*********** Fork Seals

Yes, same seal.

Before you replace the seals, first you might want to try cleaning out the old seals with a 0.006" feeler gauge or a piece of film strip. Pull the dust seal down, then carefully insert the feeler gauge under the dust seal and with the aid of liberal squirts of WD40 clean out the seal by going around the circumferance of the seal several times. With the fork seal in place, repeat the process on the fork seal. It helps if there is some air pressure inside of the fork tubes to aid in flushing out debris. I'm sure this technique of cleaning out dirt and debris lodged in the fork seals has been discussed here before but in any case it is surprising how many times seemingly worn out fork seals can be 'rejuvenated' by this process.

Chas said:

Before you replace the seals, first you might want to try cleaning out the old seals with a 0.006" feeler gauge or a piece of film strip.

Click to expand...

while this often works, it also tends to push some of that crud and debris (that was trapped between the seal liips) up into the fork. dirt inside your fork is bad.... mmmmkay?

i have had good success on a few occasions when seals have leaked (and weren't damaged by a burr) by just dismantling the fork, wiping out the seals, and replacing them. usually i'll take 1/2cm or so out of the springs on the dust wiper and seal to slightly tighten them too. this whole procedure takes about an hour, maybe 90 mins the first time, and you get the benefit of fresh oil, and you know what the oil height is, etc...

my 250 has been going strong for 5000 miles since i had to do this after a snowy dezert race where mud dried on the tubes in fast sections, then got pushed past the seals in the whoops.

if you do decide to replace seals, i would recommend www.synergyseals.com. they seem to hold up better than oem-type seals.

velosapiens said:

Chas said:

Before you replace the seals, first you might want to try cleaning out the old seals with a 0.006" feeler gauge or a piece of film strip.

Click to expand...

while this often works, it also tends to push some of that crud and debris (that was trapped between the seal liips) up into the fork. dirt inside your fork is bad.... mmmmkay?

Click to expand...

This is why you want some positive pressure inside the fork tube, i.e. to aid in purging the debris out.

Velo...thanks for the plug.

Rob