Rusting forks

So the forks on this 9,000 mile 2008 have surface rust on them. Im trying my best to get it off with some never dull wadding, this stuff works wonders on any surface. Im concerned that if the travel on the forks comes in contact with these surface rust spots that it will cause the fork seal to fail.

Anyone else have something like this going on?

Wipe down the top of the fork tubes with MMO once a month and rust won't start. If its surface rust, take some evapo-rust and simply damp a rag and wrap it around the tube and let it sit for a couple hours, then rinse with plain water and it will be gone.
This is one area where a lot of folks neglect and never even clean up under the headlight/fork area. Some 0000 steel wool and WD40 would work in a pinch if your very careful.

WTH is MMO?

Marvel Mystery Oil?

http://www.marvelmysteryoil.com/

I think those that live near the water (lots of rain areas too?) are more susceptible to this problem, VS those that don't. When I lived near the coast, I noticed my bikes (years ago) would start having issue with the forks that way. Living inland like I do now, although I do work near the coast, I haven't seen any of my forks have that issue.

Larry likes MMO. Some guys love WD-40. YMMV (and thats not a lubrication product).

Coke + Aluminum foil.

SMSW said:

Larry likes MMO. Some guys love WD-40. YMMV (and thats not a lubrication product).

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Yeppers........WD=Water Displacement, 40 is the formula code. First used on rocket outer stainless shells by Air Force. Definitely not an actual lubricant, and eats into steel base metals.

Brant said:

Yeppers........WD=Water Displacement, 40 is the formula code. First used on rocket outer stainless shells by Air Force. Definitely not an actual lubricant, and eats into steel base metals.

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Lol - I meant YMMV is not a lubricant, though I know WD-40 is not either. But I did not know that it will corrode (as in 'eats into') any metal. The WD-40 manufacturer says their product will not harm anything fish oil does not hurt. This means that fish will be harmed by the stuff.....

I think I will keep using the never dull.

You should see what's under the triple clamp.

A good thing about changing the fork oil regularly is buffing up the forks and cleaning all the oxidation off before it gets that way. WD40 and 0000 bronze wool or a grey 3M sanding pad will remove the rust and buff up the chrome finish on the fork tubes. Owning boats for 40 years taught me never to use anything but bronze or 3M sanding pads on metal. Steel wool will leave tiny unseen dust particles behind in microscopic crevicesand pits to start the rust cycle all over again.

My ST's forks are fine but just noticed the forks on my vfr are rusty high up,forks aren't leaking, I was going to change the fork oil but I better get this rust cleaned off first,
I'll have to look for this 0000 bronze wool somewhere here.

If stone chipped or pitted, or surface rust, I would use crocus cloth which is about 900 grit and finer than 0000. I would find that a bit easier to use than wool as well.

Brant said:

Yeppers........WD=Water Displacement, 40 is the formula code. First used on rocket outer stainless shells by Air Force. Definitely not an actual lubricant, and eats into steel base metals.

Click to expand...

Yup, works great to polish aluminum, using power tools of course, it's not *that* abrasive. Made a lot of money thanks to WD40. For a while people were spraying down squeeky automotive AC conditioner compressors with it, cha-ching.....
The guys I work with will spray it on anything that squeeks, so much so that I hide it now. Caught one guy trying to lubricate a high speed fan motors bearing with it, I grabbed it and handed him my old pump oil can. It's great for pivot pins on the excavators and such, eventually they will get packed tight and won't take grease. Pull the zerk, clean out the hole with a small drill bit, fill it with wd-40, put the zerk back in, wait a couple of days....it literally grinds through the rust and crud. WD40, great lubricant on slow moving, light load stuff, but that's about it. Unless you happen to own a missile silo..........