(nonklr) but new ride topic. long,

DSN_KLR650
guymanbro@excite.com
Posts: 498
Joined: Fri May 05, 2000 2:51 am

fork seal replacement

Post by guymanbro@excite.com » Thu Jun 07, 2001 9:35 pm

I've got a weeping seal (it doesn't like being blown ;') so I'm gonna replace it this weekend. Is there any reason to replace the other one or should I just wait til it starts to cry too? Both seals are original with almost 9500 miles on them. dat brooklyn bum

piker650
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2002 3:09 am

fork seal replacement

Post by piker650 » Tue Jun 04, 2002 4:09 am

I am about to attempt to change my fork seals for the first time. I have no special tools Has anyone done this before? What should I look out for? Wayne A1

Zachariah Mully
Posts: 1897
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2000 7:50 am

fork seal replacement

Post by Zachariah Mully » Tue Jun 04, 2002 9:02 am

Wayne- Get 4 7/8" nuts and about 3 ft of 7/8" threaded rod. Jam nut two nuts on each end of the rod and use this to hold the damper rod while removing the bolt at the bottom of the forks. Or use the air compressor method, pump the forks up and the pressure should pop the seals out (make sure to remove the circlips on the dust shields beforehand). In both cases you'll need to remove the forks from the bike. Depending on the condition of your front end, I would dissassemble the forks entirely and clean them well. If you've never serviced your forks, you might want to check the condition of the bushings... If they're severely worn (worn areas will be steel color instead of gold/bronze colored), replacing them will take a lot of slop out of the front end. Shouldn't be too expensive, seals will run $25-30, and I bet the bushings will probably be the same. Replace the oil with some 10wt or 15wt fork oil. Z DC
On Tue, 2002-06-04 at 05:09, piker650 wrote: > I am about to attempt to change my fork seals for the first time. I > have no special tools Has anyone done this before? What should I look > out for? > Wayne > A1 >

steve pye
Posts: 568
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2000 5:31 pm

fork seal replacement

Post by steve pye » Wed Jun 05, 2002 8:22 pm

----- Original Message ----- From: "piker650" > I am about to attempt to change my fork seals for the first time. I > have no special tools Has anyone done this before? What should I look > out for? > Wayne > A1 Jeez, changing the fork seals on an '87, ALREADY??! Next thing, you'll be telling us you want to check the counter-balancer mechanism or something!!! :-) Our mutual friend (Dave), made me a great tool for taking apart the forks, give me a shout if you figure you need it. Cheers, Steve

Bill Lewis
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2001 1:01 pm

fork seal replacement

Post by Bill Lewis » Thu May 11, 2006 8:41 am

Need some advice. Helped a friend (more like the blind leading the blind) change his fork seals last night and we were not successful. It was getting dark when we finished so we did not check further but the seal was leaking far worse then when we started. It may be as simple as not getting the clip in and the seal dislodging. Anyway, the seals we had came off ebay and when sitting on a table would be about 3/8" high. The ones that came out were more like 1/2". The bike is a 1992 KLR 650. Did we use the wrong seals? We replaced the seals by removing the lower tubes while leaving the uppers in the triple clamps. Has anyone successfully done it this way? Thanks for any information. It will be a couple of weeks before we can get back to it as I am leaving Sat morning for a 2 week motorcycle trip to Nova Scotia. Bill Lewis ABC #2961 MOA #71656 TVR MSF RiderCoach/Professor of Motorcycleology Roanoke, Virginia 1990 BMW R100RT 2002 Kawasaki KLR "For me, riding seemed incredibly complex. It was like patting yourself on the head with your right hand and rubbing your stomach with the left while you danced an Irish jig." A new student just learning to ride

Jeff Saline
Posts: 2246
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2003 6:02 pm

fork seal replacement

Post by Jeff Saline » Thu May 11, 2006 8:53 am

On Thu, 11 May 2006 09:40:57 -0400 "Bill Lewis" writes:
> Need some advice. Helped a friend (more like the blind leading the > blind) > change his fork seals last night and we were not successful. It was > getting > dark when we finished so we did not check further but the seal was > leaking > far worse then when we started. It may be as simple as not getting > the clip > in and the seal dislodging. Anyway, the seals we had came off ebay > and when > sitting on a table would be about 3/8" high. The ones that came out > were > more like 1/2". The bike is a 1992 KLR 650. Did we use the wrong > seals? > We replaced the seals by removing the lower tubes while leaving the > uppers > in the triple clamps. Has anyone successfully done it this way? > Thanks for > any information. It will be a couple of weeks before we can get > back to it > as I am leaving Sat morning for a 2 week motorcycle trip to Nova > Scotia. > > Bill Lewis ABC #2961 MOA #71656 TVR > MSF RiderCoach/Professor of Motorcycleology > Roanoke, Virginia > 1990 BMW R100RT > 2002 Kawasaki KLR
<><><><> <><><><><><><> Bill, I'm doing my forks now. I have them apart on a rack and drain pan. I'm gonna reuse my seals as they weren't leaking and I don't need to remove them from the tubes. What did you use for a seal driver? I would think you should have the seal on the tube when you install it into the slider. Only way I can currently think of to install the seal in your situation is to use a two part seal driver that can be clamped around the tube, used and then removed. I'm also curious how you reinstalled the damper assembly. You need a special tool to hold the damper from turning in the tube and also have a couple of pieces that need to be held together while assembling them. Or maybe that's only on the new models??? I priced new seals at the dealer yesterday when picking up valve shims. Cost was $14.99 each and they had to be ordered. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

Denis Dimick
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2004 7:18 pm

fork seal replacement

Post by Denis Dimick » Thu May 11, 2006 9:11 am

Just my two cents: Did my seals a few months back, went with Fred's Moly Lube set, was about $18 or so. Not problems at all have been very happy with them. I did make a "Seal Tool" out of some 1 1/2" PVC pipe to seat the seals. HtH, Denis
On 5/11/06, Jeff Saline wrote: > > On Thu, 11 May 2006 09:40:57 -0400 "Bill Lewis" > writes: > > Need some advice. Helped a friend (more like the blind leading the > > blind) > > change his fork seals last night and we were not successful. It was > > getting > > dark when we finished so we did not check further but the seal was > > leaking > > far worse then when we started. It may be as simple as not getting > > the clip > > in and the seal dislodging. Anyway, the seals we had came off ebay > > and when > > sitting on a table would be about 3/8" high. The ones that came out > > were > > more like 1/2". The bike is a 1992 KLR 650. Did we use the wrong > > seals? > > We replaced the seals by removing the lower tubes while leaving the > > uppers > > in the triple clamps. Has anyone successfully done it this way? > > Thanks for > > any information. It will be a couple of weeks before we can get > > back to it > > as I am leaving Sat morning for a 2 week motorcycle trip to Nova > > Scotia. > > > > Bill Lewis ABC #2961 MOA #71656 TVR > > MSF RiderCoach/Professor of Motorcycleology > > Roanoke, Virginia > > 1990 BMW R100RT > > 2002 Kawasaki KLR > <><><><> > <><><><><><><> > > Bill, > > I'm doing my forks now. I have them apart on a rack and drain pan. I'm > gonna reuse my seals as they weren't leaking and I don't need to remove > them from the tubes. What did you use for a seal driver? I would think > you should have the seal on the tube when you install it into the slider. > Only way I can currently think of to install the seal in your situation > is to use a two part seal driver that can be clamped around the tube, > used and then removed. I'm also curious how you reinstalled the damper > assembly. You need a special tool to hold the damper from turning in the > tube and also have a couple of pieces that need to be held together while > assembling them. Or maybe that's only on the new models??? > > I priced new seals at the dealer yesterday when picking up valve shims. > Cost was $14.99 each and they had to be ordered. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT > > > Archive Quicksearch at: > http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Bill Lewis
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2001 1:01 pm

fork seal replacement

Post by Bill Lewis » Thu May 11, 2006 5:28 pm

>I'm doing my forks now. I have them apart on a rack and drain pan. I'm >gonna reuse my seals as they weren't leaking and I don't need to remove >them from the tubes. What did you use for a seal driver? I would think >you should have the seal on the tube when you install it into the slider. > Only way I can currently think of to install the seal in your situation >is to use a two part seal driver that can be clamped around the tube, >used and then removed.
We used a wide peice of PVC pipe and worked it around the circumfirance slowly working it down.
>I'm also curious how you reinstalled the damper >assembly. You need a special tool to hold the damper from turning in the >tube and also have a couple of pieces that need to be held together while >assembling them. Or maybe that's only on the new models???
We made the special tool. A nut welded to a shaft and a T handle welded to that. Worked great.
>I priced new seals at the dealer yesterday when picking up valve shims. >Cost was $14.99 each and they had to be ordered.
These were $12.50 with shipping and arrived in a few days. Maybe a false economy, we will know more when I return and we can check it. Bill Lewis ABC #2961 MOA #71656 TVR MSF RiderCoach/Professor of Motorcycleology Roanoke, Virginia 1990 BMW R100RT 2002 Kawasaki KLR "For me, riding seemed incredibly complex. It was like patting yourself on the head with your right hand and rubbing your stomach with the left while you danced an Irish jig." A new student just learning to ride

Jeff Saline
Posts: 2246
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2003 6:02 pm

fork seal replacement

Post by Jeff Saline » Thu May 11, 2006 7:18 pm

On Thu, 11 May 2006 18:27:44 -0400 "Bill Lewis" writes: SNIP
> We used a wide piece of PVC pipe and worked it around the > circumfirance > slowly working it down. > > >I'm also curious how you reinstalled the damper > >assembly. You need a special tool to hold the damper from turning > in the > >tube and also have a couple of pieces that need to be held together > while > >assembling them. Or maybe that's only on the new models??? > > We made the special tool. A nut welded to a shaft and a T handle > welded to > that. Worked great. > > >I priced new seals at the dealer yesterday when picking up valve > shims. > >Cost was $14.99 each and they had to be ordered. > > These were $12.50 with shipping and arrived in a few days. Maybe a > false > economy, we will know more when I return and we can check it. > > Bill Lewis ABC #2961 MOA #71656 TVR > MSF RiderCoach/Professor of Motorcycleology > Roanoke, Virginia > 1990 BMW R100RT > 2002 Kawasaki KLR
<><><><><><><> <><><><><><><> Bill, I'm a bit confused. I just went out and took a look at my fork parts. I don't see how you can properly assemble the damper parts when the tube is still in the triple tree. I tried putting the bottom part of the damper assembly on the damper rod and then put the ring on the bottom part. Instructions I've read say to keep it horizontal and then slide the slider over the damper assembly and fork tube. Then to insert the bolt in the bottom of the slider to secure the damper. I can easily keep the assembly together when it's horizontal. I started to put it vertical like it would be with the tube in the triple tree. I couldn't even come close to keeping it together. So that's my first puzzlement with how you are assembling the parts. Just seems to me the bottom parts would fall off the damper rod. My second question is how did you get the new fork seal onto the tube with the lower bushings in place? I just don't see that as happening without as a minimum taking the bushings and other parts off the tube. I think that would be a bad idea and a very good way to damage the bushings. If the seal is slid over the bushings I think that would for sure damage the seal. If the bushings are removed I'm thinking the seal would easily be torn trying to put it over the tube and the recesses for the bushing etc. On top of that the seal is going on against the lip and that for sure will make it harder. I guess if I was trying to do this job I'd take the extra ten minutes to remove the tubes from the triple tree and first put the seal on the tube from the top down. That would keep the lip in the correct direction. Then while the tube was free I'd assemble the damper rod and spring into the tube and then the bottom part of the damper on the damper rod and the ring onto the bottom part of the damper. The open part of the ring would face the tube and would fall off if the tube is put vertical. Then I'd slide the tube and damper into the slider and secure the bottom bolt. Once it was together and I'd verified the tube slid easily in the slider I'd use the seal driver to install the seal. Then I'd install the clip and finally I'd put the assembled fork into the triple tree. Torque on the triple tree bolts is 18 foot pounds. I'd probably do the lower bolts only at this point. Next I'd install fork oil and adjust it while the wheel was off. That makes it much easier to compress the fork by raising the slider. Finally I'd install the springs and caps and torque the top triple tree bolts. Then the wheel would get installed etc. Since I have my forks in pieces I checked the tubes today in my vee block rig. Both fork tubes were out 0.004". I've marked the high spot on each tube and will install them with the marks to the front of the bike. I'm pretty sure that will reduce any stiction as much as possible. Good luck with the repair and have fun on your trip. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

E.L. Green
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:36 am

fork seal replacement

Post by E.L. Green » Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:05 pm

Well, it finally happened. I was checking out my KLR for its last spring ride (more on that another day) and discovered a pool of ATF on the front wheel, and tracked it up to the fork seal on that side. I want to replace my fork seals with new OEM seals, not aftermarket ones. Bikebandit seems to have the seals for roughly the same price as the aftermarket seals (after I apply my AMA discount), so... anyhow. Which one of these part numbers off the parts list is the right one? 92049 92049-1180 SEAL-OIL,FRONT FORK 92093 92093-1166 SEAL,FRONT FORK I'm guessing it's the *second* one... but would like to verify before clicking the "Confirm order" button. Thanks, - Eric

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