1985 GS700ES Fork Seal Replacement

[GS700ESOwnerNY]

Does anyone have the documentation on how to replace the fork seals on this bike. I have purchased new fork seals, but am unsure of how to change them. Thank you for any assistance.

[rgierer]

I did this last winter and someone sent me some good info to guide me through. Let me look for it. The job went smooth once I figured out what I was doing but a stumpled for a week or so. It would be nice if I could spare you the stumbling.

[GS700ESOwnerNY]

If you have the info that would be very much appreciated. This is one of two final projects I have left to do on this bike, before I can really start to enjoy riding it. I appreciate the help.

[rgierer]

Some answers to my quandry on Feb.

Short answer....yes. The innner tube goes in first, than bushing, washer, seal.

http://www.dansmc.com/forks.htm

__________________
Bret
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'83 Suz.GR650D (Ol' Blue)
'01 Yam.YZF600R
'82 Hon.CM450C
'80 Hon.CM400T
'78 Hon.CX500 (restore in progress)
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That is the way it appeared to me. I was just wanting some confirmation before I started taking it apart. I am hoping for it to all go together like clock work. I think the key is to go to the pipe store and get a piece fo tubing that I can use to drive seal and maybe bushing into place.
__________________
Robin

1977 GS750, 1978 GS550 (I have a plan), 1985 GS700E, 1982 GS1100G

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Last edited by rgierer : 02-02-2007 at 08:47 AM. Reason: spelling

OK folks....I need ideas on how to get the bushing out of the outer fork without buggerrring it up to the point that I need a new one. Ideas, preferably good ones please!!!
__________________
Robin

1977 GS750, 1978 GS550 (I have a plan), 1985 GS700E, 1982 GS1100G


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let me report back.

The bike shop pulled the seals and they came out OK. Not great but they felt that if I cleaned them up I could successfully use them.

A piece of galvanized pipe fit perfectly for the installation. No muss no fuss just straight forward assembly.

Now I need to return this 8.00 piece fo galvanized pipe to the hardware store and put in the progressive springs and fork oil.

Not bad for a cold day in February
__________________
Robin

1977 GS750, 1978 GS550 (I have

[GS700ESOwnerNY]

You wouldnt happen to have the schematics for the forks on the 85gs700es specifically would you? I ask this because these forks say they contain high air pressure, and I have never ran up against that before.

[Mark whiz]

Just changed out a seal yesterday on my GS700ES. It was an all day task but I finally got it done. They aren't under high pressure - the Suzuki limit for air is around 32psi and I seriously doubt you have that in your forks - in fact if they are leaking you probably have zero air pressure.

The hardest part of the whole job is breaking loose the bolt on the bottom of the fork that holds it all together. If it hasn't been removed before, the odds are high you'll strip out the hex head on the bolt before it breaks loose - so be careful with that. What you can do is drain the oil first and then try to loosen this bolt with the fork still totally together and still mounted to the triple tree - that way you can use the force of the spring to hold things tight inside while you work to break the bolt loose.

An alternative method for knocking out the seals with air pressure, rather than by tearing the fork about has been posted on this forum, but it didn't work for me - at least not with the 100psi I had available to try it with.

Good Luck.

BTW, if you want a parts breakdown, just go to this site and use their parts fiche - it's the exact same picture of components that is in the Suzuki shop manual:

http://www.prosourcemotorsports.com/fiche_select.asp?bogus=09474146X2K3K2005J1I21I12JPMQ1334R0