Fork oil/seal replacement

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Dalemac · #1 Post by **Dalemac** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:03 pm

Fork oil, oil seals and dust seals. Do I need anything else? Fork legs are already out and ready to be disassembled.

Never done this on the Falco before. Anything in particular that i need to watch out for? Looking at the manual this is one of the most complicated areas on the bike fiddly small part wise!

Thanks,

Dale

#2 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:22 pm

You'll need a means of compressing the fork springs, once you've undone the top nut, so you can get at the nuts that join the fork top to the damper rod. Either that or you'll need an extra pair of hands and a home-made tool.

You'll also need a 43mm seal driver to push the new seals in place. It all depends really how far down you're intending to strip the forks. One thing I'd definitely make sure of is to wrap some cling film or parcel tape around the grooves in the fork legs before you slide the new seals on, otherwise you could damage the new seals before you even start.

Dalemac · #3 Post by **Dalemac** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:55 pm

mangocrazy wrote:You'll need a means of compressing the fork springs, once you've undone the top nut, so you can get at the nuts that join the fork top to the damper rod. Either that or you'll need an extra pair of hands and a home-made tool.

You'll also need a 43mm seal driver to push the new seals in place. It all depends really how far down you're intending to strip the forks. One thing I'd definitely make sure of is to wrap some cling film or parcel tape around the grooves in the fork legs before you slide the new seals on, otherwise you could damage the new seals before you even start.

Just oil and seals really - don't feel the need for springs and valves at this time, maybe next time...

compression tool wise, is this suitable?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/28111842 ... 108&ff19=0

Dale

#4 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:00 pm

Hi Dale, yes that's exactly the sort of thing I meant. One person operation and works well.

This is the other tool I was referring to:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-MS056- ... 0920748607

Dalemac · #5 Post by **Dalemac** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:08 pm

Cheers Mango.

I don't think i'll be rebuilding these forks though. The only place suitable for them is the bin i think:

That is the left fork - the right is starting to do a similar thing.

Not got a clue as to what has happened here but where you see grey it is basically fraying like the outside of a coconut...

#6 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:22 pm

Yes, that's one of the worst cases I've seen. I've got a set that were on the blue Falco that are starting to do the same, but I think are recoverable. I think it's a combination of abrasion and salt ingress. Once the outer anodising is breached, and salt is in the mix, then the 'fungus' can spread quite quickly.

I'm not sure if yours could be reclaimed, but even if they could it's probably cheaper to get another set off ebay...

Dalemac · #7 Post by **Dalemac** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:41 pm

On the up side, i'll have a pair of forks to practice disassembling with.....

ll the pairs on eBay that i see are obviously going to go the same way sooner rather than later.

Ohlins are like £600...

:(

Dalemac · #8 Post by **Dalemac** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:57 pm

Presumably the mille gen1 showas are the same as the falco showas?

Dale

control_67 · #9 Post by **control_67** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 7:44 pm

I have a set I took off to put ohlins on, pretty clean and no damage I can remember. If you're interested in them I can get you pics.

Dalemac · #10 Post by **Dalemac** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:42 pm

Hi Control,

Thanks, i've already sourced another pair to the distress of my wallet.

Dale

D-Rider · #11 Post by **D-Rider** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:12 pm

Dalemac wrote:On the up side, i'll have a pair of forks to practice disassembling with.....

ll the pairs on eBay that i see are obviously going to go the same way sooner rather than later.

Ohlins are like £600...

:(

Both of my sets of Ohlins were considerably cheaper than that .... though you do have to bide your time to pick them up cheaper .... and that doesn't really work for you I guess.

Dalemac · #12 Post by **Dalemac** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:40 pm

Yeah i don't have that luxury. I've bought the best pair I could find, which happened to be from an rsv, i'll have to look after these ones a bit better!

Dale

#13 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:20 pm

Mille and Gen 1 RSV Showa forks are identical. And it only seems to be the Showas that have this problem (that I've heard of, anyway). I suspect it's a grade of aluminium that's unsuited to UK conditions. Make sure that brake lines (especially unsheathed braided stainless ones) don't rub against the fork legs at any point, and if you see any nicks developing, soak them in ACF50.

D-Rider · #14 Post by **D-Rider** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:00 pm

The later Falco Marzocchi forks will fit too.

floakey · #15 Post by **floakey** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 9:04 am

[Blimey for the price of the spring compressor I'd get somepme to do them , they usualy charge £100 to do them and I think its normally just the oil they change and obviously a clean plus any pther parts fork oil seals for example .quote="Dalemac"]

mangocrazy wrote:You'll need a means of compressing the fork springs, once you've undone the top nut, so you can get at the nuts that join the fork top to the damper rod. Either that or you'll need an extra pair of hands and a home-made tool.

You'll also need a 43mm seal driver to push the new seals in place. It all depends really how far down you're intending to strip the forks. One thing I'd definitely make sure of is to wrap some cling film or parcel tape around the grooves in the fork legs before you slide the new seals on, otherwise you could damage the new seals before you even start.

Just oil and seals really - don't feel the need for springs and valves at this time, maybe next time...

compression tool wise, is this suitable?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/28111842 ... 108&ff19=0

Dale[/quote]