Fork seals leaking @19,000 miles on ODO

[Frulk_imp]

Left leaking a little more than the right. Just noticed it. Plan to order the parts and replace the seals and bushings with a buddy assisting. I might post pics and do a step-by-step pictorial for the Forum.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Yeah, they crack up. In the summer my bike bakes in the sunlight all day. Didn't take long for the fork seals to crack. They are still cracked today.

[peterbaron]

Left leaking a little more than the right. Just noticed it. Plan to order the parts and replace the seals and bushings with a buddy assisting. I might post pics and do a step-by-step pictorial for the Forum.

Frulk, wouldn't you invest a bit more money and get better '17 front forks instead of repairing old leaky ones..?

[flynrider]

Hey Frulk,

Before you go replacing the seals I'd strongly recommend trying something like the Motion-Pro Sealmate. Leaking is often caused by dust and dirt getting into the seal. The Sealmate is a thin but rigid piece of plastic that you insert between the fork seal and the fork tube. You slide it all the way around and the hook shape at the end helps pull out the grit.

A few years ago I did a lot of dirt roads on my CB11 and both forks started leaking (around 21K miles). 15 min. with the Sealmate and they haven't leaked a drop since. Same thing happened with the left seal on my CB750. I'd already replaced the seals a few years earlier, so I suspected the cause was just dirt. Sure enough, the Sealmate did the trick again.

If your seals are truly cracked, it's not going to help, but I've found that most leaking seals are just dirty. Definitely worth the small price to find out. I've actually made my own version out of plastic playing cards, using the original Sealmate as a pattern.

http://sealmate.net/

[GoldOxide_imp]

Very cool Flynrider. Just my dust seals are cracked, and the fork itself is not leaky. Useful tip - thanks! Just ordered.

[Tezza_imp]

I tried the cleaning tool and then replaced the seals as they were still leaking. New seals were no different so I took the forks off to the hardchromers and they put 11 microns of chrome on them. They said the original forks only had about 4 microns on them. Never leaked a drop since.

[max]

Guys help me out here, i thought the visible seals on top of the forks which split a little ( it is so even i thought it was made like that ) were just dust seals and the real oil seals were underneath them held in by a circlip where you cannot see them?

[pekingduck]

Hey Frulk,

Before you go replacing the seals I'd strongly recommend trying something like the Motion-Pro Sealmate. Leaking is often caused by dust and dirt getting into the seal. The Sealmate is a thin but rigid piece of plastic that you insert between the fork seal and the fork tube. You slide it all the way around and the hook shape at the end helps pull out the grit.

A few years ago I did a lot of dirt roads on my CB11 and both forks started leaking (around 21K miles). 15 min. with the Sealmate and they haven't leaked a drop since. Same thing happened with the left seal on my CB750. I'd already replaced the seals a few years earlier, so I suspected the cause was just dirt. Sure enough, the Sealmate did the trick again.

If your seals are truly cracked, it's not going to help, but I've found that most leaking seals are just dirty. Definitely worth the small price to find out. I've actually made my own version out of plastic playing cards, using the original Sealmate as a pattern.

http://sealmate.net/

I am in agreement with Flynrider here. Seals almost never crack and wear out, but a little particle of metal debris can sometimes get stuck right at the seal lip and holds it open. I've popped the dust seal off, and using a .002" or .003" feeler gauge, slid it in down past the seal lip. As I rotate it around the fork tube, pulling upwards as I do, I've been able to draw the grit out. It has always worked for me.

[flynrider]

Guys help me out here, i thought the visible seals on top of the forks which split a little ( it is so even i thought it was made like that ) were just dust seals and the real oil seals were underneath them held in by a circlip where you cannot see them?

That is correct. What I found is that those dust seals didn't do a very good job in really dusty environments. Dust and dirt eventually made its way under the dust seals and into the fork seals.

When you use the gadget, you raise the dust seal up the fork tube, then insert the plastic tool between the actual fork seal and the tube. There's a video on the website that shows the procedure.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Hey Frulk,

Before you go replacing the seals I'd strongly recommend trying something like the Motion-Pro Sealmate. Leaking is often caused by dust and dirt getting into the seal. The Sealmate is a thin but rigid piece of plastic that you insert between the fork seal and the fork tube. You slide it all the way around and the hook shape at the end helps pull out the grit.

A few years ago I did a lot of dirt roads on my CB11 and both forks started leaking (around 21K miles). 15 min. with the Sealmate and they haven't leaked a drop since. Same thing happened with the left seal on my CB750. I'd already replaced the seals a few years earlier, so I suspected the cause was just dirt. Sure enough, the Sealmate did the trick again.

If your seals are truly cracked, it's not going to help, but I've found that most leaking seals are just dirty. Definitely worth the small price to find out. I've actually made my own version out of plastic playing cards, using the original Sealmate as a pattern.

http://sealmate.net/

I am in agreement with Flynrider here. Seals almost never crack and wear out, but a little particle of metal debris can sometimes get stuck right at the seal lip and holds it open. I've popped the dust seal off, and using a .002" or .003" feeler gauge, slid it in down past the seal lip. As I rotate it around the fork tube, pulling upwards as I do, I've been able to draw the grit out. It has always worked for me.

Metal feeler gauge? I suppose one has to be a little careful not to damage the soft surfaces during the wedging procedure?