What the Fork!!!

[YoungPUP]

So I bought my '99 Std in May of '10 with a leaking left fork seal.  Had both seals replaced with OEM and bushings by a local M/C wrench.  4 mos. later the right one is leaking. Had a friend replace them both again this time with All Balls. reused the 4 month old bushings.  Made it through the '11 season, and while up on jackstands for winter(ish) repairs, the left one started leaking again. What the fork is going on here?  I don't think that Honda intended for this to be part of the yearly maint...   Since it looks like I need to do this yet again, maybe I can find someone in the North-ish,  West-ish part of Indiana to guide me through this for my first time.

[Daniel Meyer]

Installation is tricky and picky...proper cleaning of the tubes, no pits...you still have the gravel shields?



The bag trick here? Needed to keep from damaging the new seals getting them on the tubes and more importantly, past the bushing groove...

[YoungPUP]

Gravel shields are still there. and no pits that i can see on the sliders.  Just not sure if this is something that I want to tear into unsupervised.   

[Hook#3287]

I've done this 4 times, twice on 1 bike and 1 each on the others.   The first time I had a leak after riding two up for the first time.  I feel I had not paid correct attention to the refilling fluid levels and when the extra weight was put on, the pressure was to much.  Maybe not, but I'm going with it.

Anyways, no problems with the other three times, when I followed the service book to the letter.

Any scratches on the down tubes?

[YoungPUP]

No scratches that I can see/feel.  What burns me is that they were fine all season and didn't start leaking till sitting up on stands for several weeks.

[Hook#3287]

didn't start leaking till sitting up on stands for several weeks

???
That's a hint.  Just don't know what too.   Yet.

[YoungPUP]

Rode it til parked in Jan.  Put it up on stands about the middle of Feb. for a new front tire.  Put it all back together, re pulled the front wheel to paint it, and it started leaking when the wheel was off.

[Hook#3287]

Is it possible the seals dried out from non use?  I'd try the 35mm film trick and put it back together and hope it worked.

[JetDriver]

Some have reported getting leaks after having the front wheel in the air for long periods of time.  That happened to me, on the right one.

[Steve K (IA)]

Here's the $64,000 question.  Are you sure the oil seals were put in correctly?  I'm not the only one who have put the oil seals in upside down.    The bevel on the oil seal should point down/outwards from the upper tube it is pressed into.

This sounds like what the problem is.

[JetDriver]

Take a look at these.  My manual, these vids, and lots of time- mine came out ok.

VTX 1800 Fork Seals Part 1.wmv
VTX 1800 Fork Seals Part 2 NSR Tech.wmv
VTX 1800 Fork Seals Part 3 NSR Tech
VTX 1800 Fork Seals Part 4 NSR Tech.wmv

[Jess from VA]

Just not sure if this is something that I want to tear into unsupervised.

Me either.  (A good man knows his limitations)  LOL  

There's also one or two special tools needed for a rebuild (which these guys have made out of PVC and ducktape)

When I get to mine, I'm pulling them and taking them to an ace wrench who will rebuild with ALL new wear parts for a Franklin  (parts not included - appx $130).  

Unsupervised, I'm pretty sure I can pull and replace the forks on an IS, but I know I will FUBAR an attempted rebuild.  

At least try the film negative cleanout.... it may be that while sitting up in the air, some crud slipped down on the seal while there was no pressure on the fork.  I reduced a leak down to a few drops per all-day ride using the film trick.

[R J]

Those forks do not like to be stretched out for long period of time.

I'd take it off the stands and ride it, see if it stops leaking.


My Chey Trike will leak on the stand in 4 days.   Take it off the stands and it will dry up in 4 or 5 days.

[Slick]

My left one started seeping, and I did the film trick- worked like a charm- so far

[YoungPUP]

So far so good. Took a 100mile ride to the hardware store thats 5 miles from my house(hate it when that happens), and then today got in a 50miler on my way home from work (thats only 15 miles away) and it seems to be behaving for now. Hopefully she was just upset from sitting on jacks for a few weeks.  Ordered new seals and bushings from HDL just incase it blows out completely.  Also talked one of my club brothers into teaching me how for 2 cases of beer. Here's hopeing for the best....

[Red Diamond]

Good try, my 2K Tourer started to leak on the right. Decided to take it out for a ride anyway, while riding about 50 MPH, I pumped the front brake hard and made it dive about 5 times. The seal quit leaking, that was 5 day ago.

[Phil57]

Last year mine leaked left side. I had the dealer replace them but I always wondered if all the polishing I did on the front forks had anything to do with it. I was not carefull about getting the polish on the tubes. I used some aggresive compound and very fine sand paper to remove some scratches. Could that cause a leak?

[art]

For the amount of money that the dealer charges there is not anything I would not tackle on my valk.Iwould even pull the engine apart.I know some people do not have the mechanical ability to do that and must pay to have someone else do it and that is ok if a person can afford it.Its funny but just today I went to the Dr. for a check up due to sore hands an he asked me what I did for a living .I told him I was a machinist and had a lathe at home.He asked me whats a lathe.I thought that was kind of funny but then again he is a doctor and he knows a lot of things that I don't know

[Kylenav]

+1 on seals being installed backwards.  Had my perfectly fine seals replaced before my ride out west...  700 miles into a 7K mile trip my right one started leaking, not a slow leak either.  Limped to a honda dealer in Alabama with two rags zip tied on my fork tube to help keep the fluid off my brake rotor, turns out it's harder to stop with a rotor covered in slimy oil..  He found the seal in backwards but didn't have enough time to do the other side, which wasn't leaking yet.  Went another 500 miles and low and behold the left one started leaking.  Another dealer and another seal and backup ring installed incorrectly.  Make the tools, give your buddy 10 cases of beer and do it yourself

[Ricky-D]

The lip of an oil seal faces towards the oiled side.  The smooth side of the seal towards the air.

I don't know what you all are talking about but I think you got it wrong.

Maybe it's being confused with the dust seal.

***

[chrise2469]

The lip of an oil seal faces towards the oiled side.  The smooth side of the seal towards the air.

I don't know what you all are talking about but I think you got it wrong.

Maybe it's being confused with the dust seal.

***

I haven't attempted this yet, but from what I understand there is either a down arrow or this end down on the seal.  If you do this on the valk with the indicator down, it's upside because the forks are inverted.

[DFragn]

TRY this first.
Cheap
Fast

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0395/

[BonS]

TRY this first.
Cheap
Fast

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0395/

Used the Seal Mate this week. Easy to use. You have to remove the chrome fork cover to get enough room to work. Two bolts from inside the fender is all it takes. I did it with the wheel in place. Just wipe the fork tube clean and pry the dust seal down and out of the way. The Seal Mate slips easily under and up into the fork oil seal. Then slide it all the way around around the tube. Extract the Seal Mate while still sliding around. I'm not convinced that my seal problems are fixed but if your leak is due to debris then this should fix you right up.

[larswlvs]

I used the seal mates yesterday.I took my front fender off and re-glued the rubber pieces that were inside it.When putting the dust seal back on I filled it with silicone grease..that should act as a barrier for anything that gets on the fork tubes. I hope!The forks were compressed over 50 times and after a short ride no leaks.

[YoungPUP]

Update!  Went out this morning and found a large amount of oil on the floor next to the left side of the fork.  So screw it, I've been watching the vids, reading the manual, and have come to the decision that if I can rebuild 6 carbs, then my dumb ass should be able to do the fork seals too.  Whats the worst that can happen?  They're already leaking...
Do I have every thing I need for parts if I get 2 of each   #9  #10 and #21  plus #28 for good measure.
http://www.hdlparts.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=148159&category=MOTORCYCLES&make=HONDA&year=1999&fveh=3467

[redflash]

Ya need that fork nut tool too! See if someone local has one you can borrow!

[JetDriver]

fork oil, new springs if you want them.

[larswlvs]

You do not need the fork nut tool if your going to just replace the fork seals and bushings.

[YoungPUP]

Changed the seals and bushings ( not as bad as it looks)  the lowers are another story though.  It appears as though they were run at some point without the gravel guards.  I cleaned them up as best as possible with some crocus cloth, but ultimately will be looking for new/used lowers this next winter.

[YoungPUP]

HOLY CRAP!!!$354.00  for each lower tube on HDL.