Time for new fork seals??

you will not easily pull the seals out hence the slide hammer action but then you risk screwing the bushes

Any trick to removing a seized seal

perseverance

I always use the slide hammer method as I always replace the bushes whilst its apart

You could try screwing screws in to the seals and pulling them out with the screws as leverage

Just check in the manual to make sure there is a big washer behind the seal and watch you don't touch the stanchion

So it turns out the first clip I tried to remove is not a clip at all. It's the metal part inside the seal. So now I have two seals that won't budge.

This is how all my efforts at home workshop go. In fact, reading this and I can feel my blood pressure rising and an clammy feeling of fear and loathing creep over the shadows my soul.

Sorry, that's not very helpful.

This is how all my efforts at home workshop go. In fact, reading this and I can feel my blood pressure rising and an clammy feeling of fear and loathing creep over the shadows my soul.

Sorry, that's not very helpful.

Yes it's been a step too far for me today. Thoroughly fed up now. Managed to get one seal off ( the other one is still mangled) but could get the new seal seated properly which in turn meant I couldn't get the dust seal on.

So now I have one partially stripped fork and one partially rebuilt fork. Both are in the back of my car along with all the bits in the hope that my local garage will take pity on me and sort out the mess and destruction I have caused (once they have finished laughing at me of course). Bike is off the road for a while now I guess. Gutted.

Make sure you have removed any retaining bolts that hold the fork internals to the outer case before attempting the slide hammer effect .

Check the bottom of the fork where the axle goes through for a recessed bolt/Allen head .

Thanks Tim. I had removed the Allen bolt. All the internals were taken out but I couldn't budget the seal. I also couldn't get the new seal to seat properly. Had to admit defeat and pack up.

Exactly what bike is this ? Cant see any details in post. Are you following a manual? I only ask because I can't see why you are trying to dig the seals out BEFORE you have separated the lowers from the stanchions. This is a very unusual way of doing things . Regarding fork seal retaining clips they usually consist of a wavey wire ring that does not require circlip pliers to remove. Let us know the bike and I'll check the manual.

The same bike as in his profile its an FZ6

This is the clip

Its not unusual to remove the seal in this way if you don't want to risk damaging the bushes if I was to replace just a seal I would not use a slide hammer action and risk damaging the bushes

As Stu says itts a fz6 2004. Only one of the forks had a clip which I took out. I was following the service manual in the correct order ( I hope)

Jolly good, carry on then.

Jolly good, carry on then.

If only I was capable Tail between the legs phone call to the local garage tomorrow I think.

This is how all my efforts at home workshop go. In fact, reading this and I can feel my blood pressure rising and an clammy feeling of fear and loathing creep over the shadows my soul.

Sorry, that's not very helpful.

 

Yes it's been a step too far for me today. Thoroughly fed up now. Managed to get one seal off ( the other one is still mangled) but could get the new seal seated properly which in turn meant I couldn't get the dust seal on.

So now I have one partially stripped fork and one partially rebuilt fork. Both are in the back of my car along with all the bits in the hope that my local garage will take pity on me and sort out the mess and destruction I have caused (once they have finished laughing at me of course). Bike is off the road for a while now I guess. Gutted.

Done that one too: only with the carbs. Gave them a carbless bike and a cardbox box full of bits.

This is how all my efforts at home workshop go. In fact, reading this and I can feel my blood pressure rising and an clammy feeling of fear and loathing creep over the shadows my soul.

Sorry, that's not very helpful.

 

Yes it's been a step too far for me today. Thoroughly fed up now. Managed to get one seal off ( the other one is still mangled) but could get the new seal seated properly which in turn meant I couldn't get the dust seal on.

So now I have one partially stripped fork and one partially rebuilt fork. Both are in the back of my car along with all the bits in the hope that my local garage will take pity on me and sort out the mess and destruction I have caused (once they have finished laughing at me of course). Bike is off the road for a while now I guess. Gutted.

 

Done that one too: only with the carbs. Gave them a carbless bike and a cardbox box full of bits.

Well I guess I'm not the first person to turn up with a loads of bits after a bodge job Will give them a call at lunchtime but got to take the car to work for a while.

So it's now time for new fork stanchions not just seals!! Never EVER going near my bike with tools again...........

Errr how?

Oh you know, all those times when you have tried to (not very carefully) to free a seized seal with a screwdriver, or when you have tried to hammer a new seal in place because you never bothered to buy the correct tools. No? No of course you don't because I'm the only moron who would do that

So I've managed put a few dings and scratches in the fork which will just eat into the seals anyway, so changing them is futile.

Ah well as my wife says 'it's only money' It's actually time off the road i'm more fed up about.

One day I will smile and laugh about it.... that day is not today though.

I know it's no use to you now.....but did you use the old seal to drift the new seal into place? And, yeah, levering the old seal out is a softly softly job.....With something laid on the top of the slider to protect it whilst levering.....

Anyway......hopefully you'll be back on the road again soon......

Sometimes it is possible to smooth the burrs down with a gentle hand with a honing stone and then graded wet and dry paper .

But again this is something im comfortable doing with an engineering background and to others its a very daunting task .

If it makes you feel better Foxy the idiot who had my bike before me did exactly the same thing to my forks sorry sorry

Hope you get it all sorted soon

I know it's no use to you now.....but did you use the old seal to drift the new seal into place? And, yeah, levering the old seal out is a softly softly job.....With something laid on the top of the slider to protect it whilst levering.....

Anyway......hopefully you'll be back on the road again soon......

i failed miserably with the softly softly bit. Hopefully i haven't damaged the bottom tubes where the seals sit

Can you explain what you mean by drift the new seal. Not that i'm ever considering attempting the job again but i'm still keen to understand.

Sometimes it is possible to smooth the burrs down with a gentle hand with a honing stone and then graded wet and dry paper .

But again this is something im comfortable doing with an engineering background and to others its a very daunting task .

Gentle hand could be tricky, Ape hand more like