Gryphon Rider
Member
Posts: 5227
2000 Tourer
Calgary, Alberta
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« on: November 06, 2021, 07:36:49 PM » |
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Does anyone have a Seal Mate fork seal cleaner and some calipers or a micrometer to measure the thickness of it? I'm gonna make my own from a plastic report cover, and I'm curious how close in thickness it is to the Seal Mate branded tool. Yes, I know it can be made from other things too, like playing cards, camera film, milk jugs, plastic Coke bottles, blister pack packaging, etc.  |
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2021, 08:39:44 PM » |
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I think people have made one from a milk jug which is likely thicker than the sealmate.
My experience from cleaning my forks 15 times was that the old parts were pretty easy to penetrate.
The hard part is getting fork oil on your hands and trying to keep purchase on the sealmate while working it around.
The stiffer the home made tool the better.
A pair of those rubber grippy work gloves or even nitriles will also help.
Remember to bounce the forks hard after each clean. And it's easier if you take off the fork covers. I used a small 1/4" socket on top and a box wrench on the bottom bolts (or visa versa).
I never used one, but that Fork Doctor looks like a much better tool.
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RonW
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« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2021, 10:14:05 PM » |
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I used Seal Doctor the 35mm-45mm size and it tore up my seals. Maybe the seals were stiff etc., but I suspect the tool diameter was the reason. If you buy Seal Doctor, get the larger size (45mm-55mm). Btw, what is the diameter of the fork tubes. I just can't find the diameter in the manual.  |
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2000 Valkyrie Tourer
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hubcapsc
Member
Posts: 16770
upstate
South Carolina
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« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2021, 04:03:58 AM » |
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0.016 in  |
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Valkorado
Member
Posts: 10491
VRCC DS 0242
Gunnison, Colorado (7,703') Here there be twisties.
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« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2021, 04:40:12 AM » |
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I used Seal Doctor the 35mm-45mm size and it tore up my seals. Maybe the seals were stiff etc., but I suspect the tool diameter was the reason. If you buy Seal Doctor, get the larger size (45mm-55mm). Btw, what is the diameter of the fork tubes. I just can't find the diameter in the manual. The bigger one works great and won't damage your seals.  |
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Have you ever noticed when you're feeling really good, there's always a pigeon that'll come sh!t on your hood? - John Prine 97 Tourer "Silver Bullet" 01 Interstate "Ruby"  |
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pancho
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« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2021, 05:02:45 AM » |
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Btw, what is the diameter of the fork tubes.I get 45mm 
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The most expensive things you will purchase, are those things you would not have needed if you had listened and obeyed.
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Gryphon Rider
Member
Posts: 5227
2000 Tourer
Calgary, Alberta
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« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2021, 01:32:55 PM » |
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Thanks to all who replied, especially hubcapsc for the measurement I needed. My material measures 0.020”, which should work fine. I measured my Seal Doctor at 0.035”, but because I bought the model sized for my Valkyrie forks, it won’t work on my dirt bikes.
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RonW
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« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2021, 05:54:42 PM » |
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thanks! ..... I get 45mm |
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« Last Edit: November 07, 2021, 05:58:07 PM by RonW »
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2000 Valkyrie Tourer
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Kep
Member
Posts: 479
My "Mid-life Crisis "
Indiana
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« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2021, 07:22:06 PM » |
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I used the seal mate and the seal doctor.......seal doctor is the real deal , got another 10,000 miles before I had to replace my fork seals.
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shavdog
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« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2021, 06:42:15 PM » |
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I just used Sealmate today on the right fork....you need to take the chrome protector cover off so you can do a 360 with the tool...the protector comes off with two nuts 10mm wrench..easy....after running it around a few times, bounce the frontend to reset the seal...I did the same thing a few yrs ago on a different Valkyrie....best $10 dollars I have spent....  |
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Ken Tarver
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« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2021, 11:05:34 AM » |
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made 1 from root beer bottle, and 1 from mountain dew bottle, I like the mtn dew green better  |
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hueco
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« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2021, 08:37:48 PM » |
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Make your own. Buy one. Which is what I did. If forks seals are leaking. Using a seal cleaner is just a stop leak. No pun intended. Replace seals. Because they need replacing if they are leaking.
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pancho
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« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2021, 03:12:21 AM » |
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Make your own. Buy one. Which is what I did. If forks seals are leaking. Using a seal cleaner is just a stop leak. No pun intended. Replace seals. Because they need replacing if they are leaking.
That may be the case at times, but not all the time. The seal mate type tools were developed to remove a piece of debris (many times originating from inside the hydraulic fork unit) that has become lodged in the seal and keeping it from sealing perfectly to the tube. If the debris can be removed before the seal is damaged or the tube is irreparably scratched, that is a permanent repair. When you get a leak, the seal mate is the first line of defense and should be tried immediately. You won't know if it is repaired until after the procedure is done, some times it takes more than one attempt to remove the obstruction as they can become lodged between the ridges of the seal. To jump right in and replace the seals when a leak develops, is like replacing the shocks when the bushings go bad. |
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« Last Edit: November 19, 2021, 03:16:46 AM by pancho »
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The most expensive things you will purchase, are those things you would not have needed if you had listened and obeyed.
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h13man
Member
Posts: 1745
To everything there is an exception.
Indiana NW Central Flatlands
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« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2021, 06:39:39 AM » |
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I used the Seal Doc and it slowed the leaking down but I'm still running 22 yr. old seals. New ones are on the bench waiting for spring fork rebuild.The Seal Doc the right size is well designed to remove debris to the outside of the tool as it makes its movement around the forks. And yes you have remove the fork shields to use this tool properly. Another trick is using 35mm film as a tool.
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