Replacing fork seals

[Twofeather]

Well, it is time to replace fork seal. I have read and watched all I can find on doing this job. According to what I have read I will not be getting the All-Balls kit. I'm going with the OEM kit. Now I say kit, but I have not found an all-in-one kit. Is there an all-in-one kit available? Do you guys know what parts I should replace. I feel like with the age of this bike I should replace all wearable parts, if I'm going to do it I might as well do it right. Any help would be much appreciated.

[hubcapsc]

I wish the manual was still on line somewhere... the wear parts are listed in it...

Here's a picture of them...



-Mike

[Gondul]

I wish the manual was still on line somewhere... the wear parts are listed in it...

Here's a picture of them...

-Mike

It is available... just need to know the work-arounds...


https://web.archive.org/web/20210507002851/http://valkyrienorway.com/1520manual/valkyriegl1500.zip

[Chrisj CMA]

I wish the manual was still on line somewhere... the wear parts are listed in it...

Here's a picture of them...

-Mike

It is available... just need to know the work-arounds...


https://web.archive.org/web/20210507002851/http://valkyrienorway.com/1520manual/valkyriegl1500.zip

The only work around I know of is that if you aren’t changing springs you can leave the internals alone and just separate the upper and lower change seals and bushings and put the two back together. Just replace what oil you lose taking it apart.

Also if you only remove one side at a time you don’t have to remove the fender

[RonW]

Twofeathers, there are 4 mandatory items for each fork (orange, below). Even though
the forks are different mechanically, the wear items are the same both sides.

21 & 28  are absolutely necessary. 21 is the fork seal set (oil seal & dust seal). 28 is a new
             o-ring for the fork cap.

9 & 10  are bushings. Only necessary if the bushings are worn. However, I doubt they're
            being manufactured any longer so you might buy them in case the oem stock runs out.



The items in Green are maybe items.

17  is a retainer ring for the oil seal ($5). It's only necessary if your retaining ring is rusted.
     On our inverted forks, water can't flow uphill and seep under the dust seal against gravity.
     But it's worth an inspection because moisture can still get trapped in there. On non-inverted
     forks any water that get under the dust seal puddles on top the oil seal below the dust seal
     and the retaining ring can rust out and loosened rust particles can damage the oil seal.

16  is a piston ring for the Right fork collar tube. It's nylon and $14.

26  is a washer some what like the banjo bolt washer. You only need it if you plan on removing the
      damper on the Right fork. I don't suggest doing that though because the damper is discontinued
      and if you screw up the damper, it's difficult to replace.

29  is those chrome buttons for the lower fork pinch bolts.

[Twofeather]

Thank you so much, exactly what I needed to know.
Should I replace the springs? This bike is getting pretty old, and I don't think the PO did much as far as maintenances goes. While I have it all apart, I want to replace all parts that are necessary, so I don't have to do it again anytime soon. I have never claimed to be a mechanic, but I have been doing my own work on all my vehicles and my bike is going to be no difference. You just can't trust anyone anymore. Thank you for all your help. There's no telling where I'd be without or help

[hubcapsc]

Should I replace the springs?

I would change to Progressive springs for sure. There's a giant
difference, and it is one I like. There are other choices too, but
with Progressive it is just a spring change.

-Mike

[RonW]

Re: Progressive springs

Make sure to inquire on how many oz to remove from the forks. That's based on 10wt oil. The Progressives are stiffer and otherwise the ride will be too harsh.

[longrider]

Opinions vary.  I installed progressives many years ago and wish I hadn’t.  Harsh ride even 2 oz short on oil.  Handling may have improved a bit though when I’m riding real hard in the corners

[hubcapsc]

I use the OEM amount of oil with my Progressive springs with great
success. For 90,000 miles. I rebuilt my forks when I got my bike
at the end of 2006 and again two Septembers ago. Oh yeah, and
one of them in the parking lot at InZane when I had a gooey
leak that was oozing onto my brake caliper.

Always by the manual, replacing the wear parts and filling the
cartridge.

I'm suspicious of other methods, especially since I've read so
many posts about harshness and leaving out oil.

-Mike

[Craig N. AZ]

I'm getting ready to replace my fork seals and lots more. I can't find an online tutorials on Valkyrie forks and the few fork videos are not very good. They don't cover both forks and the tools to do the job. Was just looking for a refresher on how to do it. I last did mine in 2006 and made the tools to do it. Maybe I'll attempt a video tutorial???? 

[RonW]

Another tutorial won't hurt.

Meanwhile these are the videos I'm aware of .....


Raymore Repair

(Left fork) https://youtu.be/DJfkO0iAZlw

(Right fork) https://youtu.be/Vcur--zo-XY


NorthStarRiders (VTX 1800 forks, internals are same as Valkyrie) 4 Parts

(Fork Seals Part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXZPzQqfAXc

[CoreyP]

Anyone do this?

https://traxxion.com/product/axxion-valve-upgrade/


I live not that far from these guys thinking of just riding the bike to them and having the front end up graded.

[hubcapsc]

Anyone do this?

https://traxxion.com/product/axxion-valve-upgrade/


I live not that far from these guys thinking of just riding the bike to them and having the front end up graded.

I did it for the 1800 and believe it would be a win for the 1500... They ditch the
internals of the Valkyrie forks and replace them with parts they machine there,
resulting in a true set of cartridge forks...

I wonder, though, about maintaining the forks into the future...

-Mike

[Craig N. AZ]

Thanks for posting the links.

[CoreyP]

Anyone do this?

https://traxxion.com/product/axxion-valve-upgrade/


I live not that far from these guys thinking of just riding the bike to them and having the front end up graded.

I did it for the 1800 and believe it would be a win for the 1500... They ditch the
internals of the Valkyrie forks and replace them with parts they machine there,
resulting in a true set of cartridge forks...

I wonder, though, about maintaining the forks into the future...

-Mike

Why do you wonder about the maintenance? Forks aren't something you normally service often?

I have a 2001 and I see no paper work about the forks ever being touched. I am going to touch them, LOL. I'm sure replacing the wear parts and fluid would be a good idea on 20 year old forks. If I'm going to do that it's time to up grade whatever.

[RonW]

Why do you wonder about the maintenance? Forks aren't something you normally service often?

Mike probably meant maintaining the traxxion if needed vrs the stock forks with its established procedures.

[hubcapsc]

Why do you wonder about the maintenance? Forks aren't something you normally service often?

Mike probably meant maintaining the traxxion if needed vrs the stock forks with its established procedures.

Yep... with Honda parts, we can look in the book and order parts number such and such (until they
become unavailable)...

With custom Traxxion parts, well... I don't really know what's in there... I bet
the fork seals are the same. Traxxion's machined cartridges might be hard to
"wear out". I'm not sure what all else is in there. They don't send out kits
except to "trained" people.

There's another brand (besides Progressive) of springs for Valkyries. They come with
several pages of directions and besides springs there's little shims and washers and
other assorted doodads in the package. I'd hate to pull my forks apart one day
and pour that stuff out on the floor and not have directions to put it back together...

If Traxxion is gone in five years and I have to tear in to my 1800 forks, I wonder
what I might find in there? Will the same Honda wear parts still be in there, or
did they get chucked out with the new parts Traxxion put in there?

I'm probably making too big a deal of it, but people who read my posts can
tell I like to follow the instructions in the manual  ... There's an amount
of Valkyrie folklore I have gathered and use - the methods I use to take the
rear wheel off, comes from here and watching Daniel Meyer, I don't take the
mufflers off (like the book says). I haven't been drawn to folklore methods
for the forks, though...

-Mike