Fork seal replacement tools?

[MikeGraziosi]

What specialty tools do I really need? I watched the YouTube Delboy's garage video for R&R of the seal for a Kawi. I also have the busa service manual. The tools listed (Suzuki part numbers) are (1) fork spacer holder, PN 09940-94930 - $95.99; (2) stopper plate, PN 09940-94922 - $45.70; (3) fork assembling tool, PN 09940-30221 $154.38; (4) inner rod holder, PN 09913-50121 $47.29. Ridiculous prices are from alpha-sports.com. I know I need the fork seal driver but what other tools are really needed. I'm a home mechanic but do much of the work myself. Forks are already removed and awaiting disassembly so I welcome any suggestions.

 

[Zerks]

What specialty tools do I really need? I watched the YouTube Delboy's garage video for R&R of the seal for a Kawi. I also have the busa service manual. The tools listed (Suzuki part numbers) are (1) fork spacer holder, PN 09940-94930 - $95.99; (2) stopper plate, PN 09940-94922 - $45.70; (3) fork assembling tool, PN 09940-30221 $154.38; (4) inner rod holder, PN 09913-50121 $47.29. Ridiculous prices are from alpha-sports.com. I know I need the fork seal driver but what other tools are really needed. I'm a home mechanic but do much of the work myself. Forks are already removed and awaiting disassembly so I welcome any suggestions.

Like you, I also work on my own motorcycles. Some time ago I replaced both seals on my 05 Gen 1 and when finished it worked out just fine. I didn't have any of the special tools used to perform that maintenance repair. Fast forward to last year and my 1400 Concours needed a seal and once one seal goes I always replace both at the same time and throughly inspect all the critical surface areas. After reading the Concours shop manual for the tools required to change those seals I decided to take the forks to a local shop where they could perform the repair. It cost me about $190 to get it done. When I picked them up we talked about the details of fork seal replacement and I told them I did the job on my Busa several years ago. The mechanic then asked me... why didn't you do these fork seals yourself? I said it was because I didn't have the tools detailed in the shop manual to do the repair. The mechanic replied... the Concours fork seal replacement is pretty similar to the Busa fork seals you did.
Oh well... live and learn.
I don't remember any specific details to share with you about how to do it. It would be like a new experience for me to do it again. I simply look at the details written out in the shop manual as well as the exploded view of the parts involved and figure it out as I go.

 

[sixpack577]

Motion-Pro tools should be cheaper.

 

[HayaWakened]

You can pull the tubes apart without any tools via the hex at the bottom of the fork and that'll get you access to the seals. But to pump all the oil out of the inner tube assembly (I mean to do it right), you'll need some of the gear (fork compressor, at least)

EDIT: for a Gen 2

 

[sixpack577]

You can pull the tubes apart without any tools via the hex at the bottom of the fork and that'll get you access to the seals. But to pump all the oil out of the inner tube assembly (I mean to do it right), you'll need some of the gear (fork compressor, at least)

EDIT: for a Gen 2

and a gen1
and most any bike with that style fork.

Not a gen3

 

[HayaWakened]

The Vstrom 1000 (gen 2) has no hex at the bottom. Only way to pull the tubes and replace the seals is one of those expensive tools - a tube thing that looks like a rook from a chess set that locks into a nut/fastener on the inner tube rod assembly so it may be unscrewed, at which point you can pull 'em apart. This is how the two tube-sections of the fork are held together. Only way to replace the seals on this bike

 

[sixpack577]

I miss the ease of the old standard forks(but not their performance).
The only specialty tool needed was a piece of pvc pipe to drive the seals, lol.

 

[Bumblebee]

I miss the ease of the old standard forks(but not their performance).
The only specialty tool needed was a piece of pvc pipe to drive the seals, lol.

We used to race on those old style forks and to be honest, for 99% of what most people ride like, they are all a person needs...

Put an average person on a bike with inverted forks and the old style forks and most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

 

[sixpack577]

We used to race on those old style forks and to be honest, for 99% of what most people ride like, they are all a person needs...

Put an average person on a bike with inverted forks and the old style forks and most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Yeah, they performed well, but usually a wider and finer range of adjustment on the inverted forks.

 

[Bumblebee]

Yeah, they performed well, but usually a wider and finer range of adjustment on the inverted forks.

In most cases..just by reading this forum I can see there are a few suspension gurus....but lots of people who aren't.

I've upgraded my suspension pretty much only because I'm over 220 in gear.

 

[sixpack577]

In most cases..just by reading this forum I can see there are a few suspension gurus....but lots of people who aren't.

I've upgraded my suspension pretty much only because I'm over 220 in gear.

...and because you know suspension, and the importance if you want any type of control.

 

[Bumblebee]

...and because you know suspension, and the importance if you want any type of control.

Suspension is often overlooked.

Even the older conventional system had to be properly dialed in. If you work your bike hard, suspension gets hot and loses a bit of feel just like the brakes do.

I sure remember the spindly little front forks on my race bike....and how they'd get hot and I'd get suspension fade. After a hard race in the summer, if you were to feel the fork stanchions, they get hot.

 

[sixpack577]

Suspension is often overlooked.

Even the older conventional system had to be properly dialed in. If you work your bike hard, suspension gets hot and loses a bit of feel just like the brakes do.

I sure remember the spindly little front forks on my race bike....and how they'd get hot and I'd get suspension fade. After a hard race in the summer, if you were to feel the fork stanchions, they get hot.

Yeah, definately, I've stopped to add a click of C or R on hot days, after ripping around for a little while.
It's bad that so many people miss out on better handling.
I've 'roadside tuned' many a suspension for guys that didn't know, and wanted me to show them. No measuring, just by feel.
Their astonishment after is always priceless, lol, and then I tell them...it can be alot better than that too.

 

[Berlin Germany]

@MikeGraziosi

here at my homepage you can find pics of the necessary tools for the fork
and some pics of the job itself.

hope it may help a bit

but please get first the manual for all the torques
thatfor see here :-)
gen 1

gen 2

 

[dave s]

How many hours would a shop charge for complete fork seal replacement job start to finish

 

[sixpack577]

How many hours would a shop charge for complete fork seal replacement job start to finish

2 hours, 3 tops.
A standard inverted fork like a gen1, 2, or 3 has is pretty simple, and does not take very long to do.
There is a dealer flat-rate charge of how many hours that job pays the tech, but I'm not sure where to find that.
That rate is set too, the time allowed will always be the same...only the cost per hour will continue to rise.
lol

 

[dave s]

Is it wise to do both sides or can you get away with the seal that is leaking

 

[wreckwriter]

Is it wise to do both sides or can you get away with the seal that is leaking

Do both

 

[sixpack577]

This^
Or, just fix one...then the other will start leaking, lol (it really will), but, more importantly, fork oil breaks down and needs changed as regular maintenance, so it is best to keep both forks performing at the same level anyway.

 

[dave s]

Ok both it is thanks