Front Fork Leakage

[Blue Crab]

The SealMate solved my problem.

 

[dannymax]

The superior '05 1st gens heal themselves.

It's all in the ridiculously extravagant paint color.

Yeah that's right...

Well, it didn't stay healed very long so I used that little $6 piece of mylar 'Seal Mate' thing and amazingly...after a 20 mile spirited ride,the forks are dry ...it worked.

It would be a PIA to do on the floor but luckily I have a lift....just took off the left side outer & inner lowers and was able to do both forks without much trouble at all.

I'm right handed so maybe southpaws would find it easier to remove the right side plastic...I dunno??

 

[Pete Bansen]

The superior '05 1st gens heal themselves.

Gawd, I wish. Mine is marking its territory like an AMF Harley.

 

[Fred W]

The superior '05 1st gens heal themselves.

Gawd, I wish. Mine is marking its territory like an AMF Harley.

Get (or make) a Seal Mate. Chances are very good that your seals are OK but just got spooge under the lip of the seal.

Worked for me!

 

[Burnspot]

I developed a leak in my right fork last week, not a big one, but enough to distribute a sheen of oil down the fork leg and brake lines. While changing the radiator fluid this past Saturday, I pulled out the Seal Mate and gave it a try. In one spot, it pulled out a black blob of some sort, but the rest was clean oil. It fixed the problem...a spirited ride on Sunday through the back country of VA revealed a dry seal!

 

[HotRodZilla]

So if your fork is leaking oil and you use a Seal Mate to fix the issue, how do you know how much fork oil you've lost?

My bike is in the shop now, getting the seals replaced due to a leak on the right side. I don't know if a Seal Mate would have fixed it as it was leaking while just sitting.

From the oil spots on the floor and the oil all over the right side of the forks, wheel, fender, and calipers, it was a serious leak and lots of oil was expelled.

I figure if oil can come out, gunk can go in, and I'd rather have fresh oil and seals. That's just me though.

 

[Fred W]

So if your fork is leaking oil and you use a Seal Mate to fix the issue, how do you know how much fork oil you've lost?

Easy. Once you get the seal to stop leaking you take the fork leg off, pull out the spring and top it up with fork oil just like you normally do.

Or, since you really have done all of the hard work, just go ahead and drain and refill with fresh oil. In my case, I pulled the fork leg and used the (home-brewed) Seal Mate on the bench. Since I had just flushed and filled the forks 6 months prior, I just topped the leaky one up and called it a day. Either way, it os a whole lot less labor than replacing the seals and (inevitably) bushings. Y (forking) MMV

 

[HotRodZilla]

Ohhhh...I guess I didn't realize that you can open the forks up without messing with the seals. Makes more sense now.

 

[Pete Bansen]

The superior '05 1st gens heal themselves.

Gawd, I wish. Mine is marking its territory like an AMF Harley.

Get (or make) a Seal Mate. Chances are very good that your seals are OK but just got spooge under the lip of the seal.

I have one and have used it several times to no avail. Following the Seal Saver circuits of the fork tube, I compress the fork a bunch of times per the Seal Saver instructions to reseat the seal and everything is hunky dory - no oil appears on the fork leg. The problem is the bike sitting - it never leaked until it wasn't getting ridden each week. It is getting revenge on me for not riding due to snow.

Pete

 

[Pete Bansen]

Update!

I slid the dust seals up out of the way and did the Seal Saver routine again, compressing the forks a couple dozen times afterward, until there was only the faintest line showing on the fork tube. Went for a good, long ride afterward (snow has melted for now... thank goodness).

Now, a few days later, there is still no leakage, despite sitting all that time without being ridden, so perhaps I have satisfied it for now.

Pete