Author Topic: Changing fork seals - should i attempt it? (Read 2691 times)

Forde · « **on:** July 18, 2007, 10:15:06 AM »

i need to change my fork seals, should i attempt it myself as a noob or just give it to the mechanic so i dont make a mess of it? any guides anywhere that i can link to or does anyone have any advice?

also i remember there was a thread on here a short while back which gooseman started and it was about changing fork seals, it also contained a link to a guide by brianm i think about how to do it. well anyway ive looked for that thread to use it as a reference but i cant find it does anyone know where it is?

thanks guys!

andrewsw · « **Reply #1 on:** July 18, 2007, 02:52:19 PM »

you can certainly attempt it, but I wouldn't unless you're pretty confident of your general mechanics skills. There's nothing overly difficult about it, though. If you have reasonable wrenching skills you can do it.

here's my tip that totally bypasses the specialized tools needed to get the fork apart.

http://forums.banditalley.net/viewtopic.php?t=9090

but you may need more than just a fork seal. And if you have reason to suspect undue wear in the forks, then you should probably pull them all the way apart and look them over good. Change the oil while you're at it...

erik · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2007, 08:05:07 AM »

I asked stormi to copy/move that thread to the FAQ section to make it easier to find...

http://forums.banditalley.net/viewtopic.php?t=5523&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

I did mine not long ago, I had to make a tool to hold damper rod while undoing the bolt at the bottom of of the fork.
I cut a double hex shape thing out of 3mm steel, the hexes have to be 28mm across the flats, and then I bolted it to the bottom of a pipe. I could post photos tomorrow if you're interested. (too late tonight! zzz)

Banditmax · « **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2007, 11:12:58 AM »

i just pushed a broom handle down the fork to hold the internal damper rod.

Forde · « **Reply #4 on:** July 22, 2007, 05:54:04 PM »

hey erik could you please post pics of the thing you made to hold teh damper rod, im at that stage and its proving difficult <_<

Banditmax · « **Reply #5 on:** July 22, 2007, 06:24:25 PM »

Get a broom handle hammer down inside of the fork leg get pair of mole grips and hold broom handle still. Undo bolt. Sorted

erik · « **Reply #6 on:** July 23, 2007, 06:58:42 AM »

There you go, first two photos are of the damper rod, the last is the double hex on the end of a bit of pipe thing I made. Probably if you can find a bolt with a head that is 28mm across the faces it'd do the trick, or cut a 28mm AF hex instead of a double hex like I did.

If you're going to use the broom handle idea, you might have to taper the end so it jams in the damper rod?

Banditmax · « **Reply #7 on:** July 23, 2007, 10:19:04 AM »

All depends on how big the broom handle is the only disadvantage is it can be a faff to get the handle outv'e the damper rod afterwards.

Forde · « **Reply #8 on:** July 23, 2007, 05:24:02 PM »

i got it sorted, i got a box wrench, it was a bit too small so i squished it out with a vice to make it the right size, then i hammered it over the end of a broom handle and used that.

Cheers guys