gsxr renegade Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Anyone got any advice on removing a fork seal from a RWU fork? I've dismantled down to its bare bones but the fork seal just won't budge, allowing me to get the inner fork leg out. The other seal came out no problem but I'm at my wits end with this one, its doing my fucking head in. I've tried heating the outer fork with a heat gun and that didn't work. The outer fork is clamped in a vice and I'm using the inner fork like a slide hammer but it just won't move. (Technique recommended by the trusty Haynes) Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porter_jamie Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 drill and self tapper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted June 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 So, just drill a hole and put a screw in it and pull it out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porter_jamie Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 worth a go! maybe one each side and kind of lever it out with pliers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted June 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Mint. Ta, ill give that a bash tomorrow. I've given up for tonight before I throw something through the garage window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porter_jamie Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 i seem to remember having the same issue doing the gpz500 forks - using the inner wasnt doing it cos it was smacking the bush, so i think screwdriver or something did the job. mullered the old seal getting it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudgetBoy Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 I always use a little heat "Before" i attempt the removal of the oil seal on these forks. You need to really heat it again and then do the slide hammer effect thing again. You will "probably/might" ruin the bush as well so be sure to check it when you get it apart.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcaztls Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 I doubt the screw and self tapper thing will work at all to be honest, at least not in my experience. When they're a bugger to remove, they need a lot of force. Like BudgetBoy said, heat is the key. You can get the slider quite hot, it won't do any damage unless you're going nuts at it with a blowtorch so a heat gun is key, and spray some WD40 or equivalent around the seal. Turn the fork upside down in the vice so it's hanging down vertically and you'll find the slide hammer action a lot more effective. Just be sure to put something protective on the floor because when it lets go, you'll leave a nice dent in both the slider top and your floor possibly. Again like BudgetBoy rightly said, carefully check the fork bush/es after using a lot of force to remove a seal as you can sometimes drive the bush into the retaining washer. Because you've said you have one seal out, I'm presuming you haven't left the retaining clip in and have undone/removed the cartridge/damping rod assembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted June 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 I doubt the screw and self tapper thing will work at all to be honest, at least not in my experience. When they're a bugger to remove, they need a lot of force. Like BudgetBoy said, heat is the key. You can get the slider quite hot, it won't do any damage unless you're going nuts at it with a blowtorch so a heat gun is key, and spray some WD40 or equivalent around the seal. Turn the fork upside down in the vice so it's hanging down vertically and you'll find the slide hammer action a lot more effective. Just be sure to put something protective on the floor because when it lets go, you'll leave a nice dent in both the slider top and your floor possibly. Again like BudgetBoy rightly said, carefully check the fork bush/es after using a lot of force to remove a seal as you can sometimes drive the bush into the retaining washer. Because you've said you have one seal out, I'm presuming you haven't left the retaining clip in and have undone/removed the cartridge/damping rod assembly. Cheers Mark. Yeah, everything's apart, it's just the inner slider and outer fork left - damper bolt at the bottom of the fork is out, as well as all of the internals. Retaining clip thingy is out as well. I was worried about heating the slider too much (I'm using a heat gun) but i'm guessing it'll be ok to heat it to the point that it's too hot to touch with bare hands? Would it be beneficial to try and tap the seal slightly further into the fork first, just to get it moving? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbo Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Rwu fork. As long as the clip is out that holds the seal in place can't you use the stantion like a slide hammer to pull the seal out? You need the lower Allen key bolt out as well. Boiling water helps for instant heat . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcaztls Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Cheers Mark. Yeah, everything's apart, it's just the inner slider and outer fork left - damper bolt at the bottom of the fork is out, as well as all of the internals. Retaining clip thingy is out as well. I was worried about heating the slider too much (I'm using a heat gun) but i'm guessing it'll be ok to heat it to the point that it's too hot to touch with bare hands? Would it be beneficial to try and tap the seal slightly further into the fork first, just to get it moving? Yes you can get the slider hot enough that you'll not be able to touch it for very long with no problems. Just be careful with paint or anodising but I've never had any problems using a heat gun. You've nothing to lose my tapping the seal in, but I've never needed to bother as long as there's enough heat/lube in there and I've used a decent slide action facing downwards. It's amazing how much more effective that can be than trying to slide horizontally. Rwu fork. As long as the clip is out that holds the seal in place can't you use the stantion like a slide hammer to pull the seal out? You need the lower Allen key bolt out as well. Boiling water helps for instant heat . That's what the previous posts have suggested, but I doubt boiling water will get things hot enough compared to a heat gun. Less mess/time too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted June 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Yes you can get the slider hot enough that you'll not be able to touch it for very long with no problems. Just be careful with paint or anodising but I've never had any problems using a heat gun. You've nothing to lose my tapping the seal in, but I've never needed to bother as long as there's enough heat/lube in there and I've used a decent slide action facing downwards. It's amazing how much more effective that can be than trying to slide horizontally. Mint. Thanks Mark. I'll get stuck back into it when i get home and just keep persisting with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefatman Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 If you've got the bike set up solidly then you can try putting the fork back into the yokes, clamp it up, slide the axle through the fork, heat it up and then hammer on the axle(copper hammer). This lets you apply more force than just using the slider on its own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcaztls Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 I've seen three people bend axles that way and sold new ones to two of them and been as shocked as they were at the price the manufacturers charge for axles so go carefully with that one. It'd work, but I'd be very careful and don't think about substituting the axle for something else that isn't a perfect diameter fit as you'll screw the fork bottom up then. I've got a pair of 5EB R6 forks right next to me this minute that are cattled on the bottoms because of a guy trying to straighten his own stanchion by levering on the axle. I didn't ask any more questions than that but a new fork bottom is possibly going to cost him £368.78 for a new fork slider and £210.73 for a stanchion, plus £46.34 for a new axle because he's bent it and chewed the threaded end up lever on it too. He's looking into second hand options funnily enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V6Jon Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 I've seen three people bend axles that way and sold new ones to two of them and been as shocked as they were at the price the manufacturers charge for axles so go carefully with that one. It'd work, but I'd be very careful and don't think about substituting the axle for something else that isn't a perfect diameter fit as you'll screw the fork bottom up then. I've got a pair of 5EB R6 forks right next to me this minute that are cattled on the bottoms because of a guy trying to straighten his own stanchion by levering on the axle. I didn't ask any more questions than that but a new fork bottom is possibly going to cost him £368.78 for a new fork slider and £210.73 for a stanchion, plus £46.34 for a new axle because he's bent it and chewed the threaded end up lever on it too. He's looking into second hand options funnily enough. And that is a cheap one ! The rear axle on my SRAD is manky as fook so I called Robinsons for a price on a new one expecting £20 - £30. I nearly dropped the phone when I was politely told it was pennies short of £80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcaztls Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 What year/model SRAD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedy sie Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Blow touch the fork top till seal bubbles and they then just pop out ,done this loads of time of stuck seals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcaztls Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Yep that's a good indicator that things are heated enough but I'd use a heat gun as it's less localised and not so violent on anodising/paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted June 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 I also don't have a blowtorch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boris Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 get yourself one, theyre brilliant for a multitude of things like lighting cigarettes and bbq's like a boss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted June 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Thanks for the tips guys. Heat, heat and more heat was the answer. I used the heat gun on a localised area of the outer fork for about 15-20 seconds, then tapped a screwdriver through the old seal and it just prised out easy as you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwakbiker Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Result Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.