Front fork rebuild

[worney]

It looks like I am going to have to take apart my forks due to a leaking seal. I am somewhat nervous about doing this. Do I have reason to fear or does it just look intimidating because of the number of special tools that members have made to get it finished? Should I bring it to the dealer? Anyone with previous experience willing to support/supervise in the southern Alberta area?

Thanks,

Worney

 

[RossKean]

FJRed did a fantastic "How to" on front fork servicing. Still good information but, unfortunately, Photobucket has blocked the MANY great photos that Ed took of the process. Ed is no longer an active member of this forum so I don't think you will be able to get the photos.

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/140923-fork-seal-bushing-replacement/?hl=fork

It isn't an awful job although it can be a bit intimidating. The worst part is getting the forks apart. You need a special tool to seat the middle bushing as well. Pretty much a day's work to get it done.

You should probably plan to replace the three bushings in each fork, the seals and dust seals.

NOTE: There is a REALLY good chance that you can stop the leak. So a search for Sealmate (or Seal Mate or Seal-mate) on the forum. You can buy these cheap or make one from a plastic milk jug or pop bottle. Unless the seal is nicked or really badly worn, there is an excellent chance you can fix it. Easier to do a good job with the forks off the bike and you should remove the plastic fork protectors (and pop up the dust seals).

When did you last change fork oil?

How many kilometers on the bike?

 

[Mr_Canoehead]

I made the bushing tool described above (before all the pics got deleted). I have a leaky seal on one of mine and I'm pretty sure that the sealmate fix isn't going to work this time. There's leaking and then there's cover the front brake with oil leaking - I have the latter. I'll probably dive in this weekend.

If you haven't tried the sealmate fix, it's worth a try - it got me another 20k km's from the first time the seal was leaking.

 

[RossKean]

I made the bushing tool described above (before all the pics got deleted). I have a leaky seal on one of mine and I'm pretty sure that the sealmate fix isn't going to work this time. There's leaking and then there's cover the front brake with oil leaking - I have the latter. I'll probably dive in this weekend.
If you haven't tried the sealmate fix, it's worth a try - it got me another 20k km's from the first time the seal was leaking.

Or you guys could get the parts and get together to do both bikes at the same time!

Impromptu tech day!

 

[Fred W]

Leaking seals usually just need to be cleaned and seldom need to be replaced. For the paltry cost and small effort it takes to clean them with a sealmate, or home brewed version of the same, I would never just assume the seals need to be replaced

 

[worney]

I have about 3000 on a new lower tube. (It was weeping through the the pressed adjustment dial). I know it should still be good and I should go to the guy that I got to do it (tech from dealership after hours) but we had a bit of an argument on what he said he would charge and what he wanted to charge so I believe I would be told to pound sand, and I would really prefer to do it myself if I can. But... I am trying to get a sense of if I will end up with a pile of parts and containers of fluid and a puzzled/pissed off look on my face (which has happened before). As to an impromptu tech day. I am happy to participate/host but I don't have much in the way of metal working tools if we need to fabricate those tools. Anyone in southern Alberta area interested?

Worney

 

[Cyclepath]

This past spring I finally decided to take the left fork off my Gen 1, and took into my local guy (I live just east of Edmonton), and had him tear it down and replace the seals.

I too, had purchased the Sealmate wonder tool, but found its results less than wonderous. I had just completed a solo ride down to Great Falls MT back in May this year with that fork literally gushing oil out from the top if/when I ever took an unexpectedly tough bump. Had a rag wrapped around her to sop up what I could while riding, but oh my, what a bloody mess by the time I got home 3 days later.

I've thought about it, but decided some time ago that when the time came, I'm not likely going to invest in / make the special tools to get this job done; I do already take care of what I can (brakes, fluid, oil changes, final drive, shaft lubes, etc).

Good luck in your quest Worney.

 

[redzgrider]

I have a weeper on the left. Stopped by my incredibly incompetent local dealership (just for a reference). I asked about changing fork seals - just fork seals - and was quoted $650. hoping Cycle Gear has a Sealmate in stock (wonder why dealers don't carry -- oh, wait, $650 vs. $6).

So it's a dealership. Their parts prices are not what I would call competitive, but that's still got to be about 2.5 hours per fork.

Not that I would ever let them touch the bike again.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

Is the rebuild hard? No, is it easy? again No. If you have the proper tools and some experience with using them you can muddel through. Getting the bushings out is the hardest part, putting the new ones in isn't easy either. you'll need a really well anchored vise and good tube protection for using the slam it apart method, I've done three sets. I do have a copy of the rebuild instruction thread in my files, would be willing to send you out a copy if you can't find it anywhere else, And before you ask, I don't know that you can take them apart without messing up the bushings, and pushing out just the seals is a real stretch too. The hardest part for me was trying to match the viscosity of the extremely expensive "magic mama yama fork juice". I would definitely try a sealmate first, and sometimes it takes a couple of tries to work.

 

[Mr_Canoehead]

Worney, you didn't tell us how bad the leak is - I'd definitely try the seal mate. I have had a couple of seals leak after replacement, because some crud gets under the seal.

Since you got a new fork bottom, hopefully you got new bushings. You'll probably want to use the SM method of popping the seal because you won't have to mess with the bushings. Sending you a PM on getting it done.

The slam it apart method is what the SM recommends (after the seal is popped) - I actually found that it didn't take much force at all. It's more like tap it apart. The hardest part was getting the upper bushing out after the tube was out - it stayed in place on both of mine. I used a steering head bearing race remover but a blind bearing puller would also work.

 

[worney]

I was away for a month so the bike sat. I got back and mounted my "new to me" top box and went on a 25 km test drive to make sure it was secure. When I moved the bike a few days later there was about a table spoon of fluid on the floor under the wheel. I checked and there is a nice coating of oil on the disks, lower tube and the top sliders, which makes me think that it is the seal. I'll try the seal mate and hopefully it will fix it but with my luck it won't.

Worney

 

[Mr_Canoehead]

Check your brake pads, too. Mine were soaked in oil - not a good thing.

 

[Oublaj]

Forks are actually not that hard but you need the right tools. Without them you are just wasting your time. I used to rebuild the forks on my racing bikes a few times a year. There are videos you can watch and is well worth taking the time to learn. My local shop was charging 500 + to do forks.

 

[Fred W]

$500 to put seals and bushings in a set of forks? That's fricken ridiculous. I think I just found my new retirement pass time. I could knock out 3 or 4 pair a day. Cost about $50-60 in parts and oil. I wouldn't mind netting $1800 a day.

 

[saread]

I just got back from raging around NorCal and noticed my left side weeping. Diving pretty hard under braking too. So, off to KFG Motorsports for rebuilding. They were $475 for the work with new springs. I thought that was reasonable.

 

[redneckj]

I just got back from raging around NorCal and noticed my left side weeping. Diving pretty hard under braking too. So, off to KFG Motorsports for rebuilding. They were $475 for the work with new springs. I thought that was reasonable.

The fall tech meet is coming up and you can do it there too.

 

[Uncle Hud]

saread posted: I just got back from raging around NorCal and noticed my left side weeping.

You should write a song: "While My Front Fork Gently Weeps".

 

[saread]

Yeah, raging and weeping. Sort of bipolar. Maybe a country song..... "My FJR rages as my forks gently weep. While my dog bites my wife as she leaves me for a Concours." I've got a future at this.