Front forks

[Craig54]

I have to replace the seals on my front forks and haver them recromed as they are pitted.
What seals do I need and whats the best way to go about it.
Craig

[Johno]

More information required

What bike is it?

[gert du prez]

things to take into account when replacing front fork seals:
- remove the front fork parts FORK PER FORK so items don't get mixed
- installation order is opposite of removing the parts
- try to find a socket that snuggly fits the seal (4.5 cm width for a 82 GS1100 GL front fort). That is a good way of 'driving in' the seal.
- check Clymer for exact measurement of oil level (p.e. 245 ml for 82 GS1100GL) OR better, measure the cm's of air above the oil level (see posts in this forum)
- check Clymer (or other book) for torque wrench settings for the wheel and brake bolts.

[catbed]

is the pitting bad? get some pictures because if its not too bad, you can get some fine sandpaper or steel wool and make them smooth, so they dont wreck your new seals.

[Craig54]

Front Forks

The bike is a GS 1000g
I tried the sandpaper and it cleaned them up but still could damage the new seals.
Craig

[posplayr]

Clean up

I have cleaned a lot of old chrome parts (mufflers, foot pegs etc...) with Jasco Metal etch and #0000 very fine steel wool. I will work on the tubes but also have a buffing wheel with rouche (sp??). There are slight pits but I'm assuming I just need to get a smooth surfaces so the seal doesnt get cut on the rought surface of teh rust.

Report back later

Posplayr

[catbed]

I have cleaned a lot of old chrome parts (mufflers, foot pegs etc...) with Jasco Metal etch and #0000 very fine steel wool. I will work on the tubes but also have a buffing wheel with rouche (sp??). There are slight pits but I'm assuming I just need to get a smooth surfaces so the seal doesnt get cut on the rought surface of teh rust.

Report back later

Posplayr

rouge

(more characters to make the system happy.)

[posplayr]

See Caswell for descriptions of Rouge and buffing

You can buy cloth disks that mount to a standard bench grinder (I bought a cheap stand from Harbor Freight so I have more room and a bench is not needed to support the grinder. You apply the Rouge bar to the wheel to dope it up then polish the part.

I did my fork tubes last nite and they really polished up nice. Any of the original manufacturing finishes and wear patterns went away to a pure nearly perfect chrome mirror finish. There are still some specs of rust pitting, but they are significantly reduced and much smoother for the lip of the rubber seal to pass over without getting damaged. Now that there are rust pits, I will have to me more careful and probably used a dry lubricant to keep them from growing but provided I keep this up, the seals you last a long time and the tubes look better better than factory.

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffing.htm

I use the same setup for aluminium cover polishing so this is a muct have for GS owners with any chrome or polished aluminum.

Posplayr

[Craig54]

Front forks

If I get all the pits out wont they just rust again?

Isnt the chrome what stops them rusting?