Replacing Fork Seals and Bushings

[just roy]

dcarver and haulin. i prefer to gently persuade things rather than drive them so this is what i have in mind after seeing your photos and reading what you have written. . i assume the sleeve that was made by gps is solid not two piece like some fork seal drivers that you see for driving seals down on forks that are installed in the tree. i would make the two plates, screws and another sleeve to drive the seals. my only question is how much force is required to drive the bushing and seals? do we need the plate with the piece to fill-out the circle on the bottom clamp or would a simpler way to clamp it to the fork suffice? is the open side on the top plate strong enough or should it be enclosed? i picture making these out of 3/4 or 1" plate. i will also need the dimensions for the seal pusher and the contour of where it presses on the seal.

 

[HaulinAshe]

Hang on guys. I may have found something readily available that fits the exact dimensions we need. If it works, we'll be able to use a regular 48mm seal driver in combination and get the job done.

Should know by Monday.

 

[RTSR1/FJR]

How much does the YAMAHA driver cost? Can't be that much! The more you guy's think about it, the more elaborate it becomes, It's just a driver. Just Roy's offer is very generous, but the amount of effort probably far outweighs the cost of just purchasing it. Also consider the shipping of it from member to member, more weight, cost, and size. A home grown unit is pretty unique! Again, Just Roy, thanks for helping out!

 

[HaulinAshe]

Patience! If my hunch works out, it's a $20 solution.

We'll beg JustRoy to fabricate something else, WAY more complex.

 

[just roy]

Patience! If my hunch works out, it's a $20 solution.
We'll beg JustRoy to fabricate something else, WAY more complex.

thats already in the works. picture an anodized upper clamp with rubber bar mounts for taper bars and this clamping system.

the proof of concept for testing clamping strength is almost done. if it proves strong enough then it will be time to make the real upper clamp.

i have a lot of metal and i enjoy machining and helping others out. the biggest problem is not taking on to much because then the fun is gone. as i have said before i am disabled and just waiting for the cancer to make its next step. other than my wife and grandson machining and fabricating is the one thing i can always do that brings me enjoyment (in the summer its FJR time) i love watching things take shape and the whole process. i have a wood stove in the shop and an endless supply of fire wood so as long as i can walk down the 2 steps to the shop i will keep doing it.

my wife and i both like to volunteer and help family and others. i see this site as an extension of our seriously dysfunctional family and want to help out in any way i can. if not on this project then something in the future.

RTSR1/FJR, i agree with you on simplicity and if i was doing this in my shop it would be a simple sleeve with a fat end and a piece of pipe that would slip over the fork upper then into the press. i was trying to keep things small and mailable. but i do tend to go over board and try to make things that wont be able to do damage by poor use. some people shouldn't even be allowed to have pictures of hammers.

sorry if i rambled time to go make scrap. :assassin:

 

[JamesK]

Patience! If my hunch works out, it's a $20 solution.
We'll beg JustRoy to fabricate something else, WAY more complex.

Just came across this thread in my searches on all things fork related.

Jeff, just wondering did your hunch for the $20 solution pan out?

 

[HaulinAshe]

Patience! If my hunch works out, it's a $20 solution.
We'll beg JustRoy to fabricate something else, WAY more complex.

Just came across this thread in my searches on all things fork related.

Jeff, just wondering did your hunch for the $20 solution pan out?

Actually YES.

Turns out that the standard size of polished handrail tubing is a perfect driver for the middle bushing on Gen-II. You can buy a 2-foot length for $20. The usual PVC pipe works just fine as an upper bushing and seal driver if you don't own a real one.

 

[Scarbutt]

Fork Rebuild Special Tools,

Here are photos (hopefully) of easy to make special tools for replacing Fork Bushings and Seals.

If photos do not come thru I will try again.

John

Edit: Lets Try This Link:https://picasaweb.google.com/home

 

[JamesK]

Fork Rebuild Special Tools,Here are photos (hopefully) of easy to make special tools for replacing Fork Bushings and Seals.

If photos do not come thru I will try again.

John

Edit: Lets Try This Link:https://picasaweb.google.com/home

John, it's still not working.

 

[mvette]

Here is the link for the tubing Jeff was speaking of.

https://www.buyrailings.com/pd-productid-11..._0050_thick.htm

 

[jet mechanic]

Jeff if you're reading this I would like to give you a very resectful "thank you"!

My 07 is just passing 25k and was due a forkoil change.

I decided to do the traxxion spring upgrade and replace the bushings.

The handrail pipe referenced above was absolutely perfect for driving the middle bushing into its seat!

Made the job much easier!

Thanks for the info!

Kevin

 

[HaulinAshe]

Jeff if you're reading this I would like to give you a very resectful "thank you"!
My 07 is just passing 25k and was due a forkoil change.

I decided to do the traxxion spring upgrade and replace the bushings.

The handrail pipe referenced above was absolutely perfect for driving the middle bushing into its seat!

Made the job much easier!

Thanks for the info!

Kevin

You're welcome. It's always good to find an effective, affordable tool.

 

[doctorJ]

Well, I just noticed some mild weepage (is that a word) from my right fork. My 08 has between 47000-48000mi. so sounds like time to do bushings, seals, dust covers and new fluid. I'm gonna stick with stock springs. I've got a PVC pipe driver for the seal but just ordered a 2 ft. section of the stainless steel hand rail for the pesky bushing I'm reading about here(about $38 with shipping and cut the 3' down to 2' since don't sell a 2' by itself--this cost $3 so figure worth it for me not to do it).

Once it is all in, I'll get ur done. BTW, I ordered all my components from www.shspowersports.com including silkolene rsf 10 wt. fork oil. I got front brake pads (EBC HH sintered 423/4 HH separately to do front pads while there).

doctorj

 

[smokinjryan]

is this the hand-railing I need??

My link

 

[scootman286]

I know the post is a bit dated but I just did my front shocks. I wound up getting this to push the middle bushing into place.

https://www.speedymetals.com/pc-4603-8371-2-od-x-049-wall-tube-6061-t6-aluminum.aspx

My inner tubes measure 1.875 in Diameter. This tube is 1.902 ID and 2.0 OD. I got 18 inches and it slid right over the tube and worked like a charm. I used my press to walk it in.

Thought it useful enough to share since Yamaha wants 110.00 for their tool.

BTW, thanks to the OP, this thread has been opened on my screen for some time, great info......

 

[garyahouse]

Great post, scootman. I spent some time hunting for a suitable tube when I did my forks back in January.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[scootman286]

Thanks Gary, normally this would be hijacking, but it is a pretty cold thread...lol...I will get it back together and see how it went.

But the tube worked great (i sanded and smoothed up the edge to prevent scratching), cost me 30 bucks to get it here in California.

Ride a lot and well

 

[scootman286]

And I made my own Damper Rod tool. I used an impact driver to loosen the bolt but then I made this to help hold the rod. From looking at the 'bolthead' on the top of the damper rod assembly, it looked to be about 27mm. Lucky me, that's the size of our axle nut.

Took a piece of 1 inch PVC and heated up the end til soft. Shoved it onto my axle nut and, "there you go...." Worked great to hold the assembly while turning the already loosened screw. Probably won't hold up to torque but the first shock tightened to torque without holding the damper rod assembly at all

 

[ahchiu]

I got my exhaust pipe from O'Rileys auto, under $10.00, put the washer from the forks over the tube, 2" PVC tube on top and use a rubber mallet to tap the bushing in. the damper rod head size is 26mm.

Don, I thought I made a kit for you, I brought 2 kits to So Cal for Richards Tech meet in Dec,2013, and I sold one to John Max and thought the other one was for you. Doug/Bugnatr should have brought it up to you.