Clean/Repair fork oil seals

[dannymax]

I had a leaking fork seal on the FJR and used one of these things to clean it, and hopefully stop it from leaking.

http://www.sealmate.net/

Amazingly, it worked exactly as described...the seal no longer leaks!! :clapping:

No idea how long it will last but....it's good for now!

Rovic told me dirt bike racers use something like this all the time but I don't recall ever seeing one mentioned on this forum.

For $7, (think you can find them cheaper too) before tearing into the front end....give it a try! unk:

 

[tugla]

sweet glad it worked man, worth its weight in gold for sure i bet..... used wire before in a pinch to clear out the crap under the seal.
i tried to do the backyard fix on V1 the other night, not sure it worked, but just waiting for the new springs to show up and then do a rebuild anyways.

 

[Saml01]

I bet those cheap thin plastic sheets that are used as make shift cutting boards could be cut into shape and used exactly the same way.

 

[dannymax]

There's lots of different things that would work for this, some guys cut peices from fruit juice containers, I'm sure a sheet of mylar would yeild a bunch of them....Tugla's wire???:confused2:

Seen him do things that are not recommended for the regular guy....(while standing on one foot, on a rock, in the dark, with sunglasses, boxing gloves....but that's another story!! :rofl_200

Point is, it's real easy to do and most likely will fix your leaky fork seals.

 

[Fire-medic]

Worth a try for the $. And if Motion Pro sells them, it's a good tool in my experience. I would keep using the tool until when i withdrew the hooked end, it was clean, he doesn't really say that. If they showed the removed scum on a white towel or rag it would be more demonstrative. I might try to use a WD-40 wand to shoot a bit of lubricant up in there in front of or behind the tool in-place to get rid of the scum.

 

[[email protected]]

A piece of 35mm film cut into the shape of a "J" is the old shadetree trick to clean out the fork seals.

 

[dannymax]

Worth a try for the $. And if Motion Pro sells them, it's a good tool in my experience. I would keep using the tool until when i withdrew the hooked end, it was clean, he doesn't really say that. If they showed the removed scum on a white towel or rag it would be more demonstrative. I might try to use a WD-40 wand to shoot a bit of lubricant up in there in front of or behind the tool in-place to get rid of the scum.

F/M...there really isn't anything to see....I looked closely at the little "J" hook and there was no build up there at all. Not sure what was causing the leak. :confused2:

 

[sdt354]

I had a leaking fork seal on the FJR and used one of these things to clean it, and hopefully stop it from leaking.

http://www.sealmate.net/

Amazingly, it worked exactly as described...the seal no longer leaks!! :clapping:

No idea how long it will last but....it's good for now!

Rovic told me dirt bike racers use something like this all the time but I don't recall ever seeing one mentioned on this forum.

For $7, (think you can find them cheaper too) before tearing into the front end....give it a try! unk:

Thanks Dan-o, mine are just starting to weep.Ordering 2 right now.I'll do it after the BRC.
Steve

 

[gamorg02]

i have one but never used it hah

 

[tugla]

A piece of 35mm film cut into the shape of a "J" is the old shadetree trick to clean out the fork seals.

yup ive heard of that one being used.

not sure how dirty it would be, doesnt take much to get them to start to leak. ya on a dirt bike you get tons of crud out but on the street bikes maybe not soo much, guess depends on where you ride your bike and what you got stuck in the fork.

+1 on a little lube, wd40 or LPS1, not too much dont want it to attract more dust and dirt eh. the lps1 is the grease-less style, to not attract dust but it lubes, great stuff. even dip the tool in fork oil if anything

 

[tugla]

There's lots of different things that would work for this, some guys cut peices from fruit juice containers, I'm sure a sheet of mylar would yeild a bunch of them....Tugla's wire???:confused2:

Seen him do things that are not recommended for the regular guy....(while standing on one foot, on a rock, in the dark, with sunglasses, boxing gloves....but that's another story!! :rofl_200

Point is, it's real easy to do and most likely will fix your leaky fork seals.

:rofl_200:unk::ummm: funny cause its true

 

[dannymax]

Thanks Dan-o, mine are just starting to weep.Ordering 2 right now.I'll do it after the BRC.
Steve

Hell Steve-o, cancel the order and bring mine home with you after BR'11, mail it back when yer done. unk:

 

[sdt354]

Hell Steve-o, cancel the order and bring mine home with you after BR'11, mail it back when yer done. unk:

Thanks much Bro.

 

[vmaxerCraig]

I cut a "hook" in an old Lowes gift card and it works great on my KTM. This is my first reply to a post so I hope I did it ok, lol

 

[RaWarrior]

The trick I used on my Magna (and when I first got my Max) is to get a strip of fine sandpaper maybe 2" wide, then cut one end like a wedge. Work the paper in there rough side out, and spin it around the seal, working it up and down.

Worked both times....lasted another 2 years on the Max before it started weeping again.

I'd also heard of wrapping a strip of that clear packing tape just above the seal on the tube, then rocking the suspension back and forth to jam the tape through the seal, I guess the edges are supposed to catch the crap. I tried this but could never get it to work.

 

[fmcandrew]

+1 for Sealmate...my forks were really leaking...dreaded yanking them apart to fix, read this thread and figured it was worth the 10 bucks delivered to give it a go. Tool is easy to use. After I did them they still seamed to weap a bit, rode up to Laconia and hit a spine jolting hole in the road early on...must have finally seated the seals as no leaks for the rest of the 185 mile trip. The tool works!! Saved myself a lot of time & money!! Just make sure to really compress the forks to seat the seals (not so easy with progressive springs and 15w oil).

 

[one2dmax]

I do have them on hand too!

 

[Mr_Carlson]

+1 on the seal mate.

One of my seals suddenly started leaking significantly. I was researching how to replace the seals on this forum when I found this thread. Bought a sealmate on ebay for $5 and in minutes my problem was solved!

THANKS!
Mr_Carlson
2000 Vmax

 

[thundermax]

Funny you wrote this. I have those and have used them on two diff. Vmax's. Just used on my 2005 two days ago. Weeping stopped. Everyone should have these.

 

[outlaw4728]

One of my forks is leaking on my '05. How in the heck do you get the dust seal to slide up? Do I need to remove the fork guard somehow? Help is appreciated!