fork seal change for dummies

[Cleansoul]

Thank you

I tried deep it in hot water, and it worked just fine. This time no need for special tool.
Thank you.

[bikerphil]

Hmm... that's a good trick there. I'll have to try that sometime.

[LoHo]

For what it's worth, a few years ago I decided to change my seals because of a thin film of oil on my downleg which I took to be a leak. I have since changed them out twice, as each new set has leaked like hell. Probably an error on my installation, but that's what this thread is about, right?

[Nubian]

Still leaking? I have the same trouble on my second set of OEM's

For what it's worth, a few years ago I decided to change my seals because of a thin film of oil on my downleg which I took to be a leak. I have since changed them out twice, as each new set has leaked like hell. Probably an error on my installation, but that's what this thread is about, right?

[mack]

Installation

Did you fit the upper fork into the lower tube first then slip the seal down over the upper into position, then seat properly with a piece of PVC pipe? The method I just described ensures the seal lip is not damaged or wrinkled during installation.

[Nubian]

No but I will certainly try that method next.

Did you fit the upper fork into the lower tube first then slip the seal down over the upper into position, then seat properly with a piece of PVC pipe? The method I just described ensures the seal lip is not damaged or wrinkled during installation.

[mack]

something else

to check are the bushings. There are two fiber style bushings, one is just below the seal in the lower leg and the other is a slip over style on the upper fork tube. If they look brown and the fiber is showing you should check them for tolerence.
Put the fork together and extend almost the limit and see if you can wiggle the upper tube from side to side more than an few 1/16th of an inch. If so they need replacing. The upper one is easily done and yamaha has it in stack, the lower one is more difficult and is not available any more. However if you take it to a dirt bike shop. They have compatable bushings but you'll need to have both the lower and upper with you. To install the lower bushing, it needs to be over the uppers bushing then slide into place where it will lock on it's own into the lowers slot. The are a bitch to get out but the shop will have the correct tool.

[bikerphil]

Mack, those bushings are teflon coated metal, brass or maybe bronze. The Standard forks he is working on will only have the upper one below the seal. There is no lower bushing on those forks, the upper stanchion is a precise fit to the inside of the lower fork leg. The Special forks do have that lower bushing though.

[mack]

Thanx Phil

for the correction. I haven't got the forks on the E yet so I'm sitting here with a red face. Sorry boys and girls. I assumed they'd be the same basic set up with just the caliper and mounts a little different.

[bikerphil]

You are right, those bushings in the lower leg are a MF to change out. I did them once in the early days, never again. They were hard to find too, I think I got them from Jim Lindemann.