Can I pull the fork slider off only to replace seal?

[Rpmalerba]

Here's one of those stupid questions. I'm pulling the front tire off for replacement. Can I unbolt the slider on the fork from underneath and slide it off, replace the seal and slide it right back on? Then all I have to do is add oil. Or do I have to remove the whole thing as shown in the manual posting?
I've never done this before to know what's possible or a short cut.

[neoracer]

yes you can do it bu pulling the slider on the mc

[Rpmalerba]

yes you can do it bu pulling the slider on the mc

Wow. No kidding? Thanks. I kept looking at the pictures asking myself that. I love short cuts.

[JackH]

I did mine with the forks still on the bike. No real issue. I took a PCV pipe and cut in down the middle longways. Using this and a small square of wood and a hammer I was able to reseat the seals.

Good Luck!

Jack


EDIT - Fixin' ma spellin'

[Guest]

Remember to remove the spring first.

[admin]

Try not to scratch or nick the chrome finish when you remove the circlip from above the seal. Use a proper circlip tool to do it right. Also, make sure that you oil the fork tube when you slide the new seal over it otherwise you could damage the new seal.

[Rpmalerba]

Lets get a little crazy. Can I pull the front wheel off, leave the brace and fender on but remove the bolt that is above the axle in the center of the slider on both sides and then slide the whole assy off in one big piece? Replace the seals and slide the whole thing back up, put the bolt back on both sides and replace the tire?

[Rpmalerba]

Try not to scratch or nick the chrome finish when you remove the circlip from above the seal. Use a proper circlip tool to do it right. Also, make sure that you oil the fork tube when you slide the new seal over it otherwise you could damage the new seal.

Isn't the seal in the slider? So I would drop the slider off of the chrome tubes correct? Have the slider in my hand remove clip, remove seal, and reverse?

[Guest]

The seal has to go over the upper fork tube from the top, I think. Poorboy

[admin]

The seal is in the slider and it is easiest to use the slider as a slide hammer (after you remove the circlip and bottom bolt) to get the seal out then you must remove the fork tube from the triple tree (don't forget wire circlip at lower triple clamp) then you can slide the seal off and slide the new seal on from the top. I always use Scotch tape over the circlip groove so that I do not cut the new seal. Also, if there is any rust at the top of the fork tube you will also need to deal with so that you don't damage the new seal. Wet sandpaper coated with oil is good to take down the rough spots but nothing coarser than 400 grit. Make certain that the lips of the seal are pointing toward the slider which means the lips go down not like the Clymer manual that tells you to point the seals up which will cause them to leak.

[Rpmalerba]

The seal has to go over the upper fork tube from the top, I think. Poorboy

Dang I'm all confused. I guess I'll have to wait until I pull it apart? My thought was the seal is in the top portion of the slider. So, I remove the tire, remove the bolt at the base of the slider, pull the slider off, remove the seal, replace the seal, re install slider, put base bolt back on, tire etc, done.
No removal of fork tubes or anything to do with the upper section. Not gonna happen?

[Guest]

It is in the slider, but it will not go over the bottom of fork tube. Poorboy

[admin]

Have a look at the attachment. It will give you a better idea of what you need to do to get the job done. If 3 pages don't appear just double click on the blank pages to make them show. [attachment=0]

[PanMan75]

When I did mine last year I just removed the entire fork from the bike. It isn't too difficult to do and it is always nice to have it off the bike and inspect everything. I also changed the timing belts at the time as well so the entire process was easier.

[admin]

Sometimes it is much easier to get the seal out (corrosion, someone used a sealer, etc.) while the fork tube is held firmly in the bike because you can then use the slider as an impact tool to pry the seal out which is much, much harder to do if the fork tube and slider are removed from the bike as an assembly, in fact, in some cases I have had to re-install the fork tubes just to get the really stubborn seals out by using using the sliders as an impact tool on the seal. Very smart to do the timing belts when the forks are out of the way, makes the job much easier.