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VegasF6
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« on: March 22, 2012, 05:26:48 PM » |
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Hello again.
The seals started leaking on my 98 valk awhile ago, I would guess maybe 8 or 9 months. I rode it a few times afterward, actually seemed to ride fine. But, then they started to get worse. So, I really didn't want to do this myself. Instead I found a guy through Craigslist, local mechanic works out of house. Very friendly and seemed pretty knowledgeable. Said he had done many VTX forks (not sure about other Valks) and had the tools and all, and offered me a very good price.
So I supplied the oil and dust seals and fork seals from all balls. Said he had used these in the past as well. Well anyhow, he finished the job, I picked it up with my trailer and brought it home just in time for a 500 mile ride I had planned that weekend. Forks started leaking again. Once I got it home and parked it in the garage, I would wipe it down and just sitting there in a day or two a small puddle would be caught on the wheel. Oh FYI it was always the right side. It was the right side when I originally brought it to him and the right side after he worked on it. So, called him up, explained the problem, nice as could be he said he would guarantee his work.
So, swung by and he pried off the dust boot and looked up with a flashlight and said it looked to him like it wasn't quite sealing right to one side, almost like the seal was out of round or the fork was bent. Asked if I had ever had a collision with the bike. Well, nothing serious, I did have a small get off in the garage one night after a beer or 6. But that was years and years ago and no apparent damage at that time so I hesitate to attribute it to that.
So, in went new fork seals he picked up local somewhere don't know the brand, and new oil, and called it good. Well, it's still leaking. Not anywhere near as much as before, but after a ride there is a definite ring of oil on the fork and a small drop or two on the brake caliper. I haven't bothered to call him back again.
Where do I go from here? What things do I look for? Besides just replacing the seals again I mean. I literally didn't think of it until just now, but I didn't have the bushings replaced, only the seals. I suppose that could be the problem? Short of that, I am not sure how I would go about measuring runout on any of the hard parts.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
P.S. bikes only got 20,000 miles on it, but it was original seals and oil and such until just a few months ago, so that stuff was like 14 years old.
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hubcapsc
Member
Posts: 16789
upstate
South Carolina
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« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2012, 05:43:16 PM » |
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Howdy... if you don't find it to be something else, try some OEM
fork seals...
-Mike
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macdoesit
Guest
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« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2012, 05:44:57 PM » |
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Replaced mine few weeks ago first timer. Replaced bushings and seals, for a couple days was getting a little oil on finger when I would feel around dust seal after rideing. Wiped it down rode a few more times it quit leaking. I think since video said to apply a lot of oil to all seals before install it was just run off from the dust seal, at least it was with mine.
Go to search look this up
Re: I changed my left fork seal and it was easy
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« Last Edit: March 22, 2012, 05:50:23 PM by Woodwizard »
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VegasF6
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« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2012, 05:49:44 PM » |
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Oh hadn't seen the video, thanks.
I broke down and called the guy, he said he measured the bushings and they were within spec, measured the fork tube and pipe, said they were fine, somethings not adding up. Before I spend almost 800 bucks on new tube and pipe I am thinking I will do the bushings anyway and oem seals. Have them in my cart already at HDLparts.
Oh yah, he didn't seem too excited to hear from me, lol.
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Jeff K
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« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2012, 06:10:26 PM » |
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I had problems with fork seals leaking. I'd replace them and within a few weeks they'd be leaking again.
I found that there were light scratches running up and down the tubes, just barely enough to catch a fingernail on. I had a spare set of tubes I replaced just the upper tubes and now they are fine. On my Gl1000 I had the same thing going on and chucked them up in the lathe and polished them up a bit and they are now ok.
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VegasF6
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« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2012, 08:05:09 PM » |
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Do you mean the outer tube or the inner pipe part? Can you be a little more specific how you polished them? Just a rubbing compound and a cloth or you actually used a cutting tool?
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Grumpy
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« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2012, 09:44:56 PM » |
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replace the slider bushings, they center the fork in the seal. If they are worn you are throwing money away by just replacing the seals. Personally I always replace them together, new bushings and seals.
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 Life is like a hot bath. It feels good while you’re in it, but the longer you stay in, the more wrinkled you get. |
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longrider
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« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2012, 09:57:00 PM » |
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If the seal is just weeping I'd ride it for a few hundres miles before I would replace again. Nothing to lose. It may seat .
warren
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RonW
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« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2012, 10:19:45 PM » |
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NorthStar Riders has a 4-part video on replacing VTX 1800 Fork Seals, best found here.
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2000 Valkyrie Tourer
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Jeff K
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« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2012, 10:48:32 PM » |
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Do you mean the outer tube or the inner pipe part? Can you be a little more specific how you polished them? Just a rubbing compound and a cloth or you actually used a cutting tool?
I used crocus cloth. |
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9Ball
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« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2012, 04:21:16 AM » |
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Make sure they are installed in the correct orientation....since these are inverted forks.
There have been quite a few examples of guys installing the fork seals upside down.
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VRCC #6897, Joined May, 2000
1999 Standard
2007 Rocket 3
2005 VTX 1300S
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Dodis
Member
Posts: 251
'98 Blue & Cream
Texas City, TX
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« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2012, 08:28:43 AM » |
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VegasF6, One problem I had with my fork seals was not getting them seated properly. I had made the PVC seal tool from the tech archives, but using the bottom of the fork as a slide hammer wasn't doing it. I finally made a simple press out of scrap lumber and the seal snapped right in, no leaks since. I also had closely inspected the tube for scratches, nicks, etc., nothing. Polished with some 1500 & 2000 emery paper just in case, still leaked till I made the press. Here is a link to the thread where I posted a sketch of the press. http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,29980.msg324952.html#msg324952And if worst case, since I also had already ordered a brnad new replacement tube, I still have it on the shelf if you need it, for my cost (was about $175). Mike "Dodis" |
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VRCC# 27132
mr_dodis(a)yahoo.com
DS#513 GY-TT 205/60 (still waiting for my cookie!)
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roadmap
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« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2012, 09:38:54 PM » |
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did you by chance put in new progressive springs. if you did i bet your putting to much fluid in the tubes. oem standards you can throw out because it changes you have to use 2 oz. less the the lowest amount for the tubes
man speaking from exp. it is also in the archives were i found this out. i went through 3 sets of seals did not have a leak till i upgraded
if you upgraded to progressive springs use less (2 oz.) fluid if your pipes are not bent i bet this is your problem it happened to allot of members over the years mine is a 1997 early
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hubcapsc
Member
Posts: 16789
upstate
South Carolina
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« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2012, 05:28:13 AM » |
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did you by chance put in new progressive springs. if you did i bet your putting to much fluid in the tubes. oem standards you can throw out because it changes you have to use 2 oz. less the the lowest amount for the tubes
man speaking from exp. it is also in the archives were i found this out. i went through 3 sets of seals did not have a leak till i upgraded
if you upgraded to progressive springs use less (2 oz.) fluid if your pipes are not bent i bet this is your problem it happened to allot of members over the years mine is a 1997 early
Just as another data point, I have progressive springs... I used the shop manual as a guide to rebuild my forks, and filled the tubes exactly as it says there... the shop manual indicates all the "wear items" (the bushings and stuff), so I had all the wear items on hand... I changed out all the ones that showed wear (I wonder why I didn't just change them all out?  ) My forks have been great for the last 40,000 miles, still going strong... Changing out all the worn stuff, and not just the seals, seems to help ensure success... -Mike |
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VegasF6
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« Reply #15 on: March 24, 2012, 09:21:52 AM » |
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Well I didn't really do it by choice, I kind of forgot all about the bushings. Remeber I didn't do the work. I thought how nice it would be to just pay someone to take care of it and not have to worry about it.
And yes, as a matter of fact I did put in Progressive springs at the same time Roadmap. That's a very useful tip, thanks! So do you fill the forks by volume of oil or do you measure the distance from the top of the fork tube? If by volume, maybe that's what happened, too much oil.
Lot's of good tips coming in guys I sure appreciate them!
VegasF6
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