| Author | Message | ||
     Drawkward |
My left fork seal is leaking oil again. Anyone know if this is a recurring problem or if there may be something else causing it to fail (no idea what would, but there's a lot of experience here). I'm calling the dealer tomorrow about replacing it yet again. I have a TD coming up on the 13th and need this thing fixed by then. Anyone have any additional insight other than "sometimes it happens" or "don't do wheelies"? I don't wheelie or jump of curbs or anything like that. I have 3 TDs on it but that shouldn't matter at all. | ||
| Duphuckincati |
You've got a nick somewhere on the lower leg. Super-close examination, eyes and hands, is needed. | ||
| Drawkward |
That's what I though could be one of the possible issues. I guess I'll have to tell them to closely inspect it maybe? | ||
| Duphuckincati |
Any little mark from a stone hit will make a "dent" and that means the area around the "dent" is raised a bit and needs to be smoothed out. If you see anything try running your fingernail over it. | ||
| Drawkward |
Anyone else have any other ideas? I'm taking the bike in Friday to have the work done and would like a list of things to check. Sadly, I fear that it's going to be a dent or nick or something. | ||
| Lovedabueller |
Hey DR. make sure that they replace/highly inspect the dust seals... if the dust seals are bad. cracked. any thing that can let dirt past the dust pass the dust seal that will ruin fork seals instantly... thats all i got.!!! | ||
| Nuts4mc |
...from my dirt bike days - sometimes the edge of the fork tube would be so sharp that it would cut the sealing edge of the new seal as we installed the seal over the fork tube...a trick to prevent the edge from cutting the new seal was to use a plastic bag over the end of the tube end ( a fork tube "condom"...a "plastic" bag like they have at the super market works great) and then install the seal on the fork tube - remove the bag and install the tube and seal assembly into the fork leg...your tech may be inadvertently cutting the seal when he installs the new seal onto the fork tube....good luck | ||
| Drawkward |
Parts didn't come in over the weekend, but I have the fork leg off and did a quick inspection with my fingers...as soon as I felt the back part of the fork tube I noticed there was a small metal burr present. Not sure how it happened, but I'd imagine that's what is causing the leak. Thanks for the help guys. | ||
| Drawkward |
Quick question. How would any of you recommend getting off that small, minuscule burr? It is right on the polished fork tube. | ||
| Duphuckincati |
That's gonna be some pretty hard metal, I'd check with a polishing/chrome place. You could easily do more harm messing with a file at home. That's all I got. | ||
| Drawkward |
I was sort of afraid of that. | ||
| Froggy |
Do you still have a warranty? If not, a new fork leg tube is about $160 worst comes to worst. | ||
| Jdugger |
Call a suspension guy and ask. When forks are serviced, its standard to polish the fork legs. They use a really high grit cloth of some kind. | ||
| Zacks |
To check for a nick, borrow some cotton balls from the bushel the wife keeps and run them up and down the fork leg. Any little nick will snag some of the cotton. | ||
| Drawkward |
Froggy: Still under warranty but the bike needs to be ready for the track on Sunday. So unless my dealer can fix it, I don't have much time to get a new one installed. It started leaking last week and the parts will be at the dealer today...fastest they could get them. Just horrible timing. JD: I've heard of that too. There's a suspension guy on a local forum (HPC, Patrick from Motorcycles Unlimited) who I can probably ask. Hopefully he'll help or have some advice. Zacks: Good idea, I'll have to remember that one. | ||
| Zac4mac |
JD - rouge cloth? I used to have some, it's finer than 2000 wet-dry, more like 4-5000. | ||
| Jdugger |
Zac, I don't know what they use. I do know when I have my forks serviced they come back with a "cross hatch" pattern on them that's silky smooth. It's a standard part of the fork service. | ||
| Drawkward |
Crocus cloth? | ||
| Nuts4mc |
wet stone - like they use to sharpen knives - old time machinists/machine shop would have them they come in various grits ( use fine to extra fine) and shapes ( I would NOT use the new Carbide type with the little "dots" of carbide-to o hard to control on a round surface)- soak the dry stone in some oil (ATF/10Wt) and stone the burr/nick down - try and "stone/de burr" in one direction only. clean the tube with hot soapy water before you re-assemble. good luck | ||
| Drawkward |
Thanks Nuts, hopefully a local shop has a nice fine stone I can use. Appreciate the feedback. | ||
| Fast1075 |
Yes, the really fine sand cloth is called crocus cloth...I use it to polish hydraulic and pneumatic rams. | ||
| Nuts4mc |
here's a picture - don't know where you're at but mcmaster delivers usually next day down here in Sun Diego... http://www.mcmaster.com/#tool-sharpeners/=aykuog | ||
| Hughlysses |
I second the use of a whet stone. You want something hard and flat so that you only take off the bur without really abrading the rest of the fork tube. You can buy a stone fairly cheap (~$5?) at WalMart or a hunting store. Polishing with crocus cloth or really fine sand paper (600-1000 grit) afterward might be a good idea. |
