Need confirmation of my worst fear.....

[Cshores]

I think I know the answer already but needed the experts to confirm my issue here.

I just changed/serviced my front forks last week. Bushings, seals, and oil. I rode a few hundred miles this weekend and the front end definitely felt different but not necessarily in a good way.

The pictures indicate what the forks looked like when I finished my ride? Are the seals fucked or is this normal after a fork service?

Any help would be awesome!

 

[Raywood]

I think I know the answer already but needed the experts to confirm my issue here.

I just changed/serviced my front forks last week. Bushings, seals, and oil. I rode a few hundred miles this weekend and the front end definitely felt different but not necessarily in a good way.

The pictures indicate what the forks looked like when I finished my ride? Are the seals fucked or is this normal after a fork service?

Any help would be awesome!

Since you don't list what model you have an how many miles you have on it its hard to answer. But mine look like that too even after replacing the seals.

Also, if you've washed it or ran in the rain make sure to pull the caps and drain the water out of them.

I neglected mine for the first 50,000 miles and the bushings wore through the chrome so I had to replace the forks. Now I replace them every 10,000 miles as recommended or earlier. On the Choppers the forks take a lot of abuse

 

[Cshores]

I ride a 2008 Mastiff with around 3500 miles on her. Her forks were already giving me issues with only 2K miles. The forks feel really "nimble" "reactive" and "bouncy". As least more so than before I did the service.

No rain involved in this particular situation. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[liferider]

Raywood, I don't have a owners manuel. BUT, are you telling me that BDM recommends on the Chopper to completely replacing the forks by 10,000 miles????

 

[JR03CHOPPER]

Mine did that right after the service on them. It was a lot in the beginning and has subsided now. It took a couple of hundred miles though.

 

[1BADK9]

Mine did that right after the service on them. It was a lot in the beginning and has subsided now. It took a couple of hundred miles though.

X2 mine leaked a little after replacing until they got properly "seated", now they are fine :2thumbs:

 

[Fibersnake]

Raywood, I don't have a owners manuel. BUT, are you telling me that BDM recommends on the Chopper to completely replacing the forks by 10,000 miles????

Not the forks but seals and bushing to check and replace if needed.

 

[Sven]

The seals are fucked... IF:

1. You [did not] take a jeweler's file, found any surface that had a divot from the many pores in the fork tube's finish. These are the weak links, you do not wipe the forks off from washing or riding in the rain or bugs there of. All have to be cleaned and dry after a run. Let it sit, there you go. Feel for dimples on the legs. These can cut a new seal going down on replacement.

2. You gobbed a whole bunch of grease in the lips of the seal. This might be your residue, but doubt it with the two photos shown. If the top of the fork side, meaning, split the seal in half so you can see that the fork stays dry on one side. It does not need a lube on the outside of the fork, right?. Under the fork, there is your lube.
a. Take it for what its worth. I install fork seals ~ Dry.
b. I use cling wrap over the fork's top. I cock the seal and push the lip around enough, so it does not want to cut into the plastic wrap.
c. I cover those two factors, the lip over the fork tube and the rust pushing up those divots with a file, I push the dry seal down and stop before the leg. I pull the seal up, wipe away all that oil film. I have a clean seal installed with the least amount of dirt taking out my sleeves every 10K. If I forgot to mention, a can of brake clean will push any sediment out of the bottom of the leg. Use with that spray tube attached.

3. The fork oil Measuring/Feel:
a. Plush ~ This is where there are so many [equal] ounces in each fork. The number should be in the shop service manual. If you saved the oil and measured what came out, this can give you a ballpark measurement what to put back in?
b. Pogo ~ Here is too little oil. The front end won't settle down. No dampening effect. Beats me what you felt? There is a certain level that can dial in the bike. Same goes for the springs.
c. Hardtail ~ This is way too much oil. Like compressing water or a liquid. The coat hanger method, or an aluminum welding rod, can be dropped down each tube so as to 'dipsitck' the levels.

The only way I see that much leak is if the collars are so worn out, they rock in the leg, you can push the fork to the side, see daylight at the seal and tube.

 

[amylulu1]

Not the forks, fork seals, silly!

Raywood, I don't have a owners manuel. BUT, are you telling me that BDM recommends on the Chopper to completely replacing the forks by 10,000 miles????

 

[paleskin]

The seals are fucked... IF:

1. You [did not] take a jeweler's file, found any surface that had a divot from the many pores in the fork tube's finish. These are the weak links, you do not wipe the forks off from washing or riding in the rain or bugs there of. All have to be cleaned and dry after a run. Let it sit, there you go. Feel for dimples on the legs. These can cut a new seal going down on replacement.

2. You gobbed a whole bunch of grease in the lips of the seal. This might be your residue, but doubt it with the two photos shown. If the top of the fork side, meaning, split the seal in half so you can see that the fork stays dry on one side. It does not need a lube on the outside of the fork, right?. Under the fork, there is your lube.
a. Take it for what its worth. I install fork seals ~ Dry.
b. I use cling wrap over the fork's top. I cock the seal and push the lip around enough, so it does not want to cut into the plastic wrap.
c. I cover those two factors, the lip over the fork tube and the rust pushing up those divots with a file, I push the dry seal down and stop before the leg. I pull the seal up, wipe away all that oil film. I have a clean seal installed with the least amount of dirt taking out my sleeves every 10K. If I forgot to mention, a can of brake clean will push any sediment out of the bottom of the leg. Use with that spray tube attached.

3. The fork oil Measuring/Feel:
a. Plush ~ This is where there are so many [equal] ounces in each fork. The number should be in the shop service manual. If you saved the oil and measured what came out, this can give you a ballpark measurement what to put back in?
b. Pogo ~ Here is too little oil. The front end won't settle down. No dampening effect. Beats me what you felt? There is a certain level that can dial in the bike. Same goes for the springs.
c. Hardtail ~ This is way too much oil. Like compressing water or a liquid. The coat hanger method, or an aluminum welding rod, can be dropped down each tube so as to 'dipsitck' the levels.

The only way I see that much leak is if the collars are so worn out, they rock in the leg, you can push the fork to the side, see daylight at the seal and tube.

SVEN you feeling OK?! this post is fairly understandable today, I appreciate the work that goes into the usual replies. May have to take 2 of something and respond again in the morning.