Ohlins fork seals

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Bol D'or

Bol D'or

Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Messages
99
Location
Aberdeen
Looks like my Ohlins fork seals are starting to wilt, I'm getting some seepage which was mentioned on the MOT cert (I had noticed myself as well)
I'm ok with removing the forks myself, who wold you recommend I use for replacements?
I noticed Fox Racing are offering £105.00 for the service.
The rebuild does worry me a little though.
I have caliper gauges to make sure I get the forks poking out the top of the headstock the same distance as before.
But what about lining them up?
Do you leave completely tightening up the forks until the wheel is back on?
Does the wheel pull them into alignment?
Or do you make your own alignment marks on the bike/forks for rebuild time?
 
Check out YouTube for "motorcycle front fork alignment" it's a very simple process - Del boy's garage does a very good vid

Gray
 
Thanks for the tip.
Although that video was more about alignment when the forks are already in place, it will help me from a re-assembly point of view.
I've heard/read I should ask for GSXR1000K4 or R1 seals, as they are better than the Ohlins?
 
Bol D'or said:
Thanks for the tip.

I've heard/read I should ask for GSXR1000K4 or R1 seals, as they are better than the Ohlins?
Click to expand...

I have no idea if that's correct, but I'm sure that someone on here will let you know.

Gray
 
Ohlins ones are now the upgraded ones. Basically they should be double lipped. Used to use Suzuki or Yamaha ones but now just get Ohlins double lipped seals will do the job
 
Hi, while we are on this subject could anyone shed some light on the following.
I bought an Aprilia rsv factory 2005 of my brother. The fork seals were done the previous TT susuki seals were fitted my friend also had the same seals fitted to his gen2 at the island as both are Manx bikes and have similar miles about 9k. I brought it back from the IoM this TT it had done about 400 miles and the seals have gone the only difference between the two bike my one only ridden once in a year.
Could it standing have affected the seals, the forks are in good condition and the work was done by the same workshop on both bikes. But my mate's bike is fine.
Many thanks Richard
 
Have you tried cleaning the seals?
Since using a seal cleaning tool, I'm not getting the tell-tale 'rings' around the forks any more.
So I'm not so sure my seals are gone after all.
I'm thinking parking in a dusty Knockhill car park had covered the forks in dirt enough to make the seals leak a bit.
Using the fork cleaning tool was easy-peasy, you just lever down the dust seals with a screwdriver and shove the seal tool up between the seals and the forks (you will feel it slip into the gap and you will get a few drips of fork oil)
You then rotate it around the fork leg a few times.
The tool I used was called 'seal mate' and was about £6 off ebay.
 
Hi, thank for your advice, I will do that save me some money.
If it does work, could you recommend a good fork oil and the amount I will have to put in. I felt that the forks do dive quick when braking aggressively the but that could be because the forks have lost oil. I am fitting some Brembo M4s and Accasato master Clynder and it was suggested that I use a heavier or thicker fork oil. Many thanks for your help. Richard
 
I think any oil lost will be so miniscule that 'topping up' is irrelevant.
I too have noticed that my Ohlins forks dive a little too easily when you first apply the brakes.
I'm going to go up a few clicks on the compression damping, see if that helps.
I honestly can't see that it's a lack of fork oil causing this.
 
The fork oil was all over the discs, wheel and over the faring. I would have stopped but I was only a quarter way home from IOM to Winchester. I also didn't realise how bad it was till I got home. I am waiting for the seal buddy to arrive. But topping up the oil isn't as easy as I thought so I might have the seals done. I will try the tool and if it works I will put in with its tool kit with a little screwdriver. If only I knew about it I could have tried it in IoM before coming home. Many thanks
 
Ah, apologies, I didn't realise your leak was as dramatic as that!
If the seal-mate stops the seal leaking, I suppose you could (theoretically) use a syringe of some sort to withdraw the oil that's left in that forkleg, measure it, and then re-fill accordingly?
 
Many thanks for your help, I am going to get my forks done it's only a £50 pound difference if I take the bike in or the forks so I am going to take the whole bike in and ride it out. I have waited for over 6 months to pickup this bike due to a shoulder injury and not having a bike for a long time I am eager to ride it.
I must admit I really like it after ridding it back from IOM. It's very capable and when you get used to it you can't help loving it's character.
 
£50 for them to have the hassle of removing the forks is a bargain.
Where is that?
Unfortunately, I'm in Aberdeen and seem to have no option but to remove them myself and post them somewhere in England.
 
Crescent susuki but the best place for you is fox racing, they do a postal service and I think it's about £110 have look if you can't find them let me know. The cheapest price I could find locally was 160 to 189 including seals and oil with the forks in. But the dust seal 13 pounds extra with the 189 price but the other one was a just an estimate.
 
I am getting mine done next Tuesday I will ask for you if they do a postal service At Crescent at Verwood like I said fox racing which is closer to you.
 
Bol D'or said:
£50 for them to have the hassle of removing the forks is a bargain.
Where is that?
Unfortunately, I'm in Aberdeen and seem to have no option but to remove them myself and post them somewhere in England.
Click to expand...

You not thought about contacting Eddy at ERS at Knockhill circuit? he does suspension stuff and has a pretty good reputation, also you have Bob Grant (Ex Scottish Superbike Champion amongst other things) who works from Fife too when he isn't running a BSB Supersport 600 team :)
 
had my ohlins fork serviced yesterday using yam r1 2006 special edition ohlin seal.. just the same thing..
 

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