Forking oil seals...

[guest288]

I've dismantled the forks on my XBR, and I want to replace the oil and dust seals, but I cant seem to remove the existing oil seals. Am I being dumb, or is there a special tool I'll need?

[guest27]

I have had them corrode in in the past - real bugger to get them to move - even replaced only one on occasion when the other was solid in - so any ideas would help here too

R

[Steve H]

Ive used tyre levers in the past, however you have to be careful not to damage the top of the fork leg with the lever.

[themoudie]

Aye Dave,

A good sharp pair of electricions side cutters.

Grab hold of the top of the seal and cut through the rubber and thin steel former beneath. Then go 180 degrees and do the same. Now grab and twist at ~90 degrees from either, without putting pressure on the alloy of the slider rim and crumple the old seal into the centre. Just work gradualy and methodicaly a little at a time. Eventually the whole seal will collapse with the cuts and twists.

I don't like levering against the slider, having once split the top out of a Cerriani slider , mucho lire!

Hope this works for you.

Regards, Bill.

[SteveC#222]

Dunno if it helps Dave,  But when you refit the seals, I've found that a piece of Galvanised scaffold pipe (42MM O/D) is exactly the right size to use as a slide hammer to drive the seals home.

[guest288]

Thanks guys, but so far i cant even split the fork leg from the tube... 

[SteveC#222]

mine were a bugger to get apart ....I ended up taking them to our local bike shop who put them in a vice and use excessive amounts of brute force