Gen II Front Fork Oil Seal Removal

[OneWound]

I'm trying to replace my fork seals (and bushing) on my '06 FJR1300A and I've run into a snag.  I've gotten the inner tube out using the "slam rod" method (forcing it out by hand, vs how the manual recommends it being used).  Now, the main oil seal won't come out.  I have the snap ring out, but it just refuses to budge.  What am I doing wrong?

 

[RossKean]

Not sure where you went wrong.

Did you see this article?

https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/ForkSeal-BushingReplacement.pdf

 

[hppants]

The seal is stuck - keep "slamming", it will free itself eventually.  Put a very thin film of grease on the outside of the seal going back together.  The next time will be like butter.

BTW - ^^^ that article/how-to write up is very helpful, but you don't have to use that method to change the fork seals.  I've been doing fork seals basically this way for years - the hard way.

Remove the bottom bolt first, empty the fluid out, then remove the dust seal, the clip, and then "slam" the bushings and seal out.  The lower bushing on the upper fork tube (which is really the only bushing that wears) will drive the rest of the stuff out easy peazy.  You will need a bushing driver (thin wall tube, think muffler tip like the article above), a seal driver (piece of PVC pipe), and a funnel with a very small discharge opening (so you can fill the fork from the bottom, not the top).

 

[OneWound]

I didn't have that PDF, thank you!

However, pictures are worth a thousand words (see link - unable to insert image for some reason).  Even though I have the inner tube removed, the oil seal didn't come out.  The marring is from me trying to remove the thing manually, however I didn't have much success.  Suggestions?

Oil Seal

 

[hppants]

Well - at this point, you've got to get creative.  I'd start by trying to pry it out with the widest thing possible - try to grab as much of the bottom of the seal as you can.  Maybe go to the hardware store, and select a stiff putty knife (one that has NO flex), and then use a grinding wheel to round off the corners of it to mimic the shape of the lower fork tube.

You could also put some gentle heat (plumbers torch) on the fork tube in the hopes that it will expand a little and burn off some of the corrosion or crap that is causing the seal to stick.  I wouldn't get to crazy with that - just add a little at a time.

Finally, use a cut off wheel on a Dremel tool to first cut out the rubber of the seal and the spring.  Then gently cut the outer metal ring from the inside.  Do NO go all the way through the ring, just cut enough of it to weaken it.  Do that in multiple spots - that should get take care of it from there.  When the seal ring is paper thin in many spots, it should pry out much easier.

If you have marred the fork tube a little, I wouldn't get too worried about it.  The inner part of the seal does the business.  You wouldn't want to egg out the tube to the point where the seal could spin in the tube, but otherwise, if the seal stays put, it shouldn't matter if it has a mark on the tube.

Good luck.

 

[Auburn]

get an oil seal puller and use that.  there is only a metal band just under the inner lip of rubber.

you could also drive a screwdriver thought he seal (middle top) at an angle into the tube.  then pry toward the middle.  The screwdriver can be pried against the outer edge where the bushings sit and will not damage anything.  You will have ot get creative, but I would think an oil seal puller should do the trick.

 

[escapefjrtist]

You can pick up an inexpensive seal puller at Harbor Freight. Easy removal.

What exactly came out with the inner tube? Looks like the top bushing is still in place.

~G

 

[OneWound]

The oil seal puller (from Harbor Freight) easily worked.  Didn't know such a thing existed!

Now.. on to the upper bearing 

 

[Auburn]

The oil seal puller (from Harbor Freight) easily worked.  Didn't know such a thing existed!

Now.. on to the upper bearing 

The outer part of the bearing (bushing) surface is not a critical surface.

With that being said, take a small wood chisel (1/4") and drive the flat side of the chisel between the fork tube and the bushing.  do this right next to the split in the bushing.  When you get it driven in about 1/2 way you can pry inward and bend the bushing in.  You should be able to pull out with a good pair of needle nose pliers.  The chisel will leave marks in the fork tube and may actual take a small chunk out of the fork tube.  Again, this is not a critical surface and will not affect the operation.  Had to do this a few times over the years for forks that we did at the tech meet.  It happens, but is recoverable.

Next time when you do disassembly, use heat on the outside of the fork tube in the area of the bushings, they will come out with a lot less force and less chance of having the bushing get stuck.  Also use MAPP gas (yellow) instead of a propane cylinder it is hotter and you can apply the heat faster.  It only takes 10-15 seconds of moving the torch around the outside to get enough heat into the fork tube.

Do you have the tool to hold the nut on top of the fork cartridge so you can torque the bottom nut to 25 ft-lbs?  If not search the forum, I posted up how to make your own somewhere.  You will need a 26 mm 6 point socket.  You can get it at Lowes for about $6, a 2' piece of 1/2" diameter steel tube and a small 3/8" socket extension.  At one end weld the tube to the socket and at the other end weld the extension into the tube.  Now you can slide the socket end over the cartridge and the center of the cartridge will go up inside the tube.  Use a breaker bar to keep it from turning and torque the bottom bolt (apply some anti seize to the bolt).  Caution:  Make sure you have the cartridge bottomed out all the way in the fork tube before you torque it or you can break the aluminum end on the bottom.  It can also break from fatigue. I have seen two break out of the 100 some sets of forks that I have rebuilt.  Both of those were metal fatigue failures.  NEVER use a impact gun or driver to tighten.  Always run the bottom bolt in by hand and then torque to make sure everything feels right before you torque.

 

[draco_1967]

Do you have the tool to hold the nut on top of the fork cartridge so you can torque the bottom nut to 25 ft-lbs?  If not search the forum, I posted up how to make your own somewhere.  You will need a 26 mm 6 point socket.  You can get it at Lowes for about $6, a 2' piece of 1/2" diameter steel tube and a small 3/8" socket extension.  At one end weld the tube to the socket and at the other end weld the extension into the tube.  Now you can slide the socket end over the cartridge and the center of the cartridge will go up inside the tube.  Use a breaker bar to keep it from turning and torque the bottom bolt (apply some anti seize to the bolt).  Caution:  Make sure you have the cartridge bottomed out all the way in the fork tube before you torque it or you can break the aluminum end on the bottom.  It can also break from fatigue. I have seen two break out of the 100 some sets of forks that I have rebuilt.  Both of those were metal fatigue failures.  NEVER use a impact gun or driver to tighten.  Always run the bottom bolt in by hand and then torque to make sure everything feels right before you torque.

You can also use a length of 1 1/4" square tubing (also from Home Depot). It just fits in the inside diameter of the fork tube, and it grabs 4 of the six sides of the nut just right. I don't have a welder (nor know how to use one, yet), so I needed to find another option. 

 

[OneWound]

Success! I ended up hammering down one side of the slit (after it had been heated up), which gave me enough room to curl it up.  Everything after that was simple.

Auburn, yes I built my own tool.  I built it using aluminum rod and JB weld (I don't have easy access to a welder, otherwise it would have been welded).  If it fails, I'll build a welded version. With respect to tightening the cartridge.. to make sure I understand properly, what I understand is the following:  hand tighten the rod (the piece with the 26mm hex nut) until its snug.  Only than use a torque wrench (I'm almost going to assume its better/easier to torque the allen bolt and not the 26mm?).

With respect to metal fatigue, I'd like to hope these don't break.  This bike has 14.6k miles.  The reason for replacement is that the fork seal on the RHS was leaking, so I've decided to replace both sets.

 

[Auburn]

Success! I ended up hammering down one side of the slit (after it had been heated up), which gave me enough room to curl it up.  Everything after that was simple.

Auburn, yes I built my own tool.  I built it using aluminum rod and JB weld (I don't have easy access to a welder, otherwise it would have been welded).  If it fails, I'll build a welded version. With respect to tightening the cartridge.. to make sure I understand properly, what I understand is the following:  hand tighten the rod (the piece with the 26mm hex nut) until its snug.  Only than use a torque wrench (I'm almost going to assume its better/easier to torque the allen bolt and not the 26mm?).

With respect to metal fatigue, I'd like to hope these don't break.  This bike has 14.6k miles.  The reason for replacement is that the fork seal on the RHS was leaking, so I've decided to replace both sets.

Awesome.

Correct, spin the bottom bolt in by hand.  You want to make sure the cup and the cartridge seat properly before you torque it.  You will be able to feel the difference by running the bolt in by hand.  If it is wrong, it doesn't turn smoothly or easily.

 

[OneWound]

Was able to get second fork re-done with too much trouble.  Thank y'all for the help!

 

[motoAllan]

Ran into a similar problem with my inner bearing getting stuck. made a slide hammer using a metal rod and heated with propane.