Getting old fork seals out?

[HobzGoblin]

Gentlemen! Calm yourselves. Different theories and strategies, both are appreciated. No need to get so riled up and personal about it.

Or should I add "motorcycles" to my list of subjects to avoid during polite dinner conversation, along with religion and politics?

[Fjbj40]

No, no need to add it to the list.

yes, sometimes we do get carried away. Unless you can direct the torch to heat that very small specific area, impossible, don't do it.

Boil a pot of water, lay the offending end of lower tube in there to soften and remove with seal puller. Try it without heat first, you will find it will pop right out with the correct tool.

[chuck hahn]

Like I said..never did any damage to one yet in more years than I can count. As for book learning and certifications...most of the "schooled" folks with degrees and wall paper degrees all over the walls are clueless as to what the REAL WORLD is all about. Not calling you out, but throw the manual away ( the Haynes and Clymers ) and go old school. Youll get it done and done without waiting on a package from Motion Pro to show up.

And your right..and your bashing of my methodolgy reflects you know nohting about myself either. Anyone waiting on a degreed person is a damned fool in my opinion.

Go stand and watch guys actually work on peoples bikes in the dealershiups and other shops...bet youd be having a heart attack...LOL. And these are YOUR folks with certifications...LMAO!!!!!!!!!!

[hampshirehog]

Sometimes those things are in there so bloody solid , after 30 years in some cases, that you have to burn the buggers out.

I've got a seal puller but never use it; at the leverage point they're too thin and if you need to employ much force you can mess up the top of the tube (some of the old Yamahas in particular were really thin up here and they'll crack long before the seal shifts).

I always start with the big flat screwdriver (big old wooden handle job) then if it doesn't budge apply heat.

[Fjbj40]

I only use factory service manuals. I have the scattered Haynes manual, usually for different pictures than the factory manuals, fix by pictures is sometimes handy

I do work on the side, my customers keep me busy, they are also repeat customers only. I choose who I work for because they want my level of work.

I have certifications, multiples actually. I depend on manuals for my livelihood. Without them I am not legally allowed to do my profession, so I apply that in all my mechanical ventures.

EVERY trade/profession has good and bad techs. The trick is to find them and keep using them, if you do use them. I tell people, do you go to a different doctor every time you feel sick? Well, find a good mechanic and keep using them, they eventually will know what level of competency you expect and usually will deliver it.

I teach at a college now, for the last three years MY students have won the National Skills Competition, gold for 2 years, this year silver. We have one of our grads going to the World Skills in Brazil this year. We have one of the best reputations in Canada in our trade among employers.

Your opinion of professionals is YOUR opinion, sometimes I also share it, but not all are bad.

[chuck hahn]

Wood dowels work well too IF IF IF the seals haven't welded themselves to the tubes after 20 years...broke many as large as 1/2 inch diameter like toothpicks trying to get seals out. But hey...what do I know right??? I don't have a degree or MMI certificate to flash around.

[chuck hahn]

And that's my point...I don't have schooling..I have real world hands on experience for more years than I can count. Your comment reminds me of that show HOUSE. Everyone thinks Dr. House is a lunatic too. Just because something is done and accomplished safely and out of what a manual describes doesn't make it wrong or that someone is giving bad advice...as I have been accused of.

So what way do you want it...stand by your original statement???

[chuck hahn]

Just thought of a new signature line.

I would rather trust my bike to a "QUACK" that KNOWS how to fix it rather than a book worm that THINKS HE KNOWS how to fix it.

Thank you for the inspiration. I am one of your TARNISHED medal students.

[Fjbj40]

So you are basing your train of thought on a TV show?

I can see you are just an old stubborn fart, one who thinks "this is the way I always do it, and it is the right way, the only way, don't bother with a manual, I know better than the people who designed it"!

You ask do I stand by my original statement? Yes, I prefer to do it the way of the manual, the right way. You keep doing it your way, the back yardigan way. Good luck in your business venture, your "new phase of life". I am sure it will work out just fine.

Believe me, with your attitude, you wouldn't make it through the 2 year program I teach.

Don't be angry at people who are educated Chuck......

[kingofvenus]

My regular doc is Dr. Pam House... Some of the stupidest people i've known (including the doc that misdiagnosed my renal cancer) have papers hanging on a wall.

[Fjbj40]

And some of the smartest people you know have no education?

[HobzGoblin]

Well, now that this has descended into pointless bickering about whether or not formal education makes you stupid, I think I'll just turn off the notifications and not bother checking back.

But thanks for the relevant suggestions about the fork seals.

[chuck hahn]

Some of the most educated and degreed people I know are so damned stupid its a wonder they can wipe their a$$es without reading a manual. Education doesn't equal good old fashioned hands on experience.

[Fjbj40]

Your generalizing, it is true for some trades/professions in life.

The same goes for some of the uneducated people out there, some of the stupidest people I have meet. They can't wipe their asses or noses for that matter.

How many doctors have you meet that just learned their skill by kidnapping and cutting open people!

I guess you have a pretty small circle of friends/acquaintances to judge from.........

This can go on forever. However, a very smart person once told me "never argue with little minded people, you eventually have to stoop to their level".

Truthfully I respect well educated people who are actually smart and have common sense. The educated dumb ones I just ignore. You apparently are of the opinion that people who are educated are all stupid. Probably comes from the fact that you have no education, pity really, being that jealous.

All the best chucky

[chuck hahn]

You keep using the qualifier word AND...which is exactly my point. 95% of the time the educated don't have one lick of common sense. Then the guy that's self taught and worked many years at something is slammed because he isn't book learened and has the same result with a screw driver as the special tool....

See you in your next post asking for advice on how to fix your bike.