if it wasnt for bad luck i wouldnt have any at all

[breezelasbre73]

hi,venture gang.a couple i was going to go for a ride with my wife,i was airing up my front forks. the neighbor kids were playing around the garage,i hade just put the progressive pump on the valve and the wife called me in the house to move something.i came back outside and the neighbors kid was pumping the air pump.he thought it was a tire air pump.i was nervous the bike was sitting up pretty high,i thought it was ok.we rode awhile and came home.i woke up the next day fork oil was running down both seals.i think he blew both of them out.damn,damn,damn. whats next

[royalstarjac]

Sorry for your trouble but if that's the worst that happens you've had a good day!

[breezelasbre73]

you are right,those things can be fixed.i dont know how much it will cost.

[dingy]

The seals are probably not damaged.

 

The excess pressure just pushed the oil past the seal lip.

 

If you remove/raise the fork dust cover with a very small screwdriver, you can dry the oil out in the cavity between the main seal and the dust cover.

 

The cover that you see is the dust cover, main seal is inside of lower fork tube, beneath this dust cover.

 

Work the screwdriver between the dust seal and the LOWER fork body, working around entire diameter, it should come up fairly easy.

 

You may need to drain & replace fork oil to insure you have correct amount in there. This depends on how muck came out.

 

Also check brake pads and see if they were contaminated by oil.

 

Gary

[breezelasbre73]

i will try that,will let you know what happened

[breezelasbre73]

i cleaned the fork oil from on top of the fork seal.i also cleaned the dust cover and replaced it.gonna go for a ride and see what happens

[warthogcrewchief]

It wouldn't hurt to drain and refill the fork oil. It's an easy, quick task that goes a long way in preventative maintenance. I change all my fluids once a year, to include the fork oil (although, I change the engine oil more than once a year).

 

All you've got to do is pull the rubber caps on top of the each fork, you'll see a hex head, which I believe is 17mm. I got a big allen key I use to open those up (wear gloves and safety glasses as it is spring loaded). I also pull the little drain screw on the back side of the forks near the bottom. Give it 10-15 minutes to allow it to drain. Sometimes I'll cycle the forks up and down to ensure it's all out. People normally recommend using 10 weight fork oil. I use Valvoline Synthetic (either 5W-20 or 10W-20...can't remember). Using this instead of standard fork oil has done a lot to help reduce wear in my forks. Some people will even add a little bit of Lucas Oil to their fork oil. I haven't gone that far yet. Whichever you use is as much a personal choice as it is what you use for engine oil...and that's a whole other can of worms.

 

The service manual says to use 13.8 US oz (or 409 cc). If you have progressive springs, the manufacturer states to fill to 5 inches from the top with the fork completely compressed. Since you're doing just a regular drain/fill, go with the first set of numbers. Don't worry about getting it exact. I'd just call it 14 oz.

 

The IMPORTANT thing is that both forks have the same amount of fluid (as best as possible). If there is a major difference in fluid between the two forks, it can cause steering problems, uneven tire wear and possible fork damage.

[breezelasbre73]

i cleaned the under the fork covers 3 times and put the covers back on.i pressed down on the forks a few times and the continue to leak.i also cleaned them again last night,woke up this morning fluid is still running down the forks.i was gonna drain them but i dont want fill them up with fluid and they still leak.i guess i could save the fluid by putting a bucket under them and save the fluid.and suggestions anyone

[Marcarl]

I'd say, for peace of mind, take them apart and do the right thing. Also, don't save the oil, there is a possiblity of it getting contaminated with dirt or dust, and that would not be a helpful thing in the forks.

[breezelasbre73]

i have been reading the fork seal replacement that was done by one of the members on the site.i was looking at the tools needed also.i saw some seals online at ebay or do i need to got do the dealer to get them,to make sure they are right.i dont know what it cost to let a repair shop do it.i am in the dallas area are there any good bike repair shop.let me know