recurveshooter Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Has anyone replaced a fork seal yet? Mine started to leave a slight film of oil on the stanchion at about 8,000 and at 10,600 it's leaking. Dealer says it's a normal wear and tear item... I say it isn't. After all, the other one isn't leaking. If it were a dirt bike I'd see his point but it ain't! I have an extended warranty blah, blah, blah.... so I'm hoping they just replace the thing. Second. Has anyone noticed a weird harmonic sound that seems to come from between the real gas tank and the plastic shroud/cover depending upon the type of surface you're driving on? And has it bothered anyone enough to do something about it? Thanks - recurveshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattonme Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 it most definitely is a routine wear item. Longevity depends on how dirty the environment is you ride in. On pavement it should last 10K miles (3 years of typical American use) and probably longer. But if you go thru a lot of bugs or dusty air, that can come down a lot. One unlucky beetle splat can leave a hard ridge of foreign material which will wear the seal out. It won't be covered by warranty. If you have one of those 'extended service' contracts they might cover it. With a front stand (or creative use of rafters, engine hoists, straps, or under-engine jacks) you can do it yourself without much trouble. Your oil needs a refresh anyway and might as well replace the lower bushings. You wanted a suspension upgrade, anyway, right? There are lots of Youtube videos for HOWTO and not a few threads on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
versysrider Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Using a piece of 35mm camera film has worked for me a few times before on "weeping" fork seals, may work even with a full on "leak" as well, and doesn't cost anything as long as you have a piece of film to sacrifice. Youtube vid below for reference. I just replaced both of my chrome inner stanchion tubes/sliders on my forks, as I bought a bike that had been down and both were bent. The bike only had 1,700 miles on it, and I was able to re-use the seals, and bushings. It took me 4 hours of trying all kinds of things to get the over torqued and thread locked damper rod bolts out. And yes I used my 3/4" impact gun with the fork springs, spacer, and cap installed and it loosened initially then just spun inside the fork. This has happened to me every time I've ever tried to remove a damper rod bolt on a new bike. I don't know what Yamaha's OEM damper rod holding tool looks like, but as far as I could tell there is no bolt head or star shaped tool markings inside the damper rod, although it's very hard to see down inside the rod. I tried heat, holding it with a broom handle, a broom handle with inner tube rubber duct taped to the end. Finally I found a metal scaffolding "stay" rod that fit inside the damper rod end, and put that in my vice then put the fork with the damper rod still in it, over the rod, and finally got it out with the impact gun. The rest of the R&R was a snap, just those stupid bolts were a huge hang-up. So, if I was just going to replace the seals myself at home without the factory holding tool, I'd try to do it without removing the damper rod bolt. Like drilling a couple small pilot holes in the top of the seal, inserting some screws, and using a slide hammer or prying them up a little at a time side to side to get them out. Although it would be smart to check your inner and outer bushings as well. Change the oil as well. 15 weight worked great for me, and has provided much better damping, with less dive. Anyway, just wanted to give you a little heads up on the damper rod bolts, you may have better luck with them than me. And if your lucky you may just be able to clean out some little piece of bug shell or grit with some film that is causing the leak. Motion pro, I believe, sells a seal cleaning tool as well. Hope this helps. '16 Yamaha FZ-07, '15 Yamaha FZ-09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recurveshooter Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 I do have an extended three year warranty which I interpret as meaning anything they would have fixed under warranty the first year is now covered for three years. I hope..... Maybe it's time to start putting fork boots on bikes again? At least on non-inverted forks? Thanks for the info about taking your fork apart.... and the film idea looks like it's worth trying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
versysrider Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 If your lucky they might cover it under warranty, BMW did that for me when I blew a fork seal on my G650XMOTO. But generally as "pattonme" said it's considered a normal wear item. Glad that helped. '16 Yamaha FZ-07, '15 Yamaha FZ-09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstertt Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 I do have an extended three year warranty which I interpret as meaning anything they would have fixed under warranty the first year is now covered for three years. I hope..... Maybe it's time to start putting fork boots on bikes again? At least on non-inverted forks? Thanks for the info about taking your fork apart.... and the film idea looks like it's worth trying! Funny you should mention that, just last night on Ebay I saw a set of fork boots for the FZ-07. I think they were like $60-$70...a bit much I think but then if they are made of good material and last not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 The "tool" for holding that rod from turning is a tapered square that must be jammed into the top of the damper with a long extension. https://www.amazon.com/Inner-Damper-Suspension-Shock-Kawasaki/dp/B005SUU0Y8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477794841&sr=8-1&keywords=Kawasaki+fork+damper+rod+tool It was rounded off quite a bit when I finally got my forks apart. The All-Balls seals are a good replacement with less stiction., but if you really want slick, smooth seals, spend more and go with these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recurveshooter Posted October 30, 2016 Author Share Posted October 30, 2016 Rick - Are those aftermarket seals as friction free as they are because of the material or are they just not that tight around the slider? - Thanks - recurveshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 According to the schtick, they seal well, last and have less stiction. http://www.skf.com/us/products/seals/automotive-seals/suspension/fork-seals-for-motorcycles-and-bicycles/index.html I've no personal experience with the SKF seals, but the video is pretty speaks for itself. My Aprilia's Showa OE seals are now 14 years old and sowing no signs of any leakage. . But when/if the All-Balls seals (and they have less stiction the the OE seals) I currently have in mine start to leak, I plan to try those SKF seals. Mind you, they are not cheap - this is per leg http://www.innteck-usa.com/products/fork_seals/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattonme Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 but if you really want slick, smooth seals, spend more and go withSKF. I carry/get SKF at vendor discount pricing if interested. I'll have to go look but $30/pair I think. The body material is very stiff compared to OE/All-Balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 That site i listed shows a price for the dust seal and oil seal as a pair, so it would take 2 "pairs" to get all 4 bits - basically twice or more the price of the All-Balls. That video sure speaks volumes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattonme Posted November 1, 2016 Share Posted November 1, 2016 I can get just the oil, or dust, or combo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
versysrider Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 The "tool" for holding that rod from turning is a tapered square that must be jammed into the top of the damper with a long extension. https://www.amazon.com/Inner-Damper-Suspension-Shock-Kawasaki/dp/B005SUU0Y8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477794841&sr=8-1&keywords=Kawasaki+fork+damper+rod+tool It was rounded off quite a bit when I finally got my forks apart. The All-Balls seals are a good replacement with less stiction., but if you really want slick, smooth seals, spend more and go with these So I guess what your saying is that tool did the job for you, as mine did, but is a universal tool and never fit properly inside the damper rod. I wish I'd had a borescope inspection camera then I could have seen for sure if the damper rod took a tool of a specific shape to hold it. As it was I couldn't see in there clearly enough to say anything for sure, it just looked round and tapered inside there to me. '16 Yamaha FZ-07, '15 Yamaha FZ-09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattonme Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 There is no 'proper' tool for a smooth bore damper rod. The good rods have a shape cut into the head so there is something to grab. Everything else relies on an interference fit between holder and rod. The square-sided tapered tool commonly referenced is made of AL and pounding it into a steel rod definitely makes the AL part suffer deformation. The tool should have been steel and thereby have the square edge actually cut into the damper rod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 Maybe yours was aluminum - mine is steel. Never did any pounding - just a large bar clamp to put pressure on it. It still had nicely bevelled corners when I was done. Actually, it probably would have gotten a better bite if I ground those corners down 1st. There would have been more surface area for some friction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmo Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Thank you, bar clamp is the answer I have been looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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