David Offor
Registered
I finally got round to doing my leaking fork seal.
I’m guessing that this has been covered before but maybe my post could offer something new.
After watching a couple of YouTube videos, I decided that it was definitely doable but I did have to make a tool, to be able to hold the tube down, against the spring, to get to the locknut (see photos).
1. Remove forks.
2. Slacken off top nut, 30mm socket/spanner, it won’t be very tight.
3. Tip fork upside down and empty out old fluid into a measure container (Optional, as the new level, is measured at 98mm, after refilling, with new fluid).
4. Now using a tool, to force down the tube against the spring tension, slide in an appropriately gapped piece of metal, under the lock nut.
5.Using the 30mm socket/spanner and a 17mm spanner, crack off the locknut and then unscrew the 30mm piece, remove the thin rod and now remove the clamping tool and gapped piece of metal, remove spring and lay parts on a clean surface, in order of disassembly.
6. Upend the fork and empty out any remaining fluid, by sliding the internal plunger in and out.
Slide tube off of the stanchion.
7. Remove dust cover, remove seal retaining clip, remove old seal.
8. Fit new seal, clip and dust cover (I used one of the old seals, as a spacer, to knock in the new one, also, make sure new seal goes back in the same way, as the old one came out, otherwise it will leak).
9. Carefully slide stanchion into tube (a YouTube video showed someone using some thin plastic wrapped around the end of the stanchion and then sliding the tube on).
10. Slide tube all the way down the stanchion and add new oil the book says about 480ml (but that is quite a bit over, when measuring the 98mm), pump the internal slider up and down a few times, to expel any air, now, using a steel ruler, measure from the oil level, to the top of the tube, add or subtract oil, until the measurement is 98mm.
11. Add spring, tube, thin rod.
12. I found that by unscrewing the locknut, up the thread a bit, it was easier to push down the tube, with the special tool and get the gapped piece of metal under the locknut, once the spring is compressed, wind the locknut down and measure 11mm of thread showing.
13. Screw top 30mm piece back on and tighten against the locknut (doesn’t have to be really tight).
14. Remove tool and gapped piece from under the locknut, slide up external tube and screw back onto the top 30mm section.
15. Repeat on other fork.
16. Fit forks.
17. Fit wheel.
18. Ride bike.
19. Try not to crash
The tool I made worked a treat but took some time and I was lucky enough to have the correct materials, I’ve shown measurements in the photos and from what I saw in my Haynes Manual, there are other styles of tool, that will do the job or just borrow the proper one from someone.
I’m guessing that this has been covered before but maybe my post could offer something new.
After watching a couple of YouTube videos, I decided that it was definitely doable but I did have to make a tool, to be able to hold the tube down, against the spring, to get to the locknut (see photos).
1. Remove forks.
2. Slacken off top nut, 30mm socket/spanner, it won’t be very tight.
3. Tip fork upside down and empty out old fluid into a measure container (Optional, as the new level, is measured at 98mm, after refilling, with new fluid).
4. Now using a tool, to force down the tube against the spring tension, slide in an appropriately gapped piece of metal, under the lock nut.
5.Using the 30mm socket/spanner and a 17mm spanner, crack off the locknut and then unscrew the 30mm piece, remove the thin rod and now remove the clamping tool and gapped piece of metal, remove spring and lay parts on a clean surface, in order of disassembly.
6. Upend the fork and empty out any remaining fluid, by sliding the internal plunger in and out.
Slide tube off of the stanchion.
7. Remove dust cover, remove seal retaining clip, remove old seal.
8. Fit new seal, clip and dust cover (I used one of the old seals, as a spacer, to knock in the new one, also, make sure new seal goes back in the same way, as the old one came out, otherwise it will leak).
9. Carefully slide stanchion into tube (a YouTube video showed someone using some thin plastic wrapped around the end of the stanchion and then sliding the tube on).
10. Slide tube all the way down the stanchion and add new oil the book says about 480ml (but that is quite a bit over, when measuring the 98mm), pump the internal slider up and down a few times, to expel any air, now, using a steel ruler, measure from the oil level, to the top of the tube, add or subtract oil, until the measurement is 98mm.
11. Add spring, tube, thin rod.
12. I found that by unscrewing the locknut, up the thread a bit, it was easier to push down the tube, with the special tool and get the gapped piece of metal under the locknut, once the spring is compressed, wind the locknut down and measure 11mm of thread showing.
13. Screw top 30mm piece back on and tighten against the locknut (doesn’t have to be really tight).
14. Remove tool and gapped piece from under the locknut, slide up external tube and screw back onto the top 30mm section.
15. Repeat on other fork.
16. Fit forks.
17. Fit wheel.
18. Ride bike.
19. Try not to crash
The tool I made worked a treat but took some time and I was lucky enough to have the correct materials, I’ve shown measurements in the photos and from what I saw in my Haynes Manual, there are other styles of tool, that will do the job or just borrow the proper one from someone.
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