New Video - Fork Seal Removal and Replacement

[tomk1960]

Just released a little earlier this evening, my newest YouTube how-to video covers fork seal removal and replacement. My technique is simple and doesn't call for a lot of expensive specialty tools, so hopefully it will motivate the first-timer to take on the job.

I've been wanting to do this video for a while, so when it was time to do the fork seals on my VF750F recently, the timing was perfect. Note that this technique works with the later model GL's that have lower fork bushes. I plan to do another video in the future that will cover the somewhat more tedious task of seal removal on the early model bikes.

Special thanks to Jordan for another outstanding job with lights, sound, video, and editing. My son Joey helped behind the second camera and wrote and performed the blues tune heard at the beginning and end of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzJ8JgLtgk0

[Whiskerfish]

Folgers cans are great!!

You shop is way to clean

[tomk1960]

Folgers cans are great!!

You shop is way to clean

Not as clean as you think. I neaten things up before we do a video, but look closely in the background and you'll see stuff scattered about. I clean and organize once a year if I'm lucky and it stays that way until the minute I start working on something. From there it's all downhill and I ask myself why I even bother...

[Casper]

Good Video, thanks.

[Roady]

Another great vid. Very useful and bound for the ShopTalk page.

[ericheath]

Great to heah the sounds of home again... )

[Sidecar Bob]

At first I thought you had the tools laid out on the kitchen counter My workbench is an old kitchen counter and it never looks that good

I don't want to sound overly critical but I do things a little differently:
1) Loosen the cap before removing the leg from the triple clamps but don't remove it. Most of the ones I have done would not have come loose if I didn't.
2) If you loosen the bolt in the bottom before removing the cap you don't need that air impact gun that most first timers would consider an "expensive specialty tool".
3) I find that bent end snap ring pliers reach into the recess better, block the view of what you are doing less and are less likely to mar the tube.
4) I guess you could make an argument that dish detergent and water is "greener" but mineral spirits will remove more gunge, evaporates faster and, if you don't get it all out, will contaminate the fresh oil less.
5) It's a matter of preference but I like to spread old newspapers over my workbench and do the whole job standing up.
6) I have never used threadlocker on the bolt at the bottom. I have never had one come loose, it is easier to get them out the next time and you can add the oil right away.

[rcmatt007]

that way worked on my cx500, but, if I recall, you cannot use the slider to pop out a gl1000 seal from the fork lower

[tomk1960]

At first I thought you had the tools laid out on the kitchen counter My workbench is an old kitchen counter and it never looks that good

I don't want to sound overly critical but I do things a little differently:
1) Loosen the cap before removing the leg from the triple clamps but don't remove it. Most of the ones I have done would not have come loose if I didn't.
2) If you loosen the bolt in the bottom before removing the cap you don't need that air impact gun that most first timers would consider an "expensive specialty tool".
3) I find that bent end snap ring pliers reach into the recess better, block the view of what you are doing less and are less likely to mar the tube.
4) I guess you could make an argument that dish detergent and water is "greener" but mineral spirits will remove more gunge, evaporates faster and, if you don't get it all out, will contaminate the fresh oil less.
5) It's a matter of preference but I like to spread old newspapers over my workbench and do the whole job standing up.
6) I have never used threadlocker on the bolt at the bottom. I have never had one come loose, it is easier to get them out the next time and you can add the oil right away.

All good points, which proves that there's more than one way to skin a cat. In the case of #2, I've had the Allen bolt spin with a regular socket - even with the spring and cap in place. Not always, but after it happened once or twice, I decided that the impact wrench was the way to go. There are inexpensive electric impact wrenches available for those not having a compressor readily available.

that way worked on my cx500, but, if I recall, you cannot use the slider to pop out a gl1000 seal from the fork lower

That is correct. I mention at the end of the video that the earlier bikes don't have the benefit of the lower fork bush to help pop the seal. I plan to do another video covering the different way those seals are removed in the next 2-3 months when I rebuild the forks on my '78 GL1000.

[rcmatt007]

I was at work and did not have the sound on. A vid on getting gl1000 seals out would be great

[tomk1960]

I was at work and did not have the sound on. A vid on getting gl1000 seals out would be great

Well you're just going to have to watch it again with the sounc on so you can hear my son playing his Fender Stratocaster!

[Casper]

That was your Son on a Strat?, that makes the Video just so much better.

Cheers

[Sidecar Bob]

In the case of #2, I've had the Allen bolt spin with a regular socket - even with the spring and cap in place. Not always, but after it happened once or twice, I decided that the impact wrench was the way to go. There are inexpensive electric impact wrenches available for those not having a compressor readily available.

Maybe beginners have more money for power tools these days or the tools are cheaper I kept my bikes running on a shoestring budget for a couple of decades. I managed to budget for a compressor because it would pay for itself by letting me change my own tires but with no tank it wouldn't have been very good for air tools anyway. I doubt if I could have found the cash for an electric impact gun either (if they were even available then). I have always used an ordinary hex key and if I couldn't turn it or it wouldn't come loose I found that hitting the key with a hammer a few times could usually break the bolt free.

I bought a compressor with a tank a few years ago that came with a bunch of air tools (all for about what the first one cost a couple of decades earlier). I do use the air impact gun for a few jobs like undoing the nuts when I put the snow tires on the car, b but I still use an ordinary hex key when I do forks.

BTW: I forgot to mention that I usually let most of the old oil out by removing the drain screws before I remove the caps too so it isn't as messy a job.

Anyway, it was a much better video than I could make and the fact that your son provided the music as well as running the camera is very cool

[rcmatt007]

I am kinda thinking the impact driver gives that sudden "oomph" that loosens it before it can dissipate all its energy... good idea

[Sidecar Bob]

Each impact of the gun is like hitting the key with the hammer. The idea is to make it move before the force overcomes the inertia of the part it is screwed into. An impact gun is more efficient at that but it costs a lot more and there is always the temptation to use it for doing things up and the chance that you won't turn the force to minimum first.

As I said before, I got into the habit of loosening them with a regular hex key (& occasionally a hammer) over a couple of decades so it doesn't even occur to me to dig out the rattle gun until after the job is done.