BBJ Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 2500km ago, and just before the Covid breakout I had some work done on my bike following an off road accident. Normally, I do all work myself but at the time I was in a bad way. The work included upgraded springs and seals and a new stanchion but already both seals are leaking. Since the on/off lockdown, I have done very little riding and despite my preference being off road, I have only done 4 gentle off road sessions, one extremely muddy. Most have been spent riding to a local coffee shop or to my office once or twice a month. I can accept the seals going as just unlucky. But this fork does not look like a replacement. While I know very slight bends can be heat treated and straightened, I paid for a brand new one, apparently. As yet, any work I have had done by anyone other than myself has been disappointing. What you reckon? VID_20210721_102431.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwasaki Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 Upsidedown forks can sometimes be a problem but not always if the bike is left standing a long time. In the show room we use to press the forks up and down every couple days. You could check the fork oil level to see it's not overfilled. If there new seals you can get fork seal cleaner there a plastic tool you can make one out of a plastic bottle. After cleaning give the seals some time to bed in, if they continue to leak then change them. While changing the seals you then check your new fork tubes for straightness. Never heard of reheating tube to straighten them only re-chroming and re-grinding. In accident repairs if bent I replaced them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBJ Posted July 23, 2021 Author Share Posted July 23, 2021 1 hour ago, Kwasaki said: Upsidedown forks can sometimes be a problem but not always if the bike is left standing a long time. In the show room we use to press the forks up and down every couple days. You could check the fork oil level to see it's not overfilled. If there new seals you can get fork seal cleaner there a plastic tool you can make one out of a plastic bottle. After cleaning give the seals some time to bed in, if they continue to leak then change them. While changing the seals you then check your new fork tubes for straightness. Never heard of reheating tube to straighten them only re-chroming and re-grinding. In accident repairs if bent I replaced them. Yeah aware of standing and doing nothing not been good for the seals. But the bike is getting used and moved, just not long distance. Fortunately, I have a spare set of complete forks that I have just serviced. Will swap the upgraded springs. Will inspect stantions on the ones that cost me 40k to upgrade. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 1 hour ago, BBJ said: What you reckon? Tough call, I've no idea who did your repair work, but without the proper tools it's very easy to put a nick in a seal on reassembly...I'd say if it was just one side then that was bad luck, but both sides smacks of something wrong in assembly. As for the fork leg, it's certainly polished up on one side...the only way you're going to know for sure is when the forks are apart is to put the leg in some vee blocks and put a DTI gauge on it...if it's bent it wasn't new 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwasaki Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 15 minutes ago, Neilly said: Tough call, I've no idea who did your repair work, but without the proper tools it's very easy to put a nick in a seal on reassembly...I'd say if it was just one side then that was bad luck, but both sides smacks of something wrong in assembly. As for the fork leg, it's certainly polished up on one side...the only way you're going to know for sure is when the forks are apart is to put the leg in some vee blocks and put a DTI gauge on it...if it's bent it wasn't new You would have to find some shop that has such a tool. You can check fork tubes on flat surface with a torch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canthai55 Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 (edited) Don't like the look on the upper part of the tube - the discolored part. Looks like heat for sure. Fork tubes should be straightened without heat so as to not draw the temper out of the steel. A set of V blocks are cheap enuf, and a dial indicator the same. As you have a spare set, check the old ones when you finished the swap. Big pain in the culo tho' - but what U gonna do. Fork seals need a careful hand to install straight and true. I have used PVC tubing before with good luck - cut lengthwise about 8-10cm, install on fork tube, tape together, give 'er a whack. Then they go on straight in line with the tube. Use lots of KY - OOppss - oil (What was I thinkin') Good luck Edited July 23, 2021 by canthai55 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBJ Posted July 24, 2021 Author Share Posted July 24, 2021 21 hours ago, canthai55 said: Don't like the look on the upper part of the tube - the discolored part. Looks like heat for sure. Fork tubes should be straightened without heat so as to not draw the temper out of the steel. A set of V blocks are cheap enuf, and a dial indicator the same. As you have a spare set, check the old ones when you finished the swap. Big pain in the culo tho' - but what U gonna do. Fork seals need a careful hand to install straight and true. I have used PVC tubing before with good luck - cut lengthwise about 8-10cm, install on fork tube, tape together, give 'er a whack. Then they go on straight in line with the tube. Use lots of KY - OOppss - oil (What was I thinkin') Good luck Fortunately, all tooled up. Letting someone repair my bike after my off road accident Pre Covid was a desperate measure as I was immobile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canthai55 Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 Been there. Bent a steel post holding up a stop sign with my back once. Laid me up for a while. Quite the bruise too - damn near a meter long ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickstart Posted July 26, 2021 Share Posted July 26, 2021 I had a set of folk tubes done in the UK ,as has been said they used V blocks and a dial gauge ,this shop used a fly press to straighten them ,made a good job . No way can it be done by heating the tubes ,what did they do heat the tubes and put them in a vice to straighten them?,are they just off round and leaking at that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papa al Posted July 26, 2021 Share Posted July 26, 2021 Local shop straightens bent forks all the time. Hydraulic press rig. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBJ Posted August 3, 2021 Author Share Posted August 3, 2021 (edited) I have no issue with forks being straightened, but I paid for new, plus full service and ugraded spring. I have since stripped them down and there is now way the bushes would wear this much after 2500km of light use. Browned off 90% Edited August 3, 2021 by BBJ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canthai55 Posted August 3, 2021 Share Posted August 3, 2021 Bummer. Got another shop who can do it for you ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBJ Posted August 5, 2021 Author Share Posted August 5, 2021 (edited) On 8/3/2021 at 4:24 PM, canthai55 said: Bummer. Got another shop who can do it for you ? Me. Only person I rely on when it comes to my bike. Edited August 5, 2021 by BBJ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canthai55 Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 49 minutes ago, BBJ said: Me. Only person I rely on when it comes to my bike. I hear that. Good luck with the repair. How you feeling since your bump ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4MyEgo Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 On 7/23/2021 at 3:13 PM, BBJ said: Will inspect stantions on the ones that cost me 40k to upgrade. Ouch ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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