Front Fork Seal Replacement: Honda Telescopic Fork
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ค. 2016
- Here I show exactly how to tear down a common telescopic front fork from a GL1500. Almost all forks of this style are the same. By watching this you should be able to get your hands dirty with something similar! Remember, the main battle is just having the right tools to get yourself out of what you got yourself into.
TOOLS I USE AND TRUST
- Hammer :amzn.to/2eHyJy1
- 8mm Long allen socket: amzn.to/2eHxhMa
- Impact driver: amzn.to/2eALFYk
- Ratio-Rite: amzn.to/2edADIt
- Bel-ray 10w or 15w fork oil: amzn.to/2edC2Pp
- Small flat-head screwdriver: amzn.to/2elybDu
- Grade #000 steel wool: amzn.to/2e1phFU
- Small needle file: amzn.to/2edBNDV
- Fork seal driver (Be sure to get the correct size diameter for your bike) amzn.to/2eI3LqQ
- Contact cleaner: amzn.to/2eX9rRp
Free Maintenance course
►► Join my FREE maintenance course to achieve quality service and maintenance practices for your motorcycle → www.themotorcyclemd.com/free-...
LIKE SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE!
Need help with your bike?
Check out the INNER CIRCLE and join the community
www.themotorcyclemd.com/mcmd-...
Grab your free troubleshooting cheatsheet here:
www.themotorcyclemd.com/
Need Carburetor teardown and cleaning videos?
www.themotorcyclemd.com/premi...
Support Motorcycle MD and pick up the NEWEST Shirt design. Artwork and printing all locally done!
motorcyclemd.com/shop/
Try out some of my favorite GRIPCLEAN products at www.gripclean.com/
@Grip Clean Heavy Duty Hand Cleaner
USE CODE “ MOTOMD “ AT CHECKOUT FOR 10% OFF ENTIRE ORDER! - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Thanks MotorcycleMD. Just did the forks for my 2003 CB919. You're tutorial is awesome and saved me a ton of money! I followed this video step by step while doing it. Filling up the fork fluid was a pain, so I made a mini funnel by cutting the bottom off a plastic bottle, cut a small hole and slid some silicone tubing through (like aquarium line tubing). Thanks again and keep up the great work!
Cody, you obviously know your stuff when it comes to 'DIY motorcyle maintenance'! Thank you for the awesome video and great explanation of how it's done! God bless!
Awesome video Cody. I have this job ahead of me on my '02 shadow sabre 1100. I'm glad you made the point about not taking the upper tube apart,I'm not installing springs. Thanks
Thank you sir, just did my leaking 99 Wing folks, your video was there all of the way! I used the PVC as my setting tool and worked fine..
Just finished rebuilding the forks on my '94 GL1500. Your video was a huge help. Thanks so much!
Your welcome man! Great job!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I spend a lot of time exploring tech videos for my 1500 gold wing as I don't have a trust worth dealer/shop with in a 100 miles of my house.
Again Thank you so much!
Thank you for making the video because I have a 99 GL 1500 SE and I've got to rebuild both front forks on it. This was the exact video I needed to see
Great job on the video! I am ready to tackle this job. Having worked on aircraft there is very little I won't tackle but want to do it right. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this!
Just did mine this weekend. A few slight differences - pieces inside, size of the hex was actually an 8 mm (glad I got a set!) but otherwise I mostly followed what you laid out here which was extremely helpful. So far no leaks (went OE parts), ride seems smooth like before so perhaps the oil in there before was quality, though it came out black and nasty. And worth noting is the side that was leaking worse also had the more worn bushings, so I'm sure they are related. Thanks for all your efforts!
Great video, straight to the point and some added little tips only experience will teach you. I've done the seals on some of my dirtbikes but when the manual for my GW said I needed a special tool for the allen bolt & it was $200 online I headed to TH-cam. Thanks again.
Thank you Cody. Was looking at doing this on my '06 ST 1300. Did not want to have to disimbowel the entire shock. Will give this a try instead of carrying it to the shop.
Thanks for the nice tutorial Cody. I’m Gonna be changing the seals on my ‘82 Goldwing over the next few weeks so this is the perfect information I needed to learn.
Excellent! as always . . . your explanation of the steps makes these jobs very understandable.
Thank You Sir, just saved me from taking the upper section apart for this job. great video !!
Thanks! Done!, VFR750, filled with 10w oil, it's great! like the proverbial billiard table on turns
I was about ready to give up on this bike. Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I will move forward and keep restoring.
Bang it out Paul! Poor bike isn’t going to fix itself! 🤙🏻🤙🏻
Thank you for the video. I just replaced bushings and seals on my goldwing se 1500. Thanks again
Good technical video! So many videos showing to take the springs out when in reality you only need to change the bottom seals and slide bushings!
Nice video. One trick on the 1500's with the Schrader valve in the top cap is to slightly overfill the fork and then siphon off with a RC Antenna tube cut to the specified length, attached to a syringe. It's the height of the column of air that controls the compression level. Having both forks even is key. It's the air that gets compressed when the fork is cycled. This has a direct effect on ride quality. My measurement with Progressive Springs on a 97 GL1500 was 14". To eliminate air in the oil, I pulled a vacuum through the Schrader valve and pulled the oil up through the drain bolt hole on the front of the lower fork with them standing upright.
Thanks Dude.I am in the process of rebuilding the forks on my '86 Honda shadow vt1100.Appreciate the video.You the Man!
Dude thank you it's people like you that make me enjoy owning a bike because I'm not going broke from going to a mechanic. Your instructions are clear and great. Appreciate it 👍
Probably one of the best explanations I’ve seen on these online. My Shadow looks to have some cheaper aftermarket seals that are leaking slightly, so in the future I’ll go in and change them back to Honda seals.
Have you ever heard of using a piece of milk carton wrapped around the tube to protect the seal as you slide it down?
Fantastic advice…thanks. I learned a few things and your approach is wonderfully practical.
Great video. Gives me confidence. Thanks
Your video is the most thorough one on TH-cam.
If your fork tubes ate pitted your not screwed as you say , Simply run a blow torch over the pitting too drive out any oil , clean it with alcohol heat it again , Then fill the pit with JB weld or something similar let it dry then polish it smooth with like your points file , I did this on My Triumph Bonneville , was still good 4 years later. Taught to Me by My father who couldn't get new parts most of the time and had too make do
This is an interesting trick!!
Yeah Bro,real old school tech,that's how they won the war !!! 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
Clear nail polish works.
I trying this as we speak, mine had some of pitting at the top. The seals had been changed with-in the last year, the one with the pitting leaked the entire time Ive owned in..After getting new brake and really loading up that shock, it realy started leaking after. Thats where I am now. waiting for the JB weld to dry..Ill check back in.
@@TheMotorcycleMD Im trying this "trick" now, did you ever try it? Thanks for all the great Vids
You did a great job of showing the process! Very helpful video!
Hi Motorcycle MD.
Greetings from a female bike mechanic from the UK.
I would like to offer some advice an old biker told me.
You cleaned the stantions with wire wool, the wire particles are hazardous to your vulnerable fork seal.
How about wrapping some thin plastic around the stantions, then put your fork seal over the plastic. Slide the plastic & seal down.
Doing it this way you avoid any burrs or anything sharp to tear the the fork seal!
Just passing on some knowledge!
Love your videos buddy, very informative!
Best regards Angel x
2007 VFR on deck for this. Thanks so much for the video!
Just trying to do this to my 1993 cb750.
Now will get the tools to do it.
Thank you very much
Thanks man! I'm going to do the fork seals on my 1981 GL500 silverwing this afternoon. Looks simple beings I have the tools. Should be fun.
Excelent video my friend, thanks from Argentina.
Great Video.Im doing a Goldwing now.Along with Stator hydraulic clutch mod.
Thanks. No clever or funny comment from me just a thanks to you.
I just I did this job today on my (UK spec) VFR750 (but with VTR forks) it all went very easily thanks to your vid.
Especially the tip on the seal direction. I would have gone with spring in, to keep the oil in?
But no, spring out to keep the dirt out? Well it makes sense now.
So Thanks again.
I'll be searching for idle screw adjustment and carb sync advice next :-)
Crystal clear instructional vid !! Great Job !!Maybe do a vid showing re installing the forks on the bike?What about troubleshooting the cruise control on Goldwing 1500?
Thank you for sharing your knowledge sir! I now feel confident enough to tackle the job.
Eliazer Rodriguez This is great to hear! Good luck brother!
Doing a set of these today! Thanks Cody! 💪✌️
Great Help. Thanks. I will now attempt to replace the fork seals on my 1997 Valkyrie.
From the UK, thank you so very much👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏
Thanks for the knowledge ... What a would like to see in a next video is a spring fork change. The second part of this video.
Thanks again.
Top video. Thanks for all the tips and explanations. Cheers.
Thanks man, I'm about to do this to my '85 Gl1200i I think your video will help a lot
Very well presented. Thank you.
Fantastic video and a great teacher! Thanks!
RC Timms Thanks for the compliments man! 🤙🤙
thank you for sharing a very educational video
I had a '02 VTX1800 and the fork seals were replaced at 60k miles and 120k miles.
I miss that bike. She was a sweetheart.
hey bud!! thank you!!! i on the other hand have taken my forks completely apart due to the fact that the fork oil was NASTY! and it had leaked out so bad that i am going to have to use 000 steel wool to get rid of the rust on the fork tubes. 1999 Honda VTR1000F superhawk that i am rebuilding and will be selling in the near future, maybe like in the spring time.. all new plastics going on! and alot more being done to it.
Awesome video..! I just ordered all the parts I needed per your video. I'm not takin any chances. My Bike is 1992 Honda Nighthawk 750 (original owner). Although, it's in mint condition. I'm sure the bushings ,etc. are not so good after 95k miles. Thanks for your help..!
Great video! Pocket knife trick worked great! Thanks (1985 xr80r)
Great vid man... Getting from Western Australia.
Been doing bikes for a while but I've learnt a couple of tricks here... Cheers🙏🙏
Thanks for this info. I have a blown seal on my left fork, 96 Honda ST, and it looks a lot like the one you are working on.
Great video, I like not fussing with the top nut!
Great videos you got there! I found you recently and I love it. Could you make a short video about how to take those forks off of a bike? Like what tools are needed, what to be careful about etc.? I would really appreciate that and I believe I am not the only. Thank you and keep it up!
Excellent,right on the spot !
You, Sir. Are awesome! Thank you for the helpful video.
Your awesome! Thanks man!
Fantastic, just done this job. This video was a huge help
+Sitka This is great to hear!! Working on an update video this week!
Awesome walk through bro - thanks heaps for sharing!!
excellent videos Cody... they do help a lot... I mean it !!!
great stuff dude, please keep makin more!!
David T. I don't see and end anytime soon brother! 🤙🤙
Thank you very much! I have learned so much from you. Thanks again :D
Great video!! Easily explained. 👍✌️
Dude your the only video that says spring out on the seal , thanks.
Great video sir!
This was a great tutorial. Thankyou
Thanks a lot, great video as always , I’ll need to do it on two bikes a Honda st and a Yamaha royal star 😊
nice video thank you i have to do the same job on my 1997 goldwing1500.
Love your videos
Sweet! Thanks for sharing
Great vid, you are the first ive seen fill from the bottom and not completely disassemble. Great work.
TIP: Checkout Delboys garage fork seal vid for a nice trick with a pice of plastic milk bottle to keep seal protected when installing. I tried it with great success.
Cody I recently got a 2006 Shadow Spirit 750. It has a few quirks and your videos have hit the nail on the head. The fork seals, the turn signal switch are amongst the problems that I've had that you have videos for! Awesome job dude! Your videos are clear down to earth explanations.
One of my last quirks is that my bike is "coughing" and I have not seen any videos on TH-cam. There has not been a consistency or repetition that I can tell, such as deceleration, acceleration etc., it just seems to happen randomly. Bike only has 1500 miles on it, I use 87 octane. Any tips?
Fantastic videos, much appreciate them.
Great video brother
The right leg on my VFR keeps spilling oil although my mech changed the seal twice.
Now I’m up for it my self, doing the bushings this time also. Want something done right, do it your self.
Thanks for detailed video.
The whole time you were putting the fork back together I was wondering how you were going to get the oil back in, Duh, Excellent presentation. the need to get the oil exactly right is much more important in track bike where consistent suspension compression and rebound is a major part of winning. not so much on a touring/ cruiser. Note: that the service manual calls for different volumes of oil in each fork leg in my 93 GL1500 Aspencade, strange, none of my other bikes have this difference.
Alex Rodriquez, glad you enjoyed the video! You are absolutely right with how important fork oil amount/level and viscosity plays in track bikes! Correct, suspension systems that use anti-dive components will use different amounts between the two fork legs, great point!
Thanks so much for doing this video. Looks like I can do it on my st 1300 now.
Rob Adams Hi Rob, did you do fork seals on ST1300, how did it go? Is it exactly as in this video or will involve taking fork’s top cap off to access spring?
Excellent video! One tip regarding the piece that (sometimes) is on the end of the inside section of the fork: Definitely don’t want that piece to come off during reassembly! A bit of wheel bearing grease will hold it in place while you are moving the fork around. Obviously, if it slips off after the seal is installed, you have to start over 😰.
Thanks man, great stuff
Thank you for all the tips and good info! I just bought a 1984 Honda Shawdow Vt500 and needs to save money -- bikes been sitting years and the forks are springy. I assume new seal kit and fluid change should resolve this? Bike only has 10,000 Kilometers.. but the front end is super soft. Let me know if this same process applied. Thank you in advance good sir!
Well done, thank you
Cody my brotha! You should do a video on how to replace seals on air assist forks without a press. I got an 82' 650 nighthawk and the service manual says to take em to a honda shop once you get the forks off the bike because they need to use a hydraulic press to replace the seals. HOWEVER, there are people online that have used things like long furniture clamps, etc to replace them. I know you could make a great video on this and provide alot of crucial and professional advice so that others trying it from home don't make any mistakes that could really cause some damage down the road. Thanks for any consideration and i hope you and the Mrs. are staying safe during these difficult times.
Awesome video
Thanks for sharing, i dont have my valkyri (yet) but soon, thanks a lot
Excellent!!!
Great video. I was wondering, when i was in auto class we were taught that the spring of the seal goes in toward the oil. I wondered why you say the spring goes out? or up. away from the oil.
Kenny Rhodes Sorry for that confusion, this seal actually may have two. Regardless there is a cupped side and a flat side. Cupped side holds back the oil and the flat side goes up towards the sky.
Cody im upgrading my springs on my honda pcx what do you recommend for type of oil to put back
I really appreciate your videos. I was wondering if you could do a video on places where average joe’s can order their parts from. I’m getting back in into riding and I’m buying an older bike to wrench on.
Thanks mate ace video and helpful
Thank you very much for the video, I bought a 1500, 1993 and the fork is leaking. With your video I will do the job myself. Very good explanation. Regards
Mike Draco Great Mike! Glad I could help. If you have any questions on anything at all don't hesitate to ask me.
Well done ,thanks for the excellent video. Now off to do mine. I was thinking this could be done without removing the forks from the bike. Honda GL1100I. Have you done this with out removing forks ? Or is it just easier with the forks out ?
Excellent video, I was dreading doing the seals but having watched this all my worries have gone.
Thanks.
Allan Hawxby This is very encouraging to hear brother! Thanks for the compliments!🤙🤙
Great vid. Just completed today. Have a hack for ya, I transferred the measured fluid from my ratio right into a cheap condiment bottle, like for ketchup or whatever. Just hold bottle upside down and squirt in the hole! Just like downtown lol. Thanks again man!
Awesome vid, How would you get the pieces apart if the lower bushing is getting wedged under the top bushing? Bike is a 98 hornet so same fork layout. The workshop manual shows to dissasemble the whole lot your way looks way less hassle.
Thank you!
awesome knowledge thank you, would this method be the same for the honda vt1100 shadow, california model?
Great video -- thank you. I used it to change the seals on my VFR 800. I am unsure about two things: Since all oil cannot be removed reliably, how can I tell that the amount I put in is "enough". Honda specifies 544ml of oil for my bike. I put that much -- spilling some. Second question: Honda manual says we need to remove the air before closing the system. Your pumping is enough to remove all the air from the system?
PS: You may wish to add a blurb saying to fill it VERY SLOWLY - otherwise a bubble is trapped and oil spills. If you fill it slowly enough, then the air can escape at the same time.
PPS: For PITS: Another great trick I used is to use Crazy Glue on them, letting them dry for 30 minutes and then wet sanding the tube with a 600 sandpaper. The pits are covered with glue and tube is smoothed over afterwards with the sand paper.
Love the video. Can you send me link of the tool that bangs the seal into place . Im preparing myself to repair my shocks on my 86 gw. 1200A. Aspencade....
Thank you im learning
Thanks!
Great video. The VTX1300 videos I've watched show the seals being replaced by slide hammering the forks apart while on the bike, is this practice OK? Also, my forks have the small piece you mention at 16:15 of your video and my concern is this piece continually falling off while trying to put the fork together while it is still on the bike. Any suggestions?
Hi! Thank's for this! Did You thin that Honda PC800 have the same fork system? Thx!
Cody, thanks for the video. Everything went well, until I noted I only got one copper crush washer out. I found it still in the bottom of the fork. Tried getting it out with stainless wire bent to slide in then barb out on two sides. Caught ahold of it, but it wouldn't move. I wonder if it might have expanded outward, since it took an air impact wrench to get the plug out. I'm reluctant try a drill, and doubt that that would work. At present, I'm thinking of just leaving it there, and not adding a new one on top of it, so I still have all the threads available, and before I damage the fork. Wondering if you have any advice? I'm working on an '83 GL650.
Thanks for it🤗