ashevillerider
New Member
Sucker seems in there pretty good. It looks like its in great shape so I dont want to mess it up. Gotta be a trick....
How the heck do you get a dust seal out of a fork without ripping it?
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boykinjw
Active Member
Most people just get a 3'-4' pry bar and just pop them out. You can stick the top fork tube in the oven for a couple minutes and then try if its really stuck. There is a guy on here that fills them up with water and screws the top back on, then he compresses the fork a couple times like a pogo stick and it forces the seals up. I think he removes the main fork spring to do this.
I have had to take a dremel with a cutting blade and cut the seal almost in half and use a screwdriver to collapse it and then it just falls out.
Hope one if those tricks help.
I have had to take a dremel with a cutting blade and cut the seal almost in half and use a screwdriver to collapse it and then it just falls out.
Hope one if those tricks help.
You mean the oil seal? There are dust caps (the black plastic/rubber caps that sit on the fork lowers) and then the oil seals that are set into the fork lowers. They keep the fork oil in the lower under pressure when the forks are being compressed etc.
The oil seals are reinforced with steel, springs etc. You don't re-use any oil seals. The way I get them out is to drive a screw into the top face of the seal and use pliers to pull them out. Using a big screwdriver to pry them out might work but can damage the fork lowers, either cosmetically or possibly worse internally if things slip and move.
The oil seals are reinforced with steel, springs etc. You don't re-use any oil seals. The way I get them out is to drive a screw into the top face of the seal and use pliers to pull them out. Using a big screwdriver to pry them out might work but can damage the fork lowers, either cosmetically or possibly worse internally if things slip and move.
Wrap your lowers in aluminum foil.. bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. They will fall out. Literally just helped Jachana get his out the other day this way.
http://matthopson.tumblr.com/post/18058654511/stubborn-fork-seals-no-worries-bro-just-bake
http://matthopson.tumblr.com/post/18058654511/stubborn-fork-seals-no-worries-bro-just-bake
AlphaDogChoppers
Science is true whether you believe in it or not.
Seriously, you want to re-use a $6.00 seal? Fugedaboudit. Get new seals. It's not worth having to drain out the oil and take the forks apart to do it right the second time.
Most times, you can remove the seal simply by removing the damper rod screw at the bottom of the forks, remove the retainer on top of the seal, and slam the fork slider to full extension a few time. On most forks, the seal will pop right out, often with the top bushing as well.
Sticking something in there to pry the seal out can easily damage things.
Most times, you can remove the seal simply by removing the damper rod screw at the bottom of the forks, remove the retainer on top of the seal, and slam the fork slider to full extension a few time. On most forks, the seal will pop right out, often with the top bushing as well.
Sticking something in there to pry the seal out can easily damage things.
You really need to pull the forks apart to remove the seals.
Sure, you can do all kinds of things like fill them with water, screw self tappers in there and pry them out, or bake them but you really need to pull the forks apart so you can clean the 40 years of crud out of the fork lowers.
Sure, you can do all kinds of things like fill them with water, screw self tappers in there and pry them out, or bake them but you really need to pull the forks apart so you can clean the 40 years of crud out of the fork lowers.
Oh yeah.. I was in that same "ass of you and me" boat.. you should think of those fork seals like a prophylactic... everything needs to come apart before you can take them off.. and when you do get them off, they need to go straight to the garbage..
unless you're my old roommate.. in that case you might tuck them under the hood latch of my car as a joke.. IT'S NOT FUNNY DUSTIN. A DUDE SHOULD NEVER TOUCH ANOTHER DUDE'S DONG BAG...
unless you're my old roommate.. in that case you might tuck them under the hood latch of my car as a joke.. IT'S NOT FUNNY DUSTIN. A DUDE SHOULD NEVER TOUCH ANOTHER DUDE'S DONG BAG...
