gl1200 fork seals replacements advice needed please!

[steelhorseangel]

hi wingers

greetings from across the pond!

lady winger in slight distress
needs a knight in shining armour,
to help with steelhorse breakdown!

yes, the project wing has leaky
front forks. I've bought a sealmate
and used it as advised. the forks have
been parted from the bike and i
was wondering if anyone could
explain to a wing rookie how to
replace the inner seals in the forks
please. the outside ones look new.

my father was a hobby
bike mechanic, he taught my
brothers and i how to ride and
wrench. sadly he went to the happy
hunting grounds too early @ 44.
this is why i restore bikes. father
is on my shoulder, keeping
me safe!

if any winger could advise me
'step by step' to change the inner
seals, i would be very grateful!

thanks ya'all!

Angel
UK

[SIR tricky]

I suggest you search the forum before asking:

http://www.gl1200goldwings.com/gl1200/sh...p?tid=1624

[admin]

A few things I have encountered when replacing the fork seals; sometimes the socket head screw on the bottom of the fork will not loosen or tighten, it just spins. In that case use an impact gun to remove it and it always seems to work. The manuals have us installing the seals upside down; just install the seals with the spring side down and it will be correct even though the manual is wrong. From experience I have found that using 15W fork oil makes the ride way to stiff, transmission fluid or 5W or 10W is the thickest I would use. Finally, sometimes there is rust at the top of the fork tubes where they fit between the upper and lower triple clamps; use fine emery cloth to smooth down the rust before sliding the seal on and make certain that you use lots of fork oil to lubricate the fork tube to protect the seal as it slides down over the tube. Note: always use tape to cover the groove in the fork because the edges of that groove are sharp and could damage the new seals. Come back if you did not clearly understand the instructions and need more help. You never need worry about being embarrassed if you don't understand something here because we are here to help. Good luck.

[bs175dths]

So sorry to hear of your father passing and passing at such a young age
I am sure he is over your shoulder 24/7 guiding as much as he can.

As was mentioned, searching the forum first not only yields more information than you had asked for, but may also perk your interest and cause another question, thus propagating additional searches.

Knowledge is a powerful tool. Independence is another powerful tool, but never be too proud to ask for there are no stupid questions.

Let us know how the job goes.

-Ride On (the right, or rather, the correct side of the road - LOL)

[steelhorseangel]

Many thanks for your kind
thoughts and advice!

i've done a search and i can't
find any information about my
query.

q) on buying the project 1200 '84,
i noticed some water inside the outer fork
seal. i gently removed the loose seal
and cleaned out the water. i then
used a sealmate to clean the inner seals
out. i put the outer seals back on
and tested the shocks by compression.
none of them leaked.

due to the restoration, i wanted to
remove all fairings and rusty bits
and make them look better.
i removed the fork circlips, then
slid the forks out. i tested the compression
by placing each fork on a rug, then
using my body weight, compressed
each fork. i heard a compression noise,
saw the seal seep oil?

i noticed that each fork has a little
air balance hole in them. could
my compression, inhale air into
each fork and then blow oil out
of the seals, as the air had no where
to escape?

therefore the forks are working ok
and no leaks?

prior to unassembley i sat on
the bike and again using my
body weight, forced compression
movement into the forks vigorously
and nothing leaked at all, bone dry!

any advice greatly appreciated wingers!

Angel :-)

[admin]

I did a search on "forks" and instantly got 7 pages with multiple topics about forks. Give it a try.

Most likely what you saw was oil coming from under the seal lip which is normal as long as it's not excessive. An oil film on the fork tubes is essential to prevent the seals from wearing out due to friction against the fork surface.

The only way that you can be certain that your forks do not leak is to install them and ride the bike. Personally, I would replace the oil and seals while you have them apart. The chemical composition of the seals tends to deteriorate over time (hardens) resulting in poor sealing ability.

[steelhorseangel]

hi admin. Vic?

many thanks for your reply!

i love your Angie, what a lovely
lassie! I'm a wildlife artist and paint
a lot of furry friends!

i will have the forks overhauled.
i always assume that someone hasn't
done something. best to check!

kind regards and thanks!

Angel

[admin]

Yep, Vic is me.

The fork seals are not difficult to replace yourself if you are somewhat mechanically able.

You'll have to send me some pics of your artwork as I love that stuff.