1985 LTD Front Fork Maintenance

[Rednaxs60]

Took the front forks off my '85 LTD this afternoon. Had read the service manuals, and browsed the internet for videos. Found all the information necessary and took up the challenge. A good video for this maintenance is:

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There have been a considerable number of threads in the various forums regarding changing fork oil, mostly about the oil weight, but about whether or not to do this maintenance. Friend of mine over on GWDocs, goes by the handle of SilverDave, has been corresponding with me about this.

He found that the service manuals recommended oil change anywhere from 3,000 Kms to 60,000 Kms. I submit that if you are getting into the 60,000 range, bushings, oil seal and dust seal are in the cards as well.

I had the suspension renewed/upgraded two years and 32,000 Kms ago. I looked at the invoice and it seems that only the upper bushing near the oil seal was replaced. The lower bushings (2 in number) were not. I noticed that the oil seal retaing clip is rusted so water is getting past the dust seal:

Will have to monitor this.

I have inspected the bushings and they are in need of replacement. The upper bushing external coating is worn off:

, and the lower 2 bushings have the inside coating worn off:

Here is where the lower bushings are installed on the upper shaft:

I had ordered the dust and oil seals and the guide bushing for each side, but now need the slider bushings for each side. Since I am going to look at the lower pipe and see how the Race Tech spring and gold valve emulators are installed, I have also ordered the piston rings for the lower pipe - just in case. These parts will be here late this week or early next, so until then, cleaning is the name of the game. Waiting on the Honda fork spring tool as well - should be here late this week, too old to have the Accident God(s) interrupting my work. Find I don't heal as fast as I used to.

More to follow. Cheers

[SilverDave]

What a great and organized Video ... From tool layout to all the re and re ...

well... I might have used a circlip pliers to remove the lock ring ..
.........and he seems a little too handy with a switchblade jacknife.( Minute 2:47 ) LOL.. but otherwise...

I did not exactly say that about the service manuals ... many of them give no interval at all.
I just noticed on reviewing many articles and net pages that some Wingers had widely various mileage intervals ... from 3000 up to " Never " in 2 decades ... LOL

or , as Greenspan once said :

<<<“ I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant”>>>

However it clearly shows that many of us never do this maintenance job ( Me too , up to 2013 )
==================
Many seal and bushing failures are clearly related to bugs and dirt on the chrome slider ... Hence the popularity of The Seal Doctor..... so don't ride near salt , or dust , or bugs ... LOL.
There are " Booties" available ... but the rubber accordion type are way to hard to install on a GL1200.

My '85 Wing cane with snap on Leatherette upper gators , which keep a lot of crap off the shiny parts . I have searched for a replacement set with no luck . ( after 30 years lhey still work but look rather sad .
If anyone has seen the type of snap on gators ... I want a pair !!


SilverDave