Left fork 2007 (gen 2)

[lucky2ndowner]

Help! Fork seal replacement gone wrong. I am looking to buy a left side fork assembly or both sides. Thank you! 

 

[escapefjrtist]

Ebay, even has what looks like a MCL top clamp.

~G

 

[RossKean]

Help! Fork seal replacement gone wrong. I am looking to buy a left side fork assembly or both sides. Thank you! 

What happened?  Are yours not repairable?

Ebay, even has what looks like a MCL top clamp.

~G

Looks a little rough but the price is decent.  (Hopefully the fork tubes aren't scored, scratched or bent.)  Would be good to know how many miles are on them.  Front fork (1) new will run over $600.

I would probably want to do oil, seals and bushings before using them.

 

[lucky2ndowner]

One side went well. The other side I think I forgot to pull the clip on the seal, I think the bushings are jammed together. I was able to fully compress the fork (spring removed) but there it sits, seized and fully collapsed. I will consider opening an eBay account, thank you for sharing that link. 

 

[RossKean]

If the fork tube isn't wrecked at this point, you might try heating things up with a heat gun or (carefully) with a propane torch...

 

[Auburn]

One side went well. The other side I think I forgot to pull the clip on the seal, I think the bushings are jammed together. I was able to fully compress the fork (spring removed) but there it sits, seized and fully collapsed. I will consider opening an eBay account, thank you for sharing that link. 

Sounds like the middle and upper bushings are stuck together.   Not the end of the world.  Have had it happen a couple of times in the hundred or so forks that I have rebuilt.

I would definitely try this before buying anything. The upper bushing physically cannot go below the place where it sits.  The middle bushing can get wedged into the upper bushing and make moving the inner fork tube very difficult. 

Here is what I do in these cases:

Put the lower fork in a vice.  Use a torch with MAPP gas cylinder.  Heat the area of the upper bushing.  (Using Mapp gas gets a lot of heat in really fast.  The goal is to heat the outer tube fast, before it can heat soak to the inner tube.)  I typically heat, torch moving the whole time, the upper 2 inches of the fork for about 20-30 seconds.  You can apply a lot of heat in this area if needed here.  The only thing to damage is the seal itself, which you are replacing.  Now you can pull on it (it may take some force to get it to move.  Then use as a slide hammer to get out.  Most likely the upper bushing will not come out.  If so, I use a 1/4 wood chisel and put the flat edge between the bushing and tube just to one side of the split in the bushing.  Drive the chisel in to cause the bushing to bend inward.  Then you can take a pair of needle nose pliers and grab the bushing where it is bent in and twist the bushing out.  NOTE: the chisel will probably take a small piece out of the fork tube.  That is fine, it is not a sealing surface.  

You should be good to go and finish cleaning everything up and reassemble.

 

[dcarver]

Good advice above, and yes it will work. Don't be afraid of using force. It's already broken.