Dirt Rider . Net Text Version Home
Pages: 1
fork seals stoped leaking
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)
Posted by: BrentBlain---------------------
Hello All,
I don't know if you ever heard of this trick before but my dad's friend told him about it. I just got my 00 CR250 and the left seal was puking oil bad so i ordered fork seals this week but it didn't come in time for the weekend so my dad's friend at work told him to take a thin feeler gauge and run them under the seals. He said that sometimes mud and dirt can get under the seals causing them to leak. I tried it and to my surprise it worked! Not a single drop of oil came out. So this weekend i am going to change the oil in the forks and hopefully everything will be ok. As anyone else tried this? I thought it was a handy tip to pass on.
-Brent
00 CR250
Posted by: reynome---------------------
I have heard of using a buisiness card also and have tried using a small zip tie but have not had the same luck.
I would change the seals if it were me, they will probably go soon again.
------------------
99 cr 250,**SRAC #440
Posted by: BrentBlain---------------------
i am keeping them on reserve, i figure no sense in changing them if they are not leaking now but i will keep them in the garage so when they do need changing i dont' have to wait a week to get them like this time.
-Brent
Posted by: wheelie4strokeB---------------------
A dealer told me a little trick, clean all the dirt and grime from around your seal, then do the thin wire trick, then after that spray the fork seak with brake cleaner several times. This should shrink the seal a little bit giving you a couple of rides on it before replaceing. I did it and it worked for me and that was 5 harescrambles ago.
Posted by: wrench---------------------
Here's another tip for you...
Use ATF in your forks! No, I am not kidding!
Do a search in this forum for "ATF" and "Fork Oil"
Don't take my word for it...read the research.
An added benefit is the "seal conditioners" in the ATF. I had the same problem as you (seals did not come in), I cleaned the dirt out of the old ones and used the ATF, they seaped a little bit at first(they did leak really bad before)and then just quit! A few rides later the new ones are still in the tool box!
wrench
Posted by: cr250john---------------------
BrentBlain
The other trick is to use some old 35mm camera film. Spray contact cleaner on the strip of film and work it around the seal to remove trapped dirt. There is a "slight" risk of scratching the fork with a metal feeler gauge.
Good job none the less!
------------------
cr250john
Mine '00 CR-250 - '95 Yamaha Virago XV-750
Kids '01 CR-80's
Posted by: KasperMX---------------------
Hey
Have any of you tried Seal Skinz. There advertised in the December 2000 Dirt Rider mag.. They are noeprene covers for the seals that would wipe the inner tube before it passed threw the seal. They look like they would work, but how do they go over the fork protector guide? Look on page 26 to see what i mean.
Posted by: Max Factor---------------------
A little bit of lube on the fork legs after washing helps seal life. When you wash the bike, particularly with good agents or degreaser, the dry leg can accelerate the wear on the seals initially
Posted by: BrentBlain---------------------
what would be a good lube, like WD40 or something like motor oil? Or maybe fork oil?
Thanks,
Brent
Posted by: Max Factor---------------------
I usually just have a rag with some fork oil on it that I wipe down the 6" of legs closest the seal. Obviously don't want an excess, just enought to lube the wiper and seal on the first time they travel in.
I use a little caution with WD40 sometimes because I hear that it can negitively effect some rubbers and seals (?) I've never experienced this but I figure better to be safe than sorry.
Anyone actually know specifically what WD40 (or similar lube sprays) are actually supposed to harm?
Posted by: Smitty---------------------
Don't forget all seals quit leaking eventually..........when there is no oil left. http://dirtrider.net/ubb2/smile.gif
I use the camera film trick and Jeremy installed a grease called "liquid O-Ring" I believe behind the seals.
Posted by: kuchera89---------------------
i wrap electric tape around the lower fork leg and push down. the tape always comes out real nasty but it helped for a month or so. this kinda risky tho, the tape might not come out when you let up 
Posted by: trakkerman---------------------
I had problems with the conventional forks on my 96 KTM. After replacing seals twice over a six month period, I replaced them a third time and installed Seal Savers and haven't had a problem in the last year.
Text Version Home
vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2009,
Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.
vB Easy Archive Final ©2000 - 2009
- Created by Stefan "Xenon" Kaeser
