How many of you replace your own fork seals/oil?

[guile]

Tried to do it once but got stuck taking the bottom bolt out which needs an impact wrench. Don't have a suitable vice or long enough lever to use with such a small allen key. Youtube tutorials make it look quite complex - I have very limited equipment.

Now I'm thinking it is worth investing in an impact wrench for the same price a garage would charge to change it once. Pretty easy job, no? Can I do it without a bench vice?

[wr6133]

I DIY them, it's not a hard job just an annoying one.

[Commuter_Tim]

Oddly I am just this moment looking at getting the tools to do my own.
Paying someone hundreds to swap out some seals that cost £10 is a mugs game, and one I'm tired of playing.

It seems Fork seal drivers are the main stumbling block without the specific tool for the job.
That and a big bench vice to grip it in.
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The above post is most likely nonsensical.

I ride a Bandit 600... badly.

[Doomsnite]

Did it myself about 98% last week and im a real noob.

Didnt need impact driver for bottom bolt, just give it some snap when turning the wrench. I did need to buy a set of long allen bits for it though.

Bought a 1.5" pvc pipe to drive in the new bushes if your're going that far and then used the old seal cut in half and upside down to drive in the new seal with a hammer. Mine didnt go in all the way though and i got bored so i gave matey in the garage up the road a tenner to drive them in.
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Triumph Street Triple-R
Sold: Honda Hornet CB600F-Y / Yamaha YBR125

[Beehive Bedlam]

I'm more than happy to try anything myself bar tyres before I take it to someone since I paid £70 for the seals and oil changed on my Varadero when it was due an MOT he must of forgot to change the seals probably didn't even order them.

Fresh oil was weeping all down the fork legs around the corner from the garage upon inspection they were the same old perished seals.

I didnt bother going back as he could easily have failed it and within good reason if he wanted.

[tatters]

Make sure you use a fork seal driver or something similar like a plastic pipe that won't damage the chrome fork stantions when you fit the seals, I've had a few bikes that shortly after buying and had fu*ked fork seals due to some retard fitting the new ones with a drift or screw driver etc and has damaged the stantions.
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[CaNsA]

The hardest thing about swapping seals on USD forks is compressing the spring to screw the top cap back on.

[covent.gardens]

I do it, but it's not a job I enjoy. I force myself to do these things. Maintenance and repair jobs probably take me 2 to 10 times longer than it would take a pro and I don't always get it right first time, but over the past 10 years or so, I've never had to have a third party do any kind of repair or servicing work on any of my bikes or cars. I struggle through, save a few quid, and learn a little. If I get a major engine or gearbox problem it'll have to go to a garage because that'll be over my head.

I'm surprised 14 out of 15 (93%) DIY. That's a lot more than I'd have expected.

[mentalboy]

[Jim Mc]

I did this on the CBR but ended up taking about 3 months to get it back on the road.

I've done this on smaller bikes before and it was a lot easier but this time I needed to buy a slide hammer to home the seals as they just wouldn't go with the DIY method.

I then shopped around for the spring compressor but was looking at paying 100 quid, so took me a while to come up with an alternative method.

All done now though, and know how to do it for next time I guess. It's a ball ache dismantling the front end of the bike to get to the forks, it's actually a lot of work on a sports bike.

[Kris]

Fork seals, bearings, tyres and valve shims are all jobs for the garage mechanic IME.

I'll do the basic services, chain & sprockets and clean out the brakes but anything requiring specialist tools is out for me.

Plus, courtesy bikes are fun..
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NSR125RR - ZXR750H1 - ZX9R E1 - GSF600S - GSF600SK3 - VFR400-NC30 - SV1000N - ST1100-R - CBR900RR-R - GSF1200SK5 - GSF600SK1 - VFR1200FA - GSXR1000K2 - ZZR1400 D8F
www.prisonplanet.com

[gl0ckage]

I do my own, i have a spare set to swap when mine break, just replaced some leaky ones on a set.

I just use a broom to compress springs once top is off then impact the bolt out the bottom.

Tricky but by no means something i would ever let a garage do, £100+ for a job that takes 1 hour max as a noob, no chance.

Also to the post above me, i have done bearings (did a rear wheel swap and had to install stock bearings for the spindle), i take my own tyres off but once painted i let a garage do them with the correct tools.

Valve shims? feeler gauge and money to buy ones that fit? not worth the garage asking price think they include it with a full service? £200~


Only time i take stuff to the garage is if it takes me longer to do the job then it would for me to work my day job and pay for it.
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GS500 Custom - GS500 Standard X2 - ZX9R C1

[mysterious_rider]

To put all the seals back use some skinny scaffold tubing. Not a job for complete noobs
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KAWASAKIIIII

[dandelion]

I do the things one can realistically do in a home garage, full with all the other crap you don't want in the house. All the critical bits are for a proper mechanic, one that will be sure it was done properly and didn't google kittens and then how to change fork oil.

Also you might like to know that poll results will show people who 'SAY they do it', 'did it once', 'attempted it once or several times', and who actually do so under the yes answer.

[EazyDuz]

When mine need doing ill take them off the bike and take them to a garage. Saves some money but more importantly saves all the headaches.
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To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[JamesE90]

Did mine between my dad and I with two lengths of PVC pipe, one split and forced around t'other. Took 2 hours for leg one and 20 minutes for leg two once we'd worked out what to do

[Amber Phoenix]

Did mine down at Oval Motorcycle Centre. So, kind of did it myself, with lots of help and tuition from Matt. And since they had all the tools handy, it was very little faff. Of course, I had to pay for bench time which was about on par with a bike mech handy man but less than a big garage. But I did learn how to do the job myself for next time.
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Beginner Biker Adventures Blog
Yamaha FZ6 S2 2007

[WimbleHJR]

[barrkel]

I did it once, on ER6f. I probably won't do it again; quite tedious.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[DrSnoosnoo]

Did my RWU forks and head bearings myself on Friday (well with a mate). That bolt at the bottom ... easy. Didn't need a vice, seal drivers, bearing pullers etc.

To drive races in, cut a slit in old race, turn over and hammer it in, same tactic with inner race of bearings.

40mm pvc pipe with a slit, two sections about 100 mm long, use one against the fork leg to drive in the shim, over lap the second so it's outer edge is on the seal. Tighten them with a jubilee clip and smash away.

Did it in a full day, including taking ALL my fairings off... that bit was a PITA and what costs money in a garage.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[MarkJ]

On RWU forks, the first thing I do when changing seals is crack the top cap off while it's still in the yokes, then tighten it up finger tight so no oil can leak out. Then with the fork fully assembled, take the fork out of the yokes, turn upside down, insert allen bit into the bottom bolt that holds the forks together and compress the fork whilst undoing the bolt. No need for broom handles and has worked for me every time so far, touch wood.

[t121anf]

Paid for mine as when I enquired about the "specialist tools" the Suzuki sponsor of Gixerjunkies said not to bother and pay someone.

Meant my hands didn't get dirty, other than removing from the bike.

[el_oso]

yes and no.

conventional forks are easy to do. Sometimes the hardest part is having a place that is out of the way enough so that it isn't going to get knocked over. Not all of us have garages or even a driveway.

USD forks. I've never tried. I recently had the seals done on the gixxer and I whipped the front wheel off and took the legs down to my local bike shop to change the seals. I was charged £80 for new oil seals, dust seals, oil and labour. That's a price I'm willing to pay to save the faff of compressing that spring without the proper equipment. Ride in ride out service was at least double.
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Duke 390
Previous: '05 XR125L | '96 XJ600S Diversion |'05 Suzuki GSXR1000 | '05 Honda CBR125-R | '97 YZF 600R Thundercat | '11 Honda CBR250
Car: Jeep Wrangler 4.0L

[MCN.]

Conventional forks, yes. USD forks go to a man who can.

[Fladdem]

Forks are the one thing I'm scared to touch. I am more than happy to tear into a gearbox, but the thought of stripping fork legs down terrifies me. Weird that...
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Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.