Replacing fork seals

[Frost]

After coming to the conclusion that the fork seals cannot wait and must be changed i hsve totall dismatled boh forks removing the old seals. the old seals were a strange shape, the rubber was so badly rotten that i couldnt really make out their shape.

not i am left with the bottoms of my forks (right way up ones) free of any trace of the old seals. i bought some seals off the net which should fit my bike, however currectly they rest just above a groove so they are flush witht he top. i would have expected them you sit in the grove with metal above and below stopping any movement.

eg:

https://www.wakeuphate.com/hosted/frosty/current.bmp

where as currently they are:
https://www.wakeuphate.com/hosted/frosty/ideal.bmp

are these seals the wrong size or do they just have to be rammed into place?
should i assemble the forks, fill them up with oil them,force the seals into place?

Thanks for any input as i am flumoxed

[Guest]

Carefully tap them down into the fork leg. A squirt of WD round the outside might help, but use a large socket or similar as a drift - you want something that's the same diameter as the outer edge of the seal to prevent damaging it and make sure it goes in 'square'


And don't forget that the spring in the seal should be downwards, towards the oil.

[Frost]

I think that they are too fat and too inflexible.
I'm pretty sure i could hit them with a sledge hammer all day and they wouldnt go in :/

Looks like i shall have to walk to the bike shop and see if they have anything a little smaller

Thanks anyway.

[Robby]

Never ever use pattern fork seals.

Genuine fork seals cost 20 quid for a set or less. They work. Pattern fork seals are cheap and shit.

Send the crap pattern ones back to where you got them and get some genuine one.

[mr jamez]

Are you sure you haven't just bought the outer dust seals as they are slightly larger on my forks and would not fit inside, as their are two seals per fork but as you dsimantled it I am sure you haven't? or could just be, like the poster above said, pattern parts suck!

Defianetly worth getting genuine parts for something like forks, as they have to be a perfect fit to create a good seal

[bikedudextrm]

[Frost]

nah there not dust seals, they are the right size to settle into where the dust seals go but are actually fork seals.

pattern parts or not i bought then from a specialist site for my exact model of bike, and the seals are about 1/4 inch to big to fit. thats a hell of alot bigger than they should be. i think i was probably given the wrong ones rather than it just being to manufacurers fault.

[Frost]

Well i just went out and bought some proper honda seals (£9 each) and they are EXACTLY the same as the parts i got off the net.
The soeal wont go down into where they are supposed to sit and instead rest where the dust caps should go.

these seals CANNOT be pushed down any futher as they have a metal ring around the outside of them which completly prevents any deforming of the ring.

any ideas anybody?

[Robby]

Have you taken the spring clip out that holds the seals in place?

Does your bike have forks off another bike?

What bike is it?