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My fork seal seems unrepairable -Help!


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Having some issues here. So I have one fork off. It seems the oil lock piece and special washers are stuck in the lower fork. I can see them through the antidive holes. The washers are in the bottom and the oil lock piece above that. So, I know they were definitely put together in the wrong order. The oil lock piece is put in with the flange up. Is that upside down? It should be flange down, correct? Any ideas of how to get them out without damaging anything? I've tried prying, holding it upside down and hitting it.

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Having some issues here. So I have one fork off. It seems the oil lock piece and special washers are stuck in the lower fork. I can see them through the antidive holes. The washers are in the bottom and the oil lock piece above that. So, I know they were definitely put together in the wrong order. The oil lock piece is put in with the flange up. Is that upside down? It should be flange down, correct? Any ideas of how to get them out without damaging anything? I've tried prying, holding it upside down and hitting it.

 

Yes, flange down. Maybe a wooden dowel that fits the oil lock closely. Insert and rock it gently to dislodge the oil lock piece?

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Bill. If you need the seals i have a new set sitting here i can sell you. PM if you want them. Mike
Thanks Mike. I'll let you know if I need them.

 

Replaced the bushings, put in my last new seal, put it all back together. Put about 60 miles on the bike today, no leaks. Flat washer under the seal, not-so-flat one above. We shall see...

 

Has anyone noticed how quickly certain maintenance actions can be performed, after doing them repeatedly?? For example, I can have either front fork torn completely down, starting from scratch, in about 20 minutes. I'm talking about removing the fender, the front wheel, etc., etc, all of it. Are all of us Venture riders crazy, or is it just me?? :cool10:

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I'm pretty good at that stuff now too but redoing the wiring for lighted disc covers and the fender guard every time and making it look good takes extra time for me. The other thing that seems to be a big time killer is just getting the bike jacked up and ready to remove the front wheel. Probably my methods could be better?

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  • 3 months later...

Hello fellow venture riders. I have not been on here in awhile. I have been pretty busy. Last summer I had a seal on my right fork blow. I am just now getting around to trying to get it done before spring gets here. I have a couple questions. I have been doing a lot of research on here. I plan on going with progressive's and replacing the seals and bushings with yamaha parts. I was reading where some people use the sealmate. I seen that and figured it would be worth a try. I made one from an old thin plastic card. I got a lot of junk out of it, but it did not work. I have not tore it down yet and I read about using panty hose to check for burs. After raising the boots up I got a rough place on the right fork. I can feel it with my fingers. Is that something that can be polished up and if so, can I use emery cloth or will a dealer have to do this. I don't know if I should just replace the parts and hope for the best or if I need to address it now? If I have to replace the forks where is the cheapest place to get them? I do not want to drop a lot of cash into this project right now.

 

Someone asked about the boots and if they were a pressure fit. Mine were and I also had to remove the fork brace it was holding them in place. My boots are ripped on both sides. I have not found replacements online other that the universal ones on ebay. Will those work? I appreciate your comments and want to thank the forum. There is a lot of info on this site. I have a 91 venture 1300. Thanks in advance for any advice! :322:

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If you really need to replace the tube try Forking by Frank. http://www.forking-by-frank.com

This guy is first class. I used to use them all the time when I needed replacement tubes for something I was rebuilding.He has been around since the late sixties early 70's. Still family owned and run.

I polished the burrs down on my forks with crocus cloth soaked in kerosene.

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I had read about cleaning around the burr really well and filling any dimple with super glue. Sand it down carefully till smooth to tube. Try not to score the chrome too much and gradually back from 400 to 1000 to 1600.....

 

Bugs can make a really hard bump on fork tubes. Before doing anything take a really good look with the magnifier to make sure of what you have.

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I'll add this tidbit. My ZRX went through 2 sets of fork seals in a year. I always checked the tubes for any nicks, but this last time I took a small flat Arkansas stone with oil (superfine white one) and ran it over the seal area and there they were. Very tiny knicks in the seal area. Didn't feel them until I ran the stone over them. I'd bet this solves my problem. Also designed a fork tube guard/deflector so it doesn't happen again. A lot of bikes don't have them.

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I'll add this tidbit. My ZRX went through 2 sets of fork seals in a year. I always checked the tubes for any nicks, but this last time I took a small flat Arkansas stone with oil (superfine white one) and ran it over the seal area and there they were. Very tiny knicks in the seal area. Didn't feel them until I ran the stone over them. I'd bet this solves my problem. Also designed a fork tube guard/deflector so it doesn't happen again. A lot of bikes don't have them.

 

a pic is in order i would like to see this guard you made it may help some and prevent damage to others

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a pic is in order i would like to see this guard you made it may help some and prevent damage to others

 

Only 75% done but here's the design. Started out as just a fork brace. Had to mill the red area on top of forks as they were just a hand polished area from the casting. Added the deflectors when I found the nicks. Will black anodize all when done.

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  • 1 month later...

Rivco makes those fork guards for the 1st gen or at least they used to. They may still have them. I made my own out of a 4" wide x I don't remember how long piece of Vinyl and some velcro. They have been in use since the early 90's and still going strong. Get a 4" wide piece of vinyl long enough to wrap loosely around your fork tube,hem it so it looks good, and put hook and loop fastener on the ends and then repeat for the other side. The sleeves ride up and down as the suspension moves and being 4" high they cover the area the seal will ride over. Cost me under five bucks to make em.

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  • 4 months later...

Well, the happy news is that I think I've finally got it right with these forks. The seals on both had begun to leak before I got to doing this, for the third or fourth time on the right. I've lost count on how many times I've had this apart.

 

It's a whole different ride! I have the progressives but with almost no oil on the right side and no air the front end really blew, literally. I re-read my first post on this thread where I mentioned the forks holding 4 or 5 psi but it never held that for long and the oil started showing up right away. The forks have now held 8 psi for several days and 150 miles of mixed riding.

 

My 1993 Royale is equipped with dustcover boots but this time I also added dust seals from the earlier models, partly because I'm considering a Condor Brace and that would limit the effectiveness of my boots. It may make no difference, but as I think about it having the dust seal above the oil seal could be further stabilizing the axis of the upper tube within the fork slider. I will always replace both of those seals on both forks whenever I need to replace an oil seal. I will also always replace the two inner bushing parts listed in the quote box below, unless it's a very premature failure. It's just not worth not doing so, take my experiences as your bad example and get smart.

 

Upper Bushing = Metal, Slide 1

Lower Bushing = Piston, front fork

 

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5 years ago, I had fork seals leak within a very short time (only a few days/miles) after I replaced them on a 1984 Venture. I decided to get a different set of used forks and installed new seals in them and never had an issue with them leaking for over 3 years (then I sold it). At the time, I surmised that the anti-dive valve(s) (brake dampers) were at fault and causing excessive pressure to build up and therefore push the oil out. I could be wrong on that idea, but thought I would add some food for thought.

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OK, looked at Boats.net for the fork slide bushings. I was able to locate the designated 'Metal, Slide 1'. Am not able to find the 'Piston, Front Fork'.

 

Boats.net Link

 

Some help here please?

 

RR

 

P.S. This is for my son's '83.

 

Your '83 has a different fork than my '93. On my '93 it is item 10 and I don't see a part drawn in that same location in the fiche for your '83. Maybe someone else can weigh in on whether there is a corresponding critical part on your forks or not.

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The second time I replaced the fork seals on my Kawasaki, I used All Balls Racing seals sold on ebay. They advertise that they are tested to last 3 times longer than OE. I know they fit tighter. Seem to be holding up well. When I have to replace the Venture seals, I'll look for All Balls Racing seals.

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I tried using a one of the thin nylon mens dress sock to detect burrs since it didn't have hose to try and snagged nothing. I've also had my hands all over those tubes and never felt anything but small grit which I wiped off. The seal is in right side up.

 

The thing I am thinking is maybe the upper bushing is too low in the slider, causing the slider to sort of lean back on the upper tube, opening the seal more to the rear and compressing it more in the front? The upper bushing is fully free to find it's own level in the lower slider though, I think. I mean this should be a common problem if it's really what is happening with mine. I know on the GW that has two seals around 2002, it is the left fork that had the problem, but that isn't pertinent here.

 

"The 2002-2005 FLHT/FLT models are equipped with a

damper-rod type fork on right side and a cartridge fork on

the left side."

 

So there are numerous examples of differing technologies on either side of the fork including no fork on one side like BMW has. The thing that really bugs me is that CLASS is working on the bike but I can't pump up my forks.

 

i am getting on this late. But worn bushing is probable.. They way you check is with the complete fork removed and the lower tube gently clamped in a vise. Does the upper tube have significant play ?

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My only concern is that the pressure in the front has dropped to 5psi on a couple of occasions and then I filled it back up to 10 or so. My pressure gauge seems squirrelly too, indicating 52 psi in back and then sometimes 31 psi. I haven't adjusted the rear so I don't know if heat and use can cause that variance or not. The front also read 8 when I adjusted it, then I rode about 20 miles and it was reading 11. The ambient temperature was cooling at the time.

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I rode home after washing the bike and buying it gas and checked the pressures of CLASS system before leaving it in the garage. I still haven't adjusted the rear at all but it read 71. So the range of values that it gives for the rear is between 31 and 71 without me taking any action at all. Pretty strange...............

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The CLASS pressures can be inconsistent if one checks the pressure while the bike is on the sidestand or while upright on the tires. To eliminate that possibility, always check the pressure while on the centerstand (as recommended by Yamaha).

A setting of say, 40psi while unloaded on the centerstand, might read 70 psi when the bike is upright with the rider sitting astride.

While diagnosing the CLASS, be consistent, and do the pressure checks on the centerstand.

BTW, are you using the MANUAL setting or the AUTO setting?

Edited by Prairiehammer
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