Fork Seal & Bushing Replacement

[escapefjrtist]

I just made the special tool for the fork service :yahoo: I will be doing my forks at the PNW tech meet this fall

Which special tool Marcus, the socket? Did you make up the bushing/seal drivers too?

--G

 

[Bustanut joker]

In the process of rebuilding the forks on 2006 FJR. Got the cap off, drained oil, removed dust seal, small clip, now on to the bolt at the bottom of the fork. The bolt will not come out. Keeps on turning.

What am I doing wrong? I must have turned the bottom bolt fifty times and it's not coming out. See picture

Use an impact wrench.

Yep U can spend a month of Sundays turning by hand. Unless you "capture" the nut topside? You are just wasting time.

Plenty of info here and about that could have saved time and prevented hair loss.

 

[ahchiu]

I just made the special tool for the fork service :yahoo: I will be doing my forks at the PNW tech meet this fall

Which special tool Marcus, the socket? Did you make up the bushing/seal drivers too?

--G

George,

I made the socket tool, working on the bushing driver, I got a thin wall pipe but it has a small weld bead at the seam on the inside, I need to see if it will fit over the fork tube, otherwise I need to grind down or look for another pipe and for the oil seal I'm going to use a 2" PVC pipe.

 

[escapefjrtist]

I just made the special tool for the fork service :yahoo: I will be doing my forks at the PNW tech meet this fall

Which special tool Marcus, the socket? Did you make up the bushing/seal drivers too?

--G

George,

I made the socket tool, working on the bushing driver, I got a thin wall pipe but it has a small weld bead at the seam on the inside, I need to see if it will fit over the fork tube, otherwise I need to grind down or look for another pipe and for the oil seal I'm going to use a 2" PVC pipe.

Good deal! I'll be happy to experiment with help on the bushing project!

--G

 

[ahchiu]

I just made the special tool for the fork service :yahoo: I will be doing my forks at the PNW tech meet this fall

Which special tool Marcus, the socket? Did you make up the bushing/seal drivers too?

--G

George,

I made the socket tool, working on the bushing driver, I got a thin wall pipe but it has a small weld bead at the seam on the inside, I need to see if it will fit over the fork tube, otherwise I need to grind down or look for another pipe and for the oil seal I'm going to use a 2" PVC pipe.

Good deal! I'll be happy to experiment with help on the bushing project!

--G

That would be great

 

[juniorfjr]

Here it is 6 months since the last post in this thread. It has been an invaluable tool in helping me rebuild my forks. One thing that I've done different is that I couldn't find any 2 inch pvc so started looking around my pvc collection and found that a 1 1/2 inch coupling fit snugly around the upper fork tube. Just had to file away the ridge that separated the two ends inside. The coupling fit snugly enough that it would work for the bushing as well as the oil seal. Now tommorow the triple tree.

 

[hppants]

Junior - when I built my tool, I brought my upper and lower fork pieces to Lowes and just started testing and trying until I found a combination that worked.

I ended up taking my 2" pvc pipe and ripping it about 6" in 3 places. Then I was able to compress it over the 1 1/2" coupling.

It's hard to imagine that any mechanic would pay $100.00 plus for a "fork seal tool".

 

[blufjr]

Based on this excellent thread, I began the work to change out the seals and bushings in my 2007. After 33,000 miles, both fork had begun to weep and how better to spend a rainy, cold weekend in the Middle Atlantic. The fuid was filthy. On getting the damper assemblies out, my first thought was that Yamaha for no reason paints the assemblies dark grey. They were covered in sludge. Anyway, the job went perfectly right up to the part about removing the loose bushings following separating the fork tubes. It's such a tease. I can see in the upper fork tube that the middle and lower bushing are queued up to be removed easily, but that damned upper bushing is frozen in place and blocking the way out. The upper bushing appears to be right where it should be and is not obviously crooked. I have tried a litle coaxing but for fear of damaging the tube--and since I am mildly annoyed--I have called a halt for the night.
I am thinking to heat the fork tube with a propane torch in a sort of reverse homage to the technique of freezing a bearing before installing it. Probably a good idea to clean out all the remaining fluid first. Does anyone see issues with heating the tube, such as "you'll burn the paint right off that fork tube"? Anyone have other ideas, ingenious or no, to free this stuck bushinging? Or is this a typical situation that yields only to brute force?

Thanks

I didn't see an answer to this post about heating the forks tubes. I watched GP do my forks three times and each time they heated the tubes prior to removing the pistons. So the answer is yes.

 

[sath182]

It's hard to imagine that any mechanic would pay $100.00 plus for a "fork seal tool".

My experience has been pretty bad with PVC pipe, it didn't have any longevity to it. I tried ripping the one i was using and it broke where the bends were after only a minute of abuse. IMO, having the $100 tool just means he always has the right tool for the job. It will always fit, it won't need "tweaked" just to work, and it won't break half way through the job. In fact, now that I've tried doing the forks myself, I don't feel it's in my realm of ability right now. Maybe next time, but the shop is reassembling my forks again tomorrow after needing repairs from the first time. Just my 2c.

 

[cosmo]

As for the crud in the bottom of the tube, it may have come/ been like that from the factory. I just received 2 new inners and couldn't believe the rust and crud inside. New OEM.

 

[ULEWZ]

Holy thread Resurrection Batman! Just did my forks today and I could not find the Pilot exhaust tip, so I tried a different exhaust tip from Pepboys and it did not fit. Long story short, I did not install the center bushing, and I will post back on how it feels. Used 2 inch abs to drive the seals home. Worked great. My only suggestion is to use Racetech superslick fork seal grease. Really good stuff. Oh, great writeup, it helped loads. No need to buy the oil seal clips, the old ones work just perfect.

 

[ULEWZ]

I just want to report that I felt no ill effect of no center bushing and I pushed it hard today. Tight turns, and high speed sweepers, and so far no leaks. Carry on.

 

[Jerambelu]

FJRed, thanks for your write up! I joined this forum based on your write-up on rebuilding your forks. Having joined, I realized what a wealth of information this forum is. I purchased my '05 FJR in May of this year and am totally new to the FJR world. About 10 days ago, when I noticed my my front brakes were weak and subsequently noticed the left fork leg leaking shock oil, I panicked thinking of a million worst case scenarios of huge repair bills, expensive replacement parts, etc... However when I searched the internet and found your post I realized how simple this repair can be. I am mechnically inclined and with good information I realized rebuilding my forks was a relatively basic job. After reading your post, the posts of others, watching You Tube videos, and reading the service manual, I completed the job. Thanks for saving me $200+ in labor $300 in labor and specialized tools for on the job!

 

[RossKean]

FJRed's write-up is for a Gen II. The process and fork internals are a little different for the Gen I - no middle bushing and should be easier. The special tool for setting the middle bushing won't be needed. You may be able to find some Gen I specific instructions.

Before you get into dismantling and repair, try a "Seal Mate" on the fork seals. https://sealmate.net/ Unless there are a lot of miles on it or the seal was physically damaged somehow, this is likely to work. You can fashion your own version of the Seal Mate using a piece of milk bottle plastic or packaging material etc. Lots of success stories for the Seal Mate on this forum.

 

[Jerambelu]

FJRed's write-up is for a Gen II. The process and fork internals are a little different for the Gen I - no middle bushing and should be easier. The special tool for setting the middle bushing won't be needed. You may be able to find some Gen I specific instructions.
Before you get into dismantling and repair, try a "Seal Mate" on the fork seals. https://sealmate.net/ Unless there are a lot of miles on it or the seal was physically damaged somehow, this is likely to work. You can fashion your own version of the Seal Mate using a piece of milk bottle plastic or packaging material etc. Lots of success stories for the Seal Mate on this forum.

I was aware FJRed's is for a Gen II, however aside from the middle bushing, the process for the Gen I is essentially the same. What it did was provide me enough information to feel confident that I could do the work myself, of course with instructions specific to my model.

I have just under 36k on my '05, I should have tried the seal mate, and realistiucly, had I considered making my own Seal Mate from a milk jug or similar plastic, I would have tried that. However, with the amount of oil the left leg was puking out, I doubted it was merely a little dirt caught in one of the seal lips. Next time I guess...

 

[sleddoc]

Its 10/24/2014 and the exhaust tip is still available with that part number at Advanced Auto Parts exactly the way its discribed. Excellent write up - Thank you.

 

[sleddoc]

I just finished replacing my fork seals at 25,000 miles both of them were weaping a little. I changed the fork oil every other year so thats between 6000 and 8000 miles. The hardest part of this process is separating the inner and outer tube. The right side tube was tough to get apart but you just have to keep slamming away at it and pounding it back in with a rubber malot and a block of wood so it doesnt get damaged, it took about 40 minutes of slamming to get it apart. ( stop for a beer if needed ) It will come apart. I did not fill them with oil and push out the seals out, I pulled the seals with the bushings. This write up is excellent thank you !!

 

[jimbert]

Wow, I also just finished up replacing the seals and bushings in my '05 abs! Absolutely the best description and pic's!! Gen I is much easier, just used a small impact to loosen and tighten the lower screw/bolt, worked like a dream. I am ashamed to say I put this off for a year, thinking it was going to be too difficult...what a bonehead! Total time it took me was 7 hours, and that was with a good hour of cleanup of oil and dirt on forks, brakes, etc (remember the putting off for a year?). 1st one took about2 hrs once I had it on the bench, 2nd one 1 hour!!

Thanks again for this most excellent writeup.

Almost makes me want to take her out for a spin....maybe not, 38 and dark, getting colder!

 

[BlacknWhite23]

Thread resurection time. I have googled, searched, read and now I have a question. After what I have determined can anyone advise if this is the correct parts list for when I am at hooterville and we are changing the fluid on my forks. I want to do this correctly and am looking for solid advise. Thanks in advance, and I am only posting this since I cannot find a parts list for a gen I.

METAL, SLIDE 1 4SV-23125-10-00

SEAL, DUST 4SV-23144-00-00

OIL SEAL 4SV-23145-01-00

GUIDE, COVER UPPER 4SV-23115-00-00

CLIP, OIL SEAL 4SV-23156-00-00

METAL, SLIDE 2 4SV-23135-10-00

Of course I need fork oil too. And, if what I have read is correct two of each of these part numbers.

Thanks in advance and let the scorning begin.

 

[Intech]

Thread resurection time. I have googled, searched, read and now I have a question. After what I have determined can anyone advise if this is the correct parts list for when I am at hooterville and we are changing the fluid on my forks. I want to do this correctly and am looking for solid advise. Thanks in advance, and I am only posting this since I cannot find a parts list for a gen I.
METAL, SLIDE 1 4SV-23125-10-00

SEAL, DUST 4SV-23144-00-00

OIL SEAL 4SV-23145-01-00

GUIDE, COVER UPPER 4SV-23115-00-00

CLIP, OIL SEAL 4SV-23156-00-00

METAL, SLIDE 2 4SV-23135-10-00

Of course I need fork oil too. And, if what I have read is correct two of each of these part numbers.

Thanks in advance and let the scorning begin.

If you go to Partzilla they have the breakdown of parts for a 2005. The numbers are the same except for the middle set of numbers:

GEN l 4SV-23125-00-00 Metal slide 1 4SV-23135-00-00 Metal Slide 2

GEN ll 4SV-23125-10-00 4SV-23135-10-00

I think they are the same, but the GEN ll has two different part numbers for Metal Slide 2. It lists the number for the lower one as 3P6-23135-00-00. That is curious as the 2005 parts list is using the metal slide 1 as the bottom one. I have a set at home. I will have to look at them to see if there is a difference.