Help,fork seal problems

[Plains Venture]

I have replaced the fork seals on my 86 venture with Yamaha seals, the right side went together with no problems, the left seal leaked like a fountain. I have replaced it again and there is still a leak however not as bad. just seeping insteading of a steady steam. I can not figure out what I am doing wrong.

[mm482]

You probably have a small nick on the fork tube. You can use a pair of ladies panty hose to find nicks; a nick will pick the hose. If there are nicks or rust on the upper fork tube, remove any nicks with the finest sandpaper you can purchase; usually, between 600 and 1200 grit. You can place a plastic grocery bag or saran wrap over the tube and install the fork seal and wiper. This prevents any tearing of your new seals.

Earl

[Marcarl]

Often times we will destroy the seal when we slide it over the groove at the top of the fork. You may also find a nick there, created when you used a tool to remove the spring ring. Use some black tape over that groove before you install the seal whether you find a nick or not.

[KIC]

As careful as I was with plenty of warnings here, I found 2 little nicks on my tubes. I used a very fine sandpaper and a fine steel wool to get rid of the nicks. I also used scotch tape over the grooves on the forks with a little fork oil lightly spread in the lip and on the forks to slide that puppy right over. Good luck. Glad mine is finally back together.

[Venturous Randy]

As careful as I was with plenty of warnings here, I found 2 little nicks on my tubes. I used a very fine sandpaper and a fine steel wool to get rid of the nicks. I also used scotch tape over the grooves on the forks with a little fork oil lightly spread in the lip and on the forks to slide that puppy right over. Good luck. Glad mine is finally back together.

 

Ditto on the Scotch tape. It is thinner than electrical tape and seems to be tough enough that the seal does not tear it.

RandyA

[Rick Butler]

Daniel,

 

My only suggestion is that you either tore the seal when you were putting it on the fork tube or that you have some dings in the fork tube. It doesn't take much to either contact point to cause oil to leak past the seal.

 

I'm not sure how you put the seals in, but I know alot of guys like to cheat and leave the upper tubes on the bike and just remove the fork bottoms. With this proceedure you are forced to slide the seal up over the bottom bushing onto the fork tube. To me, this is just an invitation to inadverently tear a seal?

 

The experts as well as the factory reccomendation is to remove both fork legs from the triple trees and do everything on the bench. Drain the oil good overnight with the forks upside down, remove allen bolt holding the dampening rod, and then slide hammer the top tubes out of the bottom end which results in the old seals coming out. Pay attention to the order of the bushings, ring and seal, etc and remove everything from the tubes. Then you should clean and inspect the fork tubes removing bug remains, burrs and look for dings in the surface of the tubes. Pay special attention to burrs from the tripple trees. Burrs can be honed out flat to the surface, but dings are another issue and if they are too deep you will be looking at replacing the tube.

 

These tubes have to be perfectly clean and smooth before you ever consider siding a seal onto them. But first you should go ahead and install the forks together with the damping rod and bottom out spring and then torque the dampening rod bottom allen bolts to spec. With the bushing on the tubes in order you are ready to install the seal. You should also inspect the bushings for wear or dings and replace them if they look suspect.

 

Then you should take a piece of Walmart shopping bag and droop it over the top opening of the tube. I usually like to smear a thin layer of silicon petrolium grease down the bag and on down the tube and also coat the contact surface of the seal with this grease or something that will not damage the seal. Clean fork oil is also a good choice. Making sure you have the bushings, etc in order on the fork, then slide the seal down over the plastic bag and on down onto the fork tube. Then it's just a matter of taking your seal driver and driving the seal home and installing the circlip and dust boot. You might have to use the seal driver to first set the top bushing and washer into place.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

 

I have replaced the fork seals on my 86 venture with Yamaha seals, the right side went together with no problems, the left seal leaked like a fountain. I have replaced it again and there is still a leak however not as bad. just seeping insteading of a steady steam. I can not figure out what I am doing wrong.