DIY Harley Davidson Fork Seals Replacement... Honda Yamaha Suzuki Kawasaki
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- Did a DIY Harley Davidson Fork Seals Replacement over the weekend on the Tramp (my sportster chopper). This also comparable to Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki as well. Regardless of what motorcycle you have, the overwhelming majority of other motorcycle brands use that exact same style of glide front end. Showa fork tubes have been used on just about every popular motorcycle brand for the last several years. Honda has used them, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and even Yamaha along with Harley Davidson. So if you own a Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha; and you want to know how to change fork seals on your Harley Davidson, there's nothing new to learn. And the same goes if you use to own a Harley Davidson, but now ride a Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, or Kawasaki.
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It’s easier to put your caps back on if you put your forks in the triple trees and clamp them back down first. That way you have both hands to be able to push down on the cap. Also it’s easier with a socket than a wrench.
It's how I've always done it. And if you have a small impact gun and hex key sockets you can tighten the bottom bolt without the springs installed.
Yeah what Dave Howard said::
the next best way is by 12 pack of beer call your buddy over tell him he got some and then say here hold this before you give him any then when the job is done he can have the beer...(ie) doesn't have to be beer you can bribe them with steaks or barbecue orif they don't have a washing machine say hey man you can come over and do your laundry😂😂😂
Yeah I was thinking the same thing - why use an adjustable wrench instead of a socket (much easier)! I'm assuming it's only because he doesn't have a socket large enough? If so I highly recommend buying one ... LOL!
The first time I changed my fork oil in my 2005 Sportster. Fortunately, it has drain holes with screws in the bottom of each fork. However, the caps had to be removed which wasn't too bad. Replacing them took me and several friends and relatives 3 days. I won't go into details but I decided that I was only going to do this once, so I used an aftermarket cap with a smaller fill hole and cap in it (Thank you, J&P Cycles). Now I don't have to mess remove the big cap to replace the oil. I can drain from a small screw in the bottom and fill into a small hole in the top.
When the time comes to replace the seals, I will gladly pay a professional to do it. I could probably eventually do it but at 70 years old and diminishing upper body and hand strength, it's just not worth the frustration and physical pain. I love DIY jobs, but there is a limit.
Loved the video. I'm glad that I'm not the only one facing challenges in my Man Cave.
I got adjustable pipe clamp ends from Harbor Freight. Go a length of rigid (plumbing) pipe the length I needed. Non adjustable end of the clamp at the bottom of the fork, then, the adjustable end (the one with the handle and the threaded part), put that on top of the nut. Turned the clamp down slowly, nut goes into tube. Slowly turn the clamp while screwing in the nut. No problem, no sweat. Worked perfect.
Did mine this year...before I put the spring in I started the cap to see where it first would catch and marked it so when I put the spring in I had an idea of where it started...made it easy for me...mad at TH-cam I didn’t get the notification you had a new video...but love watching them...
I'll have to remember that next time.
I do everything almost exactly the same only I remove the drain plug before I remove the forks from the triple tree. I get at least one and a half good turns before I tighten down the spring cap. Seems to work well every time. Loved you doing a video of something every biker should know how to do.
I have no problem putting the cap on. Put the cap in a vise that's mounted on a bench and push the tube to the cap. You have to have it on a downward angle so you don't spill the fluid out. You have a lot more control and strength holding the tube then you do holding just the small cap and it's a lot more manageable. Hope this helps - later
I'll have to remember that. Thanks
Personal note; “if I get leaky forks take it to the mechanic”. Hats off to you for having the gumption and resourcefulness,probably take me about 40 lunch breaks and still be getting nowhere. Great vid Mr S Tramp. 👍
Mate I have to congratulate you on how good your production of your videos are now, not saying they where ever bad but they just keep getting better and better man, every time i watch your stuff its like I’m watching you on Discovery or something, outstanding mate. I’d rather see you on the TV than some of these other programs. Oh and I learned something new! Keep up the outstanding work pal, ride safe! ✌️🇺🇸🇬🇧
Thanks Scouse.
I have a scar on my wrist from a fork cap flying off exactly like that. It left a ding in the ceiling of my garage too. Every time I go work on my bike that dent is just mocking me.
It's allot worse when you cut off your finger working on your bike and your trying to pick up screws
Battle scars, huh? We earn them from time to time.
Ouch, man
With 86 years of music-making under my belt, the thought of damaging my fingers working on my bike is more serious than the present loss my powers of; "Breeding" now! All those little "pinkies" come in "handy"!...LOL...! Take care, all!
The trick is to tighten and loosen the Dampner bolt and the top Spring bolt first, with the forks held tightly in place by the Fork Triple Clamp before and after removing the forks! You don't want to be clamping the forks in a vice! An exercise to be carried out in the "Spring"...after a hard Winter...LOL...! Take care, all!
I’m gonna extending my bike’s fork to 8 over stock. I saw that an easy way to have the cap and fork leg marked with magic marker to where threads match up and it makes it much easier then fiddling with trying to find the thread contact point under tension.
I am about to put 6 over tubes on my sportster thanks for the tips
Awesome. Glad it helped.
Hi, I take off the handle bars and remove the fork caps with the tubes still in the triple clamps, just put the bike on a bottle jack leaving the rear wheel and stand in contact with the ground, you can then use both hands and keep your shoulder over the fork cap. Love your plastic bag idea, I will use that one. Cheers Peter
Thanks for the info!
LOL yeah want to get a couple more threads in there are you get it started. Learned that hard lesson also, but how you started it off with your palm is how I have done it on my bikes. Great video as always!
It's really the struggle that makes the end result that much sweeter. Love watching you work, man. It's very relaxing. If I had a shop like yours I'd certainly be tinkering on my old 82 Yamaha Virago 750 more. It needs fork seals pretty bad.
Are used to work for Harley Davidson so I know what you’re talking about. I do love your choice of music and special effects that you added because it adds to the struggle of working under pressure lol No pun intended
Thanks for sharing that. Those forks were fighting you! I appreciate you leaving in the hard parts and not just editing it to look easy :) Good reminder to always wear safety glasses too!
I always put the top off the legs in a vice, mark where the thread starts, that way you have both hands free for putting it back together..... but it is a struggle 🤣. Great videos 👍, greetings from Holland.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that goes nuts with stuff like this
Hey my friend. Love your videos. I find it helps to put your tubes back in the trees before you try to put your caps on. Works for me anyway. Good luck. Looking forward to seeing what you do with your iron head.
Cool, thanks
Loved the video man! Hope everyone one is staying safe out there. Perfect timing on the video I am actually going to be replacing my Fork seals hear soon.
Cool. Hope you found this helpful.
I love watching your videos.. I have a 1983 Honda magna v65.. thank you for the idea how to rebuild your front forks.
Glad to help
what i love most watching your videos is how you show how working on a bike is really like and im sure most of us can say we go through he same thing you do, its real life back yard garage builds and not all edited to where it looks easy like most videos are......i built my first bobber out of a 99 1200 sporty and it took a year and it was very frustrating at times but the end result was worth it, keep up the good work brother, be safe and keep the shiny side up.....
You can check out a quick pic video I did of the bobber build on my channel if you like to check it out
Wow Tramp , that was a struggle. I put the tube in the vice protected with a rag. Thanks dude. Alan. Scotland.
forks seals are worst job to do.i did mine years ago could not get the spring out so i hit the fork onto the garage floor to get some compression on the fork. spring flew out just missing my head hit the ceiling in my shed.fun times you live and learn.thanks for the vid.grant Australia
Have you tried putting the cap in the vice, then you have something solid to push against.
Really enjoy your videos!!
Missed the premier, but this is a great video. Learned how to do this kind of thing in class last semester.
That establishing shot and transition at the beginning was smooth as hell
Thanks man.
Ya ya, that was good , I use premier pro for all my editing, I never use "after effects" . So I'm deleting it and save money 🍸,we really like his channel,
Not only was this an informative video but it was also funny as could be. I've never had to do this job and hopefully never will but I imagine that day will come. I've always considered forks a little bit of a mystery to me. You have cleared a lot of that up, Thanks. Btw... how often should you change the fork oil? another mystery... and why? Unlike an engine there isn't any combustion or major high heat going on there but I hear the oil breaks down and gets real dirty over time.
It does get pretty dirty. Due mostly to the frontend doing it's job; the slider moving up and down. Also condensation over time. I'm guessing every 15k to 20k. Not really sure. I usually change mine every time I change the seals out which seems to happen every 30k miles or so.
@@SaddleTrampTV thanks for your input!
I use a four foot two by four put a hole in the end the size of the tube and split down the center ,a little duct tape for extra hold and clamp it. has worked well on any fork I have done.
Thanks, some good tips. I learned something even after 50 years of riding.
Glad to help!
You made this video funny as hell! Keep up the good work.....Very helpful video, I'm almost not afraid of doing fork seals now!
Glad it was helpful
That is just how i do it and I had some of the same problems. I would also like to know a better way. I am going to have to redo my forks on my 1972 FLH this winter. I rebuilt them in 1989 I think it is time.
The rag used when taking off the caps is a great idea. Will be doing that.
Glad it helped you, man!
@@SaddleTrampTV and I'll be using the pvc method as well gonna try to video it and just post the link. We'll see.
Great stuff, never heard of the seal condom before which is an excellent idea. Also good to know I'm not the only guy that gets to that point of frustration while working on a motorcycle.
Crazy how long it took to break the seal on the forks. I rebuilt mine and I think after the third or fourth try the seal broke. Great tip on how to avoid damaging a seal with corrosion on the fork. I used a impact wrench to put the fork cap on by pressing down and slightly turning the wrench. Now you’re fork cap is a challenge. Loved the video and the detail of the rebuild. Ride safe!
Thanks man. Glad you came by.
Great video ST, I have changed out my share of fork tube seals and it always a challenge. Keep up the awesome videos and ride safe my friend 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thanks, you too.
I was thinking wow he got lucky, then boom it fly's apart . Good job
Story of my life, man. Lol.
That's me doing every job in the garage...LOL ok.. maybe not all of em, but I considered the job, and thought of a solution using a PVC pipe, capped in a vice, using a C clamp and turning both the adjustable wrench and the c clamp together. Anyway, thanks for the content! You rock Brother!
Nice one Saddle Tramp showing how it is!!!! ....... it aint easy!!!! .... love the channel
Thanks 👍
reminder set LOL I dont think I have ever seen this quite this way.
I feel your pain. Brings back memories of when i replaced my seals. Glad to see im not the only one that struggles.
LoL....love the t-shirt❤️✌️
Dude that is the first time I have seen you get kinda mad,lol, it sure is a job to be done only if you must. Cheers from Australia.
Yeah, I'm just as human as the next guy.
@@SaddleTrampTV ROFLMAO I have done this a few times my self!
Gee think I'll just save up and get HD to do it! Very entertaining and interesting all the same. Thanks
Thank you for the video on the actual replacement! You never mentioned or showed me how much oil goes back into it? I'll look in my book to figure it out!! I did my brakes a while back that was easy enough now I'm replacing my fork seals! Thanks to you, thanks!
I didn't mention it, because not all bikes are the same in that regard.
@@SaddleTrampTV copy that!! That makes sense!! I figured it out and it takes 12.3oz or 364mL!
I always wonder how hard it would be to change them out and what’s up with the bandana on your forks???
Bandana = Fender in some states... LOL
Tire spray's crap off road in front of you, bandana stop's most of it.
What these guys said.
@@calvinnoah6372 ill have to try this i dont run a fender on my bike thanks alot
Ugh... one of those jobs that is theoretically quite straight forward, but in practice... can be a real mother. Job done though dude, good work👍
Really dig your channel S.T. Thanks for what you do mate, you're one of life's good fellas.
👍✌🏴☠️
Thanks, man.
I have had the best luck putting the tube back in the tree and using a socket and ratchet, speed handle, etc to push downward on the cap while turning it.
That's the way I did it on my Honda Trail 90 a few times back in the day!
Thanks brotha! Getting ready to attempt this for the first time.
If you have a slight leak, and seal is not cracked, Lucas transmission stop leak will soften old seal and fix the leak. 4 years and still holding on my 77 ironhead...
I used soft jaws and clamped the tube in a vise.... easy peasy....
slabsides motorcycle shop in Campbell, ca sells a fork cap install tool that makes it so much easier
I remember exactly what happened when I did my EVO Dyna convertible the end cap popped of fell on my mud guard snap
Sucks when that happens, right?
I have to do the same thing, thanks for the info and demo.
Good tip with the plastic bag and I usually clamp my forks in a vase with soft Jaws and use a drill to get them started
I have a big socket that I jammed a piece of wood into to make it shallow for my fork tube bolts as well as welded a piece of bar stock across the top of it for a handle, makes it alot easier to put pressure on it and get it started
before you put in the spring, put the nut on top and turn it until the first thread grabs. Mark a line on both the tube and the nut. Now you know where the threads grab.
Another question. Is there really an advantage to inverted forks over the normal set up.
I have no idea. Never messed with one of those.
When I did my Super Glide back in the eighties when I reassembled everything I put the fork back into the triple tree but I had to removed my handlebars so I can put the cap back on
Yeah thought of that. I didn't feel like removing the bars though.
There it is!
I always put the tubes back on the bike before putting the cap back on
Never laughed so hard watching y'all trying to get that cap back on. Great vid, keep it coming.
Perseverance my friend. Good job.😎
Did you try the old peace of milk jug trick first. I have fixed a lot of fork seal leaks with that trick. Cut a peace off the flat side of a milk jug and shape it kinda like a fat "J". Slide it down into the tube past the seal, work it around the tube a couple times and then tilt it so the bottom "J" section comes back past the seal and out of the tube. Then when you pull the plastic out it brings out any dirt, sand or grit that is stuck in the seal. Some bad leaks have been stopped with that trick.
As for getting the cap started, use a socket. Put the tube back in the triple tree, or wrap the tube in a rag and put it in a vice, use a socket and ratchet. That way you can put pressure on it and still be able to turn it.
Never heard of that trick.
@@SaddleTrampTV You can probably find a you tube video on it. It's old school so I'm sure it's out there. Nothin to it. I've been using the milk jug trick for about 50 yrs.
A search for Motorcycle fork seal repair and this came up th-cam.com/video/S5L2K2PXGtA/w-d-xo.html
That was a good one. U are training up the young ones.
Nice to see you show it doesn't always go smooth as pieLOL nice video like the music choice.
Thanks, Kevin
O man. 😆 I really wish I had been there for that one. Coronavirus or not. Next time you change fork seals let me know. I'm selling tickets. 😆
Lol
Yeah man the struggle is real, there is only one spot where the thread will start , if you mark the nut and the fok tube where the thread will start you have the area where you know you need to apply the pressure to get it started hopefully making life a little easier, Great video by the way .
Thanks, man
@@SaddleTrampTV Very welcome , It might help.
Tubes on tree when putting caps on. Use socket wrench and gloves. Had to do spacers on light springs of some air shocks. Old guy next door said don't remove the front end, you can thank me later. So I thanked him after.
Ready when you are!
?
C.T. here in West Virginia if you have an old triple tree put it in your vice to hold the fork tube that will give you both hands to work with hope this helps
works good for me. love your show sorry about your garage but I know you will have a new one up soon keep the rubber rollen and the oil tank filled l
Good idea, man. Thanks!
Awesome video man! I’ve been possibly looking at putting some new springs in my sporty and this really helps!
I have an idea about how to handle those fork tube caps. get a section of good 2x4 wood maybe say 2ft long, trace the fork cap onto the middle of the 2x4 and cut it with a wood chisel to make a recess to accept the fork tube cap, then use hot glue on the top of the cap to attach it to the 2x4. Then you could use leverage to get the cap on. However with doing this you would lose the ability to feel if you are cross threading or not, but I believe if done slowly it would work great
Whatever works I guess.
When you lose it at 16:19😂. We’ve all been there when the struggle gets very real!! I’ve never done mine, and now I want to even less! 😂.
Love your video’s brother, take care man✌🏼
Yeah, I lost my Superman cape at that point. Lol
I use a battery impact drill to install the nut on top so much easier
Been therr....done that.
Well done brother 👍🏼💯
Thank you 🙌
@@SaddleTrampTV no, thank you Corey, I watched it from the beginning, I was lurking Bud 👍🏼💯
Just get a socket that fits the cap-nut and put it in a vise at a slight angle downwards...put the cap-nut in the socket and push the fork up to it and turn , the reason for using a socket is so it wont damage the nut in the vice and the angle downwards is to stop oil coming out.
Well done, even if it's hard sometimes. I know this kind of work and the danger of an evil bolt who jumps at your face...The tramp front end will be fine now. Cheers.
great instructional vid and fun too! great perseverance. watch out!
I used a shop table vise with something to protect the tube
A U bolt and a piece of flat bar you can clamp in your vice.
That looked like a hard days work right there! I think I'll stick to changing oil and brake pads....that's more my speed lol.
It's about 50 50
find point where cap/tube threads engage, mark both with sharpie, back up 1/16th turn. push down and twist...had good luck with this method...wearing full face helmet helps too...lol
lol I'm usually not afraid to get my hands into pretty much anything but forks I just can't be bothered man. Almost always gonna just pay someone to do it. If I try to do it myself it ends up in one of those situations where my bike doesn't have a front end for like 2 weeks haha
At the end trying to get the cap back on. Your triple tree is still you're friend. Might need to remove your bar's. Or maybe you have an extra set of trees.
I thought of that. Didn't feel like removing the bars.
Good video, I learned something new, thanks!
If I'm ever down your way, I'll shave those lowers if you'll let me Haha.
I feel your pain - i HATE fork seals. Remember to tighten lower Dampner bolt after hang the tubes in the tree
Why I hate working on them.
How's the damping on the front end without oil in the forks?
Very springy
@@SaddleTrampTV Heh, I watched it again to show my wife and saw you pour some in. Whew, I think I'd set fire to the bike before I'd go through that again!
@@saddle8bag Lol
Mad skills you have 😎
That looked like you had fun, but I'm telling ya man you had a mean look when it pissed you off. A bit scary dude! Stay cool man.
Tramp, you had me laughing all through this video, you looked like a wild trombone player trying to pull those sliders back and forth. Lol and when you tried getting those tube caps screwed in over the tube springs it looked like a jack in the box with the cap and spacers jumping out at you..lol. Then comes the banging on the bench and swearing 🤬. I was in tears watching. Damn, I was so disappointed when you didn’t film the 2nd tube being put together. I wanted to keep on laughing 😂 . By the way.. I usually first install the tubes in the triple tress before I put in the springs and install the tube caps, this way both my hands and body weight can be used to press down on the socket wrench which makes things a whole lot easier! Of course the handle bars need to be moved out of the way first which is well worth it! Thanks for making me laugh so hard, I really needed a good laugh to distract me from all what’s going on these days, Take care Cory.
I'm glad you got something out of it, Paul.
SaddleTramp well Cory, I got a good laugh watching you struggling with those fork tubes in fast motion.. but what comes around goes around, the next day I got my 68 XLCH Sportster STUCK high in the air on the motorcycle Jack in a freak accident. You would have laughed watching me have to hack saw the lift handle in half to free the lift peddle on the Jack! Then finding out the bottle jack seals got destroyed in the process. If I can’t fix it on the cheap I have to get a new one. Ok, now your turn to laugh at my garage adventures! Lol...Take care Cory.
By the way. The PVC pipe is an esential tool in my garage just for that purpose. Oh and I use a socket not a cresent wrench.
I would've done that, but I didn't have the right size socket.
@@SaddleTrampTV I hear yah Brother I had to buy an oversized set. But if it's any consolation the same thing happend to me, either way, on one of the forks. And the last one I did someone stripped out the cap skrew (plug). So that was fun.
Great video bro! I'm get ready to do my 39mm forks , what size pvc was that?
Not too sure. It was just something that was lying around and found a use for. I would say find a piece of pvc with an I.D. close to 9/16. That should get it done.
One video had the caps in a soft jawed vise and used booth hands on the fork tube. That was the "fix my hog" guys.
What about the cc's of oil that goes in the forks?
With mine it's 9.5 ounces when wet, and 10.7 when dry. But you'll have to look up the specs on you own bike, because they are not all the same.
Good video bro, I made a vise just for forks, I do them quit often . The important thing to remember is to use the manufacturer oil and make sure you out the exact amount in the forks, the ride will be different if you dont put enough or too much oil in the forks. If too much then they will actually boil and the seals will blow out. Thanks for the video, the struggle is real lol
Now we know what you were doing yesterday, made me LMAO great content, awesome video thank you !
Thanks for coming by and sticking around.
What kind of grease did you use? Bearing grease?
Yeah
Great quality video!!
Thanks, man!
1 min right?