out. Then I'll know for sure.