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Buell Forum » 1125R Superbike Board » Archive through November 18, 2012 » Fork oil seal polarity « Previous Next »

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Tbowdre
Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - 02:53 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

-2009 1125R service manual says on page 2-51 to install onto slider fork with spring side of the oil seal facing the dust seal.

My original seals, installed at Showa most likely, were installed with the spring side of the seal facing AWAY from the dust seal. (i.e.) if you slide the dust seal away from the fork to see the oil seal you would be viewing the spring, not the flat side of the seal.

Anyone else run across this?
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Tbowdre
Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - 03:00 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

pmjolly ran across the same thing!

here

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/671099.html

no resolution though.
How are other people installing their seals?

Thanks
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Sprintst
Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - 11:04 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

timely thread! I'm waiting on my seals to arrive, and didn't note how they were oriented when I removed them
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Musclecargod
Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - 02:05 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Any pictures of the seal? Does it look identical to the ones you removed? Typically seals are installed "spring" side towards the fluid to be kept in. That way fluid pressure acts to press the seal against its mating surface. However some more modern seals incorporate integral wipers, springs on both sides, etc... This can make orientation a little tricky. If it was my bike, and the seal had only one lip with a spring, I would install it "spring" side towards the "oil" side.
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Tbowdre
Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - 04:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Yep I agree, spring side towards the oil makes the only logical sense. And thats the way the seals were from Showa.

Service manual must be wrong.

reassembling now
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Thefleshrocket
Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - 09:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The stock seal only has one spring and that side faces the fluid.

I put All Balls Racing seals on my '08, which have springs on both sides. The instructions with the seals indicated which side was supposed to face the oil. I followed that and the seals appear to be working properly.
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Pmjolly
Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - 09:19 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Tbowdre, sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I installed my new oil seals opposite what the 2008 manual called for. The spring is away from the dust seal. That's the way I found it done from the factory. When I saw the second fork that way, I figured it must be correct. They have held up fine for 5 or 6 thousand miles. FYI, I did notice what seemed like leaking or seeping for the first day of riding. It stopped before too long, and never amounted to much.
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Tbowdre
Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - 11:54 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

HA!! that is fu@king hilarious.. I just got back from a little ride and both forks are leaking... So I am scratching my head thinking WTF, never had a fork seal weep after installation.

Guess I'll ride it and see how it goes... All Balls Racing sounds like my next move if these don't seat/seal/break in or whatever

Thanks for the replys
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Mcelhaney14
Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 - 12:08 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Spring side up on mine as well. Just checked.
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Thefleshrocket
Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 - 12:25 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Tbowdre, it sounds like you put in the seals with the correct "polarity".. Maybe something else is amiss, like too high of oil level?

My first seal replacement was with stock seals and they didn't leak after installing.
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Tbowdre
Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2012 - 04:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Did 100 miles through some twistys and damn if they are no longer leaking. Just a tiny bit from one side. weird.

Im running my oil level at 100mm... 4 inches
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Thefleshrocket
Posted on Friday, October 26, 2012 - 10:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

That's surprisingly high--I ran mine at about 4.6 inches. That extra oil mostly just means you'll have a bit more compression damping.
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Tbowdre
Posted on Friday, October 26, 2012 - 10:48 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

yeah, oil levels seem all over the place and honestly I just kinda picked a random number.... also running 5wt oil

did a short 30mile run today and the seals seem to be holding nicely
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