Front Forks!

[iCraig]

Well my GS500 had new fork seals about 2k ago and now the chrome on the forks has started to pit, and its ripped/blown one of the new fork seals.

I was going to get a new bike but it seems my finances are rather limited at this time and I'd prefer not spend alot of money on a newer/bigger bike.

So I am wondering is there anyway I can sort this problem out cos I know if I put new fork seals in its gonna rip them and so on!

So what are my options, can I rechrome the forks and how much will it cost, can I just buy some new/used stanctions and replaces the pitted ones or do I have have to replace the whole forks?

TAI

Craig

[Robby]

Should cost in the region of 60 quid to get the forks rechromed. Look in the yellow pages and back of mcn to find someone to do it.

On reassembly, use genuine seals. Pattern ones don't work.

[mr jamez]

https://www.allbikeengineering.co.uk/index.html

They do everything regarding fork servicing, should be places in your local area as well

[asphaltic99]

Sorry to jump on this, but how easy is it to replace the fork seals?

My bikews first MOT is due at the end of the month and the right hand one is starting to weep a bit, would this be an MOT failure????
____________________
i am a dirty sod who bothers women.

[Kickstart]

Hi

YEs a blown fork seal is an MOT failure.

As to fixing the fork seals, it depends on the bike. Quite easy on some bikes, but a nightmare on others.

To replace the chromed bits you can either get them replated, replace them with pattern ones or replace them with new OE ones. Or if you are a real cheap skate you can fill the pits with epoxy glue and sand them flat again.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[stinkwheel]

You can do a bodge repair on pitted forks that is very effective although not all that aesthetic.

Firstly, clean all the rust off, down to bare metal, make sure you get rid of any flakes of chrome and scrape the rust out of the pits with a stanley knife blade.

Degrease the stanchions thoroughly using a solvent, you must completley remove all traces of oil clinging to them.

Now get some Araldite epoxy resin, it is improtant to use the original slow setting stuff (now marketed as precision?), NOT araldite rapide which absorbs water and swells over time.

Mix it up and skim over all the damaged parts of the fork stanchions, try to use as little as will fill the defects whilst still having it standing a little proud of the surface.

Leave to set for AT LEAST 24 hours.

Now using progressivley finer grades of wet and dry paper, polish down the araldite 'till it is perfectly smooth and level with the rest of the chrome surface, finish off with a cream polishing agent like autosol then a wax polish.

This works, I have done it many times. The critical parts are 1) How clean and grease free you get the surfaces. 2) The amount of elbow grease expended polishing.

Don't let them get in such a shit state again, fit gaiters if you can't be arsed cleaning and polishing them. Treat any new pits using the same technique as soon as they appear.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[bumper]

When my other half brought his bandit one of his fork seals had split due to pitting on the forks...............

so instead of forking out loads of money on new ones he wet flatted them with some really fine 180 grit paper i think(will find out for defiant and let you know tomorrow)

then polished them back up using auto-sol...............

making them look like new at a fraction of the price...........

the only thing is that you will need to polish them regally and check your forks regally to make sure they haven't started pitting again.........

but he did his in march and they haven't started to pitt yet.......

if you need anymore info just pm me and i will let you know.......

[Frost]

[stinkwheel]

[Kickstart]

[iCraig]

[stinkwheel]

If you have found a decent pair of GS500 forks for 80 quid then buy them quick. I couldn't find any for less than 150 (and shitty ones at that) when I was building my chopper thingy

Suzuki build quality strikes again..
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Kickstart]

Hi

They tend to pit more the further up the fork you go (lower down the seals movement of the seals clean them off). However it might well be a pit that is only being touched by the seal when you are hard on the brakes and using up all the suspension travel.

Think replacement fork inners would be around £100. Trouble with forks from a breakers is making sure they are straight first.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[iCraig]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Other than 2nd hand forks (which will be in unknown condition) you will have to replace the seals. The dust seals can probably be reused.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[kev]

If a fork is weeping a little bit it will pass the MOT but if it is leaking alot it will fail.
____________________
20:02:36 Jammy-R6: any holes a goal
20:02:48 kev: even if its a hairy mans arse
20:02:56 Jammy-R6: hell yes