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Leaky fork seal

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skylineonfire
Trackday Trickster



Joined: 01 Jun 2012
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PostPosted: 10:12 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Leaky fork seal Reply with quote
So the fork seal on the left stanchion of my fork is leaking a bit. 2013 CB500X with 7k miles on it. Would you deem this a warranty issue or is it a consumable? Surely not after 7k?
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pinkyfloyd
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PostPosted: 10:33 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
When you think about the amount of abuse the front end gets in 7k miles I would treat it as a consumable.

A few quid on ebay will get you some fork seals. A few more for the oil. Then change the both of them. Its a small job to do but takes the whole day because you have to take the whole front end off. So do both.
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skylineonfire
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PostPosted: 10:35 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
pinkyfloyd wrote:
When you think about the amount of abuse the front end gets in 7k miles I would treat it as a consumable.

A few quid on ebay will get you some fork seals. A few more for the oil. Then change the both of them. Its a small job to do but takes the whole day because you have to take the whole front end off. So do both.


How difficult is it for a very amateur mechanic?
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 10:41 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Relatively easy Thumbs Up got a manual?
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sidewinder
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Joined: 24 Aug 2011
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PostPosted: 10:52 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
I did it just.just get a good guide from YouTube.dellboys garage have a good easy to follow one Middle Finger
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Az
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Joined: 16 Apr 2013
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PostPosted: 10:56 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Call up your local dealer and ask?
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Fizzer Thou
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PostPosted: 11:15 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Before you start to strip down the forks,get a 20' feeler gauge or a length of 35mm film and insert between the fork leg and the fork seal.Move whatever you are using the full circumferance of the seal/fork leg.More often than not this dislodges small particles of grit which cause scatches to get worse and for oil to leak past.

This has worked numerous times on bikes that I have worked on.It saves a considerable amount of time and expense and is worth trying before anything else Thumbs Up
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Jayy
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PostPosted: 11:27 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
As an extremely amateur mechanic myself and TUG who knows his way around bikes pretty well, I remember trying to do the fork seals on my ZX10R and it was the cuntiest of all jobs. Took the whole day and a LOT of fucking about.

Needed this special tool thingy that locked the suspension down so you could get to the nut to take it apart.... that was ridiculously hard.
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covent.gardens
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PostPosted: 11:34 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
I do not enjoy doing fork seals but I think it's within the scope of what a DIYer should be attempting, it's not that hard in the scheme of things, but yes, I had to mess about hunting down a suitable length of plastic pipe that I had to cut in order to push the new seals in etc, and required a second pair of hands at one point, it's fiddly, messy, but have a go.

FYI, I used non-original fork seals the first time and they needed doing again after about 8k, but I kept putting the job off, finally replaced them with OEM which are going strong so far.

I'm a very amateur mechanic. Thumbs Up
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Moo.
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PostPosted: 11:56 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Fizzer Thou wrote:
Before you start to strip down the forks,get a 20' feeler gauge or a length of 35mm film and insert between the fork leg and the fork seal.Move whatever you are using the full circumferance of the seal/fork leg.More often than not this dislodges small particles of grit which cause scatches to get worse and for oil to leak past.

This has worked numerous times on bikes that I have worked on.It saves a considerable amount of time and expense and is worth trying before anything else Thumbs Up


This, or buy a tool called a Sealmate, costs about £5 and is built for the job. Saved my fork seals a few times!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/331145061629?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108
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Rogerborg
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Joined: 26 Oct 2010
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PostPosted: 11:58 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's likely not damaged, there's just dirt in there. Run a thin piece of plastic up and down between the seal and stanchion, get on with your life.
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CaNsA
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PostPosted: 12:03 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
ZX Jay wrote:
As an extremely amateur mechanic myself and TUG who knows his way around bikes pretty well, I remember trying to do the fork seals on my ZX10R and it was the cuntiest of all jobs. Took the whole day and a LOT of fucking about.

Needed this special tool thingy that locked the suspension down so you could get to the nut to take it apart.... that was ridiculously hard.


It is indeed a cunty job.

I had to get a combined weight of over 46stone to compress the fork from a zxr400 after replacing the fork seal.
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skylineonfire
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Joined: 01 Jun 2012
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PostPosted: 12:11 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rogerborg wrote:
It's likely not damaged, there's just dirt in there. Run a thin piece of plastic up and down between the seal and stanchion, get on with your life.


Just gave this a go. Spent a minute compressing the forks up and down and it doesnt seem like anything is coming out, stanchions were clean. I'll ride it to work and back later and take another look.

The dealership want 100 including fitting.

They also want 260 for my chain and sprocket to be replaced! 160 for a chain and sprocket?!
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CaNsA
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PostPosted: 12:15 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
skylineonfire wrote:
Rogerborg wrote:
It's likely not damaged, there's just dirt in there. Run a thin piece of plastic up and down between the seal and stanchion, get on with your life.


Just gave this a go. Spent a minute compressing the forks up and down and it doesnt seem like anything is coming out, stanchions were clean. I'll ride it to work and back later and take another look.

The dealership want 100 including fitting.

They also want 260 for my chain and sprocket to be replaced! 160 for a chain and sprocket?!


£100 for seals to be fitted, inc parts, is a decent price

The C&S is something you can do yourself, dont use cheap C&S
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skylineonfire
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PostPosted: 12:30 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
CaNsA wrote:


£100 for seals to be fitted, inc parts, is a decent price

The C&S is something you can do yourself, dont use cheap C&S


So buying these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-CB500-CB-500-CB500X-99-NEW-TRIPLE-S-O-RING-GOLD-CHAIN-SPROCKET-KIT-SET-/111055422252?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item19db6b432c

Rather than the 160 dealership ones is a bad idea?
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Sable
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Joined: 27 Jul 2012
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PostPosted: 12:36 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Regarding chains, my previous chain needed tightening a bit every 600ish mile. Was a basic chink one.

Replaced with a super heavy duty gold chain, just oiled it and in 3000 mile its needed 1 slight tighten. That's on low speed city riding on a 125, but at that current rate its going to outlast 5 chink chains.

Buy good chains Thumbs Up
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skylineonfire
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PostPosted: 12:39 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sable wrote:
Regarding chains, my previous chain needed tightening a bit every 600ish mile. Was a basic chink one.

Replaced with a super heavy duty gold chain, just oiled it and in 3000 mile its needed 1 slight tighten. That's on low speed city riding on a 125, but at that current rate its going to outlast 5 chink chains.

Buy good chains Thumbs Up


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-CB500-CB-500-CB500X-99-NEW-TRIPLE-S-O-RING-GOLD-CHAIN-SPROCKET-KIT-SET-/111055422252?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item19db6b432c&clk_rvr_id=612166565053

Any opinions on this? Stuff for CB500X is still pretty hard to find as its still so new I guess..
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Fizzer Thou
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PostPosted: 13:14 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
It is possible to make your own tools,as I have done for R1 USD forks

https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Workshop/Picture476.jpg
https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Workshop/Picture479.jpg

It is not rocket science.I always say - "If someone else can do the job,then so can I"

Just take your time.Keep things clean.Do not be afraid to admit defeat and take the forks to the shop.This will cut down on the time that a bike shop would otherwise charge you for doing the easy bit.

Once sorted,shop around to buy some fork gaiters or protectors

https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Workshop/20091222_6.jpg
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Az
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Joined: 16 Apr 2013
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PostPosted: 14:28 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
skylineonfire wrote:

So buying these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-CB500-CB-500-CB500X-99-NEW-TRIPLE-S-O-RING-GOLD-CHAIN-SPROCKET-KIT-SET-/111055422252?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item19db6b432c

Rather than the 160 dealership ones is a bad idea?


I don't think that chain and sprocket kit is for your bike. I think it's for a 1999 CB500, so don't buy that one.
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skylineonfire
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Joined: 01 Jun 2012
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PostPosted: 14:34 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
az- wrote:
skylineonfire wrote:

So buying these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-CB500-CB-500-CB500X-99-NEW-TRIPLE-S-O-RING-GOLD-CHAIN-SPROCKET-KIT-SET-/111055422252?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item19db6b432c

Rather than the 160 dealership ones is a bad idea?


I don't think that chain and sprocket kit is for your bike. I think it's for a 1999 CB500, so don't buy that one.


I was thinking that too... He shouldn't of put CB500x in the description. And I literally cant find a single chain and sprocket kit online for it :s
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Az
World Chat Champion



Joined: 16 Apr 2013
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PostPosted: 14:39 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
skylineonfire wrote:
I was thinking that too... He shouldn't of put CB500x in the description. And I literally cant find a single chain and sprocket kit online for it :s


I just had a quick look to and couldn't find anything on eBay or on Google Shocked . That may explain the ridicilous £160 price tag for the chain and sprockets, as Honda know you can't buy it from anywhere else.
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Mac_Black
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Joined: 25 Nov 2007
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PostPosted: 15:37 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
skylineonfire wrote:
Rogerborg wrote:
It's likely not damaged, there's just dirt in there. Run a thin piece of plastic up and down between the seal and stanchion, get on with your life.


Just gave this a go. Spent a minute compressing the forks up and down and it doesnt seem like anything is coming out, stanchions were clean. I'll ride it to work and back later and take another look.

The dealership want 100 including fitting.

They also want 260 for my chain and sprocket to be replaced! 160 for a chain and sprocket?!


I find this surprising, I bought my ZX10r just over a month ago from a dealership in Exeter, and after just two weeks I was a fork seal down.
The bike was sold as used with a 3 month return to base parts and labour warranty, so I rang them up, discussed my options, one of which a 160 mile ride was not.
They gave me the choice between collection delivery at 100 pound or suggested taking it to a local dealer and that they'd offer 50 pound towards the repair cost.. Either of these trump the offer your dealer has given.

In the end I had a brainwave and removed the fork myself, packaged it a good'un and had them arrange UPS carriage, at their cost.
It took a week and a half all in, which was a bit longer than I wanted to be without my new pride and joy but hey ho I wasn't charged a single Penny Coin Karma

The other fork seal started seeping on the 2nd ride out after refitting the fork (I did suggest to the dealer I send both forks to be done but they declined) and after 3 weeks of ignoring it it's pretty much leaking now, I've just tooled myself up to do the job properly, but I'll invest in a seal mate on the off chance that it might save me the work (I doubt it in my case).
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Jayy
Mr. Ponzi



Joined: 08 Jun 2009
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PostPosted: 15:48 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
CaNsA wrote:


It is indeed a cunty job.

I had to get a combined weight of over 46stone to compress the fork from a zxr400 after replacing the fork seal.


We tried all that, had several people try and compress the fork and it was less than half a centimetre from reaching the bit to put that little tool on but we couldn't do it.

TUG eventually came up with this genius method... took us 5 minutes after most of the day trying by hand.

https://i.imgur.com/fwEBVWp.jpg
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 15:59 - 31 Mar 2014    Post subject: Reply with quote
[quote="Fizzer Thou"]It is possible to make your own tools,as I have done for R1 USD forks

https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Workshop/Picture476.jpg


Very posh! Laughing
Here's one I spat some weld at for the Zed!

https://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r601/mentalboy1/P33103281_zpsf20f9639.jpg
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