Fork Seal Install

[jkn7777]

Wing,
Do you have anything on fork seal replacement? I have an 82 Interstate that I need work on and any help this way would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, JKN

[WingAdmin]

Unfortunately (or should I say fortunately?) my forks are completely leak-free. Should this change, I'll of course document it. Perhaps someone else has done this and could offer assistance?

[tumunga]

I didn't document it, but I just replaced the seals and bushings in my forks yesterday. I believe I'm an expert at it now {still snickering after that one } since I've replaced the seals on the right fork 2 times (after installing the first replacement seal upside down) and the seal on the left fork one time, replaced the bushings in both forks, and installed progressive springs. It took me about 3 hours from start to finish. I probably could have finished a little quicker, but had to make a couple runs to the hardware store for tools and pvc pipe.

Here's a link to the instructions I used.

http://www.kichline.com/chuck/GoldWing/ ... efault.htm

I lifted my bike with a floor jack, and put a car stand under each engine guard close to the front of the bike. Nice and solid, and you shouldn't have to strap the bike up like his instructions say.

He says you don't have to pull the forks in his instructions, but I think it's easier with the forks off, plus once you have the tire and fender off, the forks come off the bike pretty easy, Loosen 4 bolts (1 on the upper part of the triple tree, 2 on the bottom, and one where the fairing weight mounts to the fork tube). Make sure you put the seal in with the writing on the seal facing the top of the tube. It will leak like a sieve if you put it in upside down. Tap it down easy with pvc pipe. I lubed my seals with ATF to help with the installation.

Good Luck!

[joeandjo68]

I agree that it is much easier to take the forks out. When we did mine we did them first leaving them on the bike. It is possible, but we made a mistake the first time and when we did it over we took them out. I was much easier with the forks out.Good luck!

[tumunga]

I just finished re-repairing the seal on my right fork. Piece of cake.

After I finished, the air valve on top of that fork started leaking fork fluid from it. I thought about just running a bolt in it since I don't run air in them anymore because of the progressive springs, but I thought better of it.

I pulled the valve apart, put a new core in the air valve, and replaced the o-rings (one on each side of the air hose connecting the 2 fork tubes, and one on the air valve). I got the rings from a Harbor Freight o-ring kit. The old rings were hard and stiff from years of work.

The new o-rings sealed it up like a glove, now the forks should have another 30 years or so left in 'em...i bet.

[dummysales]

I'm in the middle of replacing the seals on my 83 Aspencade. I've ordered the seals, but have to look at the condition of the lower bushings before installing everything. One tip I used on my '70 CB750 fork seals is to use a steel pipe nipple. I can see where the PVC pipe may be smoother on the seal end for driving it home. The steel pipe nipple had enough weight to use it like a slide hammer to seat the 750 seals. I'll have to look at the size of the wing seals. Might have to buy a piece of PVC. Thanks for that tip.

The one thing I do have trouble with is the air system reducer I had to pull out in order to get the fork tubes down out of the triple trees. It's the one that sits almost perpendicular to the fork and has a ten mm nut. Someone else buggered the nut to the point I had to use a chisel to turn it loose. Wasn't enough room for any of my vice grips or pliers to get around the reducer. Anyone know of a place where I can buy a reducer to put back in? I haven't found a micro fiche file for a part number, either.