Fork seal leak

[dbehr624]

Well my fork seal is shot, so i have to take my forks in to get them replaced. Why did this happen so fast, and is there anything else i should do while they are off.

[kyle450rider]

Before you take them in to get it replaced pop your dust cover down and clean them.You can clean any dirt and grime around them and then use a film negative to slide into the seal and mabye dislodge any material between the seal and the fork tube.I have done this many times,quite often its just dirt and not a blown seal.Good luck!

[PK]

Kyle is right on the money but since the advent of the digital camera, a regular business card between the fork seal and fork tube will work almost as well as the camera film.

[grayracer513]

Even Though digital cameras have wisked away our film to the place our cassette tapes went, tear-offs remain in our gear bags. Cut a 1 inch wide strip and use that.

[250Thumpher]

When using paper, be careful not to tear it and leave it in there. Use thin plastic like tear offs or film negatives.

Also be sure to clean the wiper and the seal with some cleaner. Slide the film negative on the wiper when it has the cleaner on it. I have found that if these areas are not clean before they are regreased, the dirt will cycle back into the fork and you will end up getting the same problem.

So clean, and a thin layer of grease, your good to go!

[NOMADAK]

I agree with all of the above suggestions and have used film to great success to stop the weeping. Still, I had my fork seals replaced twice in a 6 month mx riding season on my '06 YZ450F. The ultra fine glacial silt up here is like talcum powder when the ground is dry. It collects on the lower legs quickly and easily.

I spoke with my Race Tech trained suspension tuner. He stated that the seals on these new Yamaha forks are very high performance (to give that low stiction/plush feel)and therefore more susceptible to fine dust damage than seals of less recent models.

I am really happy with the legs on the bike. I clean my bike after each ride and remove what dirt I find around the fork legs. I am considering a set of seal savers next year. What have been your experiences with using these?

[kyle450rider]

I agree with all of the above suggestions and have used film to great success to stop the weeping. Still, I had my fork seals replaced twice in a 6 month mx riding season on my '06 YZ450F. The ultra fine glacial silt up here is like talcum powder when the ground is dry. It collects on the lower legs quickly and easily.

I spoke with my Race Tech trained suspension tuner. He stated that the seals on these new Yamaha forks are very high performance (to give that low stiction/plush feel)and therefore more susceptible to fine dust damage than seals of less recent models.

I am really happy with the legs on the bike. I clean my bike after each ride and remove what dirt I find around the fork legs. I am considering a set of seal savers next year. What have been your experiences with using these?

I already have a set ordered for my 2007.Does anyone know if you have to remove forks to put them on?

[DPW]

I already have a set ordered for my 2007.Does anyone know if you have to remove forks to put them on?

If you grease the steering stem and wheel bearings when you get the bike..you have pretty much removed the forks.

[slammmin72]

get some seal savers after u install the new seals and wipers ( basically just a little neoprene boot that velcros around the seal, it prevents dust, dirt,mud and other foreign objects from direcly contacting the seals and wipers) and they are cheap too (like 15 bucks) ive got them on both my bikes, and hte seals last much longer now

[dbehr624]

I was wondering, if it were just a piece of dirt, dust, et cetera would the leak be small or large. Mine flowed out pretty good in the course of a night. I put my bike in the bed of a truck to go riding and the next morning there was a big puddle. I dont know if that is an indicator of anything or not. I appreciate all the suggestions guys.

[jbrooks26]

I have seen some pretty substantial leaks fixed by cleaning the seals. Try it and see what happens. Clean it out and then while the dust seal is still down, bounce the forks several times while holding the front brake. Keep cleaning until you get the fluid to stop coming out. I have had to run my film around the fork leg as many as 20 times before, but have always been able to get the leak stopped. Hope this helps.

Josh

[mobius]

Rocky Mountain MC sells the Tusk brand seal savers for 10.00. I can`t tell any difference between those and Seal Savers brand.