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Fork seal life

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  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    5 years ago
    Had new seals put in 3 years ago when I upgraded the suspension, left side popped yesterday, pumped oil out like a fountain over me and the bike, what a mess.
    What sort of life are you fellas getting out of your seals?
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    5 years ago
    About 20 years.  Modern seals and stuff not designed to last like the old days.
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    5 years ago
    Quoting Ratbob on 28 Feb 2019 05:41 AM

    Had new seals put in 3 years ago when I upgraded the suspension, left side popped yesterday, pumped oil out like a fountain over me and the bike, what a mess.

    What sort of life are you fellas getting out of your seals?

    That does not sound normal. Still have the std seals in mine 7yrs and 70k later
  • Ken in Cairns
    Ken in Cairns
    5 years ago
    3 years does seem a little short lived.
    Check your fork tubes for nicks and marks from stone hits, if big enough can damage the lip seal.
    But if it just went all of a sudden I wonder if the garter spring has come off or failed.
    End of the day you will have to pull the tube to see.
    Good luck
    Cheers Ken 
  • Humbug
    Humbug
    5 years ago
    I had the left on go on my 15 fat bob while still under warranty,no problems since.
  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    5 years ago
    Quoting Ken in Cairns on 28 Feb 2019 03:25 PM

    3 years does seem a little short lived.

    Check your fork tubes for nicks and marks from stone hits, if big enough can damage the lip seal.
    But if it just went all of a sudden I wonder if the garter spring has come off or failed.
    End of the day you will have to pull the tube to see.
    Good luck
    Cheers Ken 

    Hi Ken, most of my riding is through the Adelaide hills, so the forks get covered in bugs which I clean each trip. This leak sprung at the back of the fork so I’m thinking you could be right, maybe the garter spring snapped. It was a right bloody geyser. Maybe that’s a trait of it being the fork leg with a cartridge system in it.
  • Big Steve
    Big Steve
    5 years ago
    I tend to see them start leaving residue on the stanchions around 60k (Which is less than 3 years riding for me)
  • leachy
    leachy
    5 years ago
    Hey Ratbob,
    What cartridge kit do you have in the forks?

    Thanks
    Leachy
  • Daggs
    Daggs
    5 years ago
    11 years on rough roads still with stock seals
  • Baloffski
    Baloffski
    5 years ago
    Quoting Ken in Cairns on 28 Feb 2019 03:25 PM

    3 years does seem a little short lived.

    Check your fork tubes for nicks and marks from stone hits, if big enough can damage the lip seal.
    But if it just went all of a sudden I wonder if the garter spring has come off or failed.
    End of the day you will have to pull the tube to see.
    Good luck
    Cheers Ken 

    Quoting Ratbob on 28 Feb 2019 10:40 PM

    Hi Ken, most of my riding is through the Adelaide hills, so the forks get covered in bugs which I clean each trip. This leak sprung at the back of the fork so I’m thinking you could be right, maybe the garter spring snapped. It was a right bloody geyser. Maybe that’s a trait of it being the fork leg with a cartridge system in it.

    Ahh the Montacute scenic drive, 28 kms or so. Remember, 73 74 Honda 750, K900 with sparks, anyway again digress. My 2012 Road Glide has no intention of weeping at the present, after Kms, and dirt. Just make sure she goes to bed clean..

  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    5 years ago
    Quoting leachy on 04 Mar 2019 03:35 AM

    Hey Ratbob,

    What cartridge kit do you have in the forks?

    Thanks
    Leachy

    Hi Leachy
    It’s the HD Premium Ride kit 45400058. 
    I’ve found it better than the stock set up on my CVO Fatbob which came stock with the Low Profile forks. 
    So it’s much firmer, far less dive and the touch of added height for my bike works well. 
    Cheers
  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    5 years ago
    Interesting, my bikes parked in a clamp so no side stand used, but it is the lefty that’s popped.
  • Vic
    Vic
    5 years ago

    Doesn't sound right to me Ratbob, I do a lot of k's, lot of them on dirt corrugated roads and haven't had one go yet.




    IMG_20170416_125402 (2)[1].jpg
  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    5 years ago
    Quoting Ken in Cairns on 28 Feb 2019 03:25 PM

    3 years does seem a little short lived.

    Check your fork tubes for nicks and marks from stone hits, if big enough can damage the lip seal.
    But if it just went all of a sudden I wonder if the garter spring has come off or failed.
    End of the day you will have to pull the tube to see.
    Good luck
    Cheers Ken 

    Quoting Ratbob on 28 Feb 2019 10:40 PM

    Hi Ken, most of my riding is through the Adelaide hills, so the forks get covered in bugs which I clean each trip. This leak sprung at the back of the fork so I’m thinking you could be right, maybe the garter spring snapped. It was a right bloody geyser. Maybe that’s a trait of it being the fork leg with a cartridge system in it.

    Quoting Baloffski on 04 Mar 2019 09:46 AM

    Ahh the Montacute scenic drive, 28 kms or so. Remember, 73 74 Honda 750, K900 with sparks, anyway again digress. My 2012 Road Glide has no intention of weeping at the present, after Kms, and dirt. Just make sure she goes to bed clean..

    Hi Baloffski,  yeah there are some great rides made more interesting back in the 70’s when I tried to push my XS2 through Chain O Ponds etc, man the Yams used to flex. 
    Happy days though, no radars or breathos. :-)
  • Wideglider
    Wideglider
    5 years ago
    Quoting Ken in Cairns on 28 Feb 2019 03:25 PM

    3 years does seem a little short lived.

    Check your fork tubes for nicks and marks from stone hits, if big enough can damage the lip seal.
    But if it just went all of a sudden I wonder if the garter spring has come off or failed.
    End of the day you will have to pull the tube to see.
    Good luck
    Cheers Ken 

    Quoting Ratbob on 28 Feb 2019 10:40 PM

    Hi Ken, most of my riding is through the Adelaide hills, so the forks get covered in bugs which I clean each trip. This leak sprung at the back of the fork so I’m thinking you could be right, maybe the garter spring snapped. It was a right bloody geyser. Maybe that’s a trait of it being the fork leg with a cartridge system in it.

    Quoting Baloffski on 04 Mar 2019 09:46 AM

    Ahh the Montacute scenic drive, 28 kms or so. Remember, 73 74 Honda 750, K900 with sparks, anyway again digress. My 2012 Road Glide has no intention of weeping at the present, after Kms, and dirt. Just make sure she goes to bed clean..

    "Just make sure she goes to bed clean.."
    Yes, Baloffski, that is some good advice. I heard it before from an old-timer who answered similar words to that when I asked him why my bike was always developing rust spots.
    Moist Chamois down my bike after almost every ride, especially if roads were wet (mostly the front-end where road moisture & road grime stick). Keeps fork seals free of abrasive debris & helps prevent corrosion overall on bike.     
  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    5 years ago
    Quoting Vic on 04 Mar 2019 10:25 AM

    Doesn't sound right to me Ratbob, I do a lot of k's, lot of them on dirt corrugated roads and haven't had one go yet.




    IMG_20170416_125402 (2)[1].jpg
    LOL, yep that’d be the perfect cure. I’d love to put a Springer on the Dyna, but seems too difficult.
    Nice machine you have there, I reckon they’re the best of the CVO springers. The 240 rear on the 09 model really buggered the handling. Cheers
  • Ratbob
    Ratbob
    5 years ago
    Good idea Loopie, I’ll check that before ripping the legs off, cheers 
  • leachy
    leachy
    5 years ago
    Quoting leachy on 04 Mar 2019 03:35 AM

    Hey Ratbob,

    What cartridge kit do you have in the forks?

    Thanks
    Leachy

    Quoting Ratbob on 04 Mar 2019 10:22 AM

    Hi Leachy

    It’s the HD Premium Ride kit 45400058. 
    I’ve found it better than the stock set up on my CVO Fatbob which came stock with the Low Profile forks. 
    So it’s much firmer, far less dive and the touch of added height for my bike works well. 
    Cheers

    Thanks for that Im going to put cartridges in mine and I was just wondering what you were running. 
  • Vic
    Vic
    5 years ago
    Quoting Vic on 04 Mar 2019 10:25 AM

    Doesn't sound right to me Ratbob, I do a lot of k's, lot of them on dirt corrugated roads and haven't had one go yet.




    IMG_20170416_125402 (2)[1].jpg
    Quoting Ratbob on 04 Mar 2019 06:25 PM

    LOL, yep that’d be the perfect cure. I’d love to put a Springer on the Dyna, but seems too difficult.

    Nice machine you have there, I reckon they’re the best of the CVO springers. The 240 rear on the 09 model really buggered the handling. Cheers

    Yep that would be an extreme measure R/B.

    I know yours sounds like it has gone completely so will need replacing but I've had success with a seal mate when I've had seals leak in the past.

    Can be bought for about $10 if I remember correctly, easy enough to make your own though.

    Pushed up into the seal and rotated to clean any shit out.

    Has worked for me.

  • Baloffski
    Baloffski
    5 years ago
    Quoting Ratbob on 28 Feb 2019 10:40 PM

    Hi Ken, most of my riding is through the Adelaide hills, so the forks get covered in bugs which I clean each trip. This leak sprung at the back of the fork so I’m thinking you could be right, maybe the garter spring snapped. It was a right bloody geyser. Maybe that’s a trait of it being the fork leg with a cartridge system in it.

    Quoting Baloffski on 04 Mar 2019 09:46 AM

    Ahh the Montacute scenic drive, 28 kms or so. Remember, 73 74 Honda 750, K900 with sparks, anyway again digress. My 2012 Road Glide has no intention of weeping at the present, after Kms, and dirt. Just make sure she goes to bed clean..

    Quoting Ratbob on 04 Mar 2019 10:27 AMedited: 04 Mar 2019 10:28 AM

    Hi Baloffski,  yeah there are some great rides made more interesting back in the 70’s when I tried to push my XS2 through Chain O Ponds etc, man the Yams used to flex. 

    Happy days though, no radars or breathos. :-)

    Ahhh. Now you talking old fella. Am still alive after owning and ring XS1 (drum brake Front end) XS2 lovely spark start and a TX. Fucken wobble wonders hah.. Know where you are talking. Fuck me, interstate. SA to Vic, SA to WA. how did we survive? Would not change it for anything.....
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