Difficult fork seal removal.

[Gyrogearloose]

Needless to say on my part, I boogered it up, removing the fork seal on my 80' SG. kinda scored the aluminum a bit. Can I fill these gouges with anything?..just put some gasket sealer on the oil seal before I install it? Second question: there was a washer of sorts under the old seal and that got wasted. It was kinda' shaped like a trough all the way around...maybe to hold the bottom lip of the oil seal? Does anyone know where I can get another? thanks all.

[ccogswel]

I think it may have been in the wrong order. According to Bikebandits parts diagram it shows that washer between the seal and the c-clip. As for the washer it appears to be no longer avaliable.

Here is a link of their schematic. You may have to click on front-fork.
http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmot...28265979-front
#4. Fork Seal
#5. Flatwasher
#6. C-Clip

I'm assuming you have standard forks. I didn't see anything for the special forks but I may be wrong. Heck for that fact I may be wrong about this as well.

As for the scratches. If they are really deep. I'd say fill them up with JB weld and sand down smooth. If not scratched that bad you may be able to coat them with some gasket sealer. Someone here may have a better idea.

[bikerphil]

Fork washer

Not 100% sure, but if you buy the Leak Proof fork seals, the kit comes with those thin metal washers. I got some from DK a few years back, and I'm pretty sure they were included.

[Gyrogearloose]

I already have the OEM oil seals for my 80' special, it's the washer that goes under the seal that I need. It's not a flat washer, it's shaped like the bottom half of a tube? and would seem to hold the lip of the oil seal. I don't know how else to describe it, it's not "cupped", but "grooved" all the way around. Any Special owners out there, know of what I speak? Do I really need it? Thanks for helping.

[prometheus578]

You aren't talkin' about the spring... The coiled spring that's hooked together to make a circle... the spring that goes on the inside of the seal to hold the lip closed, are you?
Fork seals have a thin spring on the bottom that circles the inner lip to help it seal against the fork tube. (It's often hard to see it on a new seal as it's tucked up out of the way.)
You mentioned that in getting the old seal out, you sort of destroyed it. Is it possable that the part that you're asking about is only the inner spring from the destroyed seal?

Wait a minute...
Just reread your post.
I understand what you're talking about now. I seem to recall... on some makes/brands/models of older bikes there seems to be a "cupped washer dealie" that goes under the fork seal. Have a nice time tryin' to find one!
I wouldn't worry too much about putting it back together without it.
You have to remember about old bikes built in the 70's... bike had only been around here since the 60's. A lot of designs of things were tried, and then discarded for something better, etc.
((Example: Having the pilot circuit of the carb being fed from the main jet. Or the cam chain gasket guide that was done away with.))
Everyone did that during the early years and then that was changed.
I've seen a lot of screwy things dealing with fork seals over the years... most of those early designs changed as time went on.
Same old fork design... but the seals had changed.
I'd put it back together with out it... it's not like you have any other option, anyway.

[XSPastor]

Hmmm...

All the parts drawings I looked at show that cupped washer below the seal but don't list it as a separate part. I would assume that it comes with the seal since it's not listed as a separate part. The seals and some other parts are still available from Yamaha but you have to look at the 1100SH because the forks for the 1100SG don't have a parts breakdown for some reason - at least nowhere I looked. I have not had my forks apart yet. Maybe someone who has rebuilt the special forks can chime in here. The new aftermarket seals might be thicker and not require the washer below them? One thing for sure, I wouldn't put it back together until I had a solid answer.

[prometheus578]

After more coffee.....

Hey Gyro, do me a flavor...
Measure the thickness of the old seal and compare it to the thickness of the new OEM seal. I mean.. measure the height of the outer seal wall.
Now that I've had my second cup... I also seem to remember that some early seals were thinner that the ones that are used now... meaning that that cupped washer was a spacer of sorts.. lifted the seal up a little.
I think it matters little.
Those "Leak Proof" seals that BikerPhil mentioned... they are a little bit thinner, too. Their design allows for the seal to 'float" a little up and down in the tube.
Again, I wouldn't worry too much.

[XSPastor]

I wish more coffee made me a better mechanic.

[Gyrogearloose]

Thanks guys, I think I will try to resurect the old washer and in the meantime maybe more replys will come around. Hmmm, maybe I can make another one? Ha.

[Gyrogearloose]

OK, your comments have led me to do an closer analytical inspection of the parts involved. The washer does, indeed, seem to be just a spacer. It's actually (my bad descripton earlier) a flat washer with a raised lip on the outside diameter, and the oil seal just rides on that lip. The oil seal being about 7/16" high and the wall of the slider being 9/16" high (although I doubt they're inch related...more like mm). The washer appears to make up that difference (1/8 inch). So I think if I made up that difference with a washer equaling 1/8", I'd be OK. I'll look through my box of flat washers and see what I can come up with.
Once again, your comments have helped my on my way, getting the 80'SG back on the road.

[wingnut]

I remember seeing the "washer" you are talking about when I replaced the seals on my 81 special. They looked almost to be part of the lowers. I'd try to reform them as flat as I could and proceed with the assembly.

[thewiz]

Just pulled apart the forks yesterday ...

on my G. Air forks ... but there was no washer between the spring clip over the seal and the seal itself. Go figure?? Is that bad?

[thewiz]

Ok ... here's what

was in there ...

[IMG][/IMG]

[Gyrogearloose]

Boy, it looks like there was all manner of "things" put in there with the oil seal. Giuess I'll throw my version of spacer in there and see what happens. I'd only have to do it all over again if it leaks. ...yah, right. Many thanks to all those that responded to my post. It all helps!