front fork air joint o-rings

[EDGECRUSHER]

Hello all, I've been lurking here for awhile taking advantage of the great information offered here. I have an 83 GS750ES I will be restoring in several stages. Right now I just want to get everything functional for some riding this summer. It has sat in my garage for years not getting any attention and even though before it sat I replaced the fork seals it has fluids leaking all over the front end. The front master cylinder was leaking as well which I'm in the middle of rehabbing so it's really hard to tell what is leaking. I like to take the stance of 'if there's any question just replace it', however, when you want to ride something yesterday it's hard to be patient but I'm doing my best.
So last night I tore down the front end and did a cursory wipe down of everything with simple green. I remembered this bike had the cross over air valve(joints) on the fork tubes. This could possibly be a source of the leaks I'm thinking.

Does anybody have a spec for the o-rings contained within the air joints?

Sometimes I use bikebandit.com's diagrams to find part numbers but theirs doesn't show the air valves at all.

I'm skeptical that the fork seals have bit the dust since I remember replacing them but I really don't want to take the chance so I'll be replacing them. The long tool shown in my factory manual shows an end on it that resembles a triangle cut out of plate steel with the long point on the end. I've also seen a youtube vid of a guy who made one out of a length of rebar but he used a 19mm nut on the end. Anyone know which is right for my bike? I can weld a triangle on a rod if I need to.

This bike has brand spanking new brake pads on it as well, but they're soaked in who knows what. I'm almost tempted to try soaking them in acetone or brake cleaner to reuse them, but that goes against my philosophy on motorcycle maintenance. ugh. What a waste.

Thanks for getting through my ramblings.
Edge

[Steve]

First of all, congratulations on your promotion from "Lurker" to "Forum Newbie".

Next, give up on Bike Bandit. They are the second-most-expensive vendor that we know of, and they use their own goofy part numbering system that is not compatible with Suzuki's numbers, which everyone else uses. A better source for most items is Parts Outlaw.

Referring to parts fische, the part number for the o-ring is 51356-34370. Looking at the second half of the number, I gather that the inside diameter is 34mm, the outside diameter is 37mm, so the cross-section is 3mm. (THAT is why the Bike Bandit part numbers suck.) That part is shown without a price, meaning it's no longer available from Suzuki, but you can search on eBay for the part number or your local hardware store, knowing the specs.

Please don't soak your brake pads. Sure, it might feel like "wasted money" to buy replacements for your "new" pads, but how much is your life worth? Certainly more than the $50 or so for some new pads.

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[EDGECRUSHER]

Please don't soak your brake pads. Sure, it might feel like "wasted money" to buy replacements for your "new" pads, but how much is your life worth? Certainly more than the $50 or so for some new pads.

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Yup. I can't do it. I'd be thinking about it the whole time riding and it'd ruin it for me. lol They're cheap relatively speaking anyway. Thanks for the insight on the orings I really appreciate it. Little tricks like deciphering a part number like that makes things so much easier. I'm a machine mechanic so I'm sure I won't have a problem sourcing them. Just figuring out what I needed was the trick. If you ever find yourself in Muskegon, MI you've earned yourself some of my homebrews.

[Steve]

If you ever find yourself in Muskegon, MI you've earned yourself some of my homebrews.

Thanks.

For a little insight into my beer preference, here is the beer fridge in my shop:



Cheers.

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