Fork seal leak - 35mm film fix-how much oil to add?

kendoo

kendoo

Joined
Jul 8, 2009
Messages
877
Age
60
Location
Wallkill, NY
Bike
2016 FJR
OK, So I got a pretty good leak from my right front fork seal. It all over the brake caliper etc. Not sure if the sealmate or 35mm film trick can fix a leak this large, but its worth a shot I guess. If I can get it to stop leaking, how can I tell how much fluid I actually lost? And how do I add? I assume I just remove the cap and pour it in?
 
You will need to pull the fork off the bike to top it off right. To fill it properly you need to measure the space from the top of the oil to the top of the tube with the spring, spacer and washer removed. To do this you are likely to have to upend the fork leg. If you are that far along and you have a seal issue, you may as well change the seal and put an end to the issue. It's not a hard job but it does take a couple of hrs. Also if you are going to do one may as well do both.
 
I just finished up doing both fork seals. Went pretty good One thing concerns me though. The manual said the taper end of the fork spring should be pointing up. When I disassembled it, the taper was down. I bought the bike used with only 11K on it. I wouldn't think the forks were apart before I bought it. Is the manual wrong or were the springs in upside down all this time? It certainly feels like alot less dive when I grab the front brake.
 
The spring question comes up now and then and the thought seams to be,,,what difference does it make. Sure the sprigs is stiffer at the tight windings but it should compress the same whether it is right side up or not. I have not seen anyone post that they found a difference. You could do a test and let us know. :D
LOL I doubt I would redo it either.:)
 
kendoo said:
OK, So I got a pretty good leak from my right front fork seal. It all over the brake caliper etc. Not sure if the sealmate or 35mm film trick can fix a leak this large, but its worth a shot I guess. If I can get it to stop leaking, how can I tell how much fluid I actually lost? And how do I add? I assume I just remove the cap and pour it in?
Click to expand...

When I bought my ST last spring, my right fork, caliper, pads, rotor and rim were coated with a pretty thick layer of grime and dust from a leaking seal. When I peeled up the fork protector, there was a film of fluid pooled on top of the seal. I used the 35mm trick to clean the seal, hosed down the fork leg and all the grimy stuff with krud kutter, replaced the pads (they were contaminated) and rode it for a while, no more leaks - the 35mm film did the trick.. Couple of weeks later I got around to changing the fork fluid, measured approximately how much fluid came out of each leg. There was so little difference that it could have been attributable to not letting one fork drain as much as the other. Oil has an amazing spread/volume ratio - a little bit goes a looong way. As long as you don't have fluid actively dripping off anything, I'm not sure I'd worry about it too much until your next scheduled fluid change or you have time to get to it..

.02
 
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