Front Seal replacement tool

[81GS]

Has anyone built a tool like "Mr Matchless" has in his article? I have been looking for a 19mm nut and can't find one to weld onto the rod. Every bolt & nut company I check doesn't offer this size. Is this the right size nut??? or does the nut take a 19mm socket. I couldn't find a e-mail address for "Mr. Matchless to ask him this. Does anyone have any ideal where I can get this size nut and what pitch is it?

Bob L.

[hampshirehog]

The nut you want is m12 - that's the diameter of the thread. Should be really easy to get hold of as it's a common size.

Meantime, try wedging a broomhandle down the tube instead of the home made tool. Works a treat most times.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I seem to recall that you can also take a spark plug socket, turn it around (so that the closed end is facing out), put it on a long extension, and use it to hold the allen bolt at the bottom of the fork.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[salty_monk]

Yes... Sears do the right socket it's a 5/8" one & it's special in that it allows you to put it on the extension backwards (most don't let you do that). You'll need about 20" of extension bars too from memory.

To help you seat the new seal you can use a piece of PVC pipe. There is one that is just the right diameter to be a perfect seal driver.

On some bikes (GS1000G & GS1000E being the ones I have personally done this on) you can pull the circlip off the seal & pump about 160PSI in, less if they aren't 25 year old seals (I used a bicycle track pump) & it will pop the seal out without even removing the fork leg from the stanchion so you don't have to take out that bolt at all... Be careful you don't get covered in oil when it "pops" & you will need the PVC pipe seal driver to put the new one in...

Dan

[bwringer]

Here in the metrically retarded backwater of the US of A, a common 1/2" thread nut happens to have a hex size of 3/4 inch, which is 19.05mm.

Close enough!

[Steve]

If you go to Lowe's or Home Depot and get a 2-foot length of 1/2" all-thread and four nuts, assemble them so they look like this:





Leave some of the rod hanging out past the nuts, it will help center the tool in the damping rod.


Salty_monk mentioned using a length of PVC pipe to drive the seals home. a length of 1 1/2" pipe is almost perfect.
It is so close, it's actually a bit tight, so I cut a slit down the length so it can expand a bit.
Slide it over the upper tube, use a block of wood or a hammer to drive the seal home.

.

[Octain]

I used a broom handle to remove whatever that thing is called. Simple but ya might wanna heat the area around the allen screw to make it easier.

Used the old seal and a stock peice of wood to knock the new seal in.