Front suspension leaking...

**Flashjammin** · 22nd February 2011, 20:55

I went to go to work the other day and opened the shed to find a small oil patch on the ground around the front wheel...

traced it back to the right fork where the 2 piston bits meet (where the little black seal is)
Im guessing the fork seals are shot and have lost all the oil out of the suspension and my question is... Is it hard to fix by myself or should I take it to the bike shop? and if I take it in how much would I expect to pay??

Also I think my chain is too lose there seems to be way to much play in the chain compared to what I have read about chains, is it hard to adjust?

Cheers

**Robert Taylor** · 22nd February 2011, 21:49

Originally Posted by Flashjammin

I went to go to work the other day and opened the shed to find a small oil patch on the ground around the front wheel...

traced it back to the right fork where the 2 piston bits meet (where the little black seal is)
Im guessing the fork seals are shot and have lost all the oil out of the suspension and my question is... Is it hard to fix by myself or should I take it to the bike shop? and if I take it in how much would I expect to pay??

Also I think my chain is too lose there seems to be way to much play in the chain compared to what I have read about chains, is it hard to adjust?

Cheers

We are in New Plymouth and able to fix your forks at very reasonable cost. Suspension is all we do, we have all the tools and can do it rather faster than the average bike shop. If you dont have the tools or experience then its definitely a job for proffessionals, its all too easy to get it wrong. Contact details in my avatar below.

**Rhys** · 23rd February 2011, 13:18

what would the average price be to redo the front shock seals (approx)

**Robert Taylor** · 23rd February 2011, 16:58

Originally Posted by Rhys

what would the average price be to redo the front shock seals (approx)

It varies according to the complexity of the forks, damper rod forks such as the GSXR250 can be done very quickly, very late model forks such as the BPF variety on GSXR1000 take an appreciable amount more time because there are more components to dissassemble and reassemble plus bleed etc. More special tools are also required. BEWARE, a lot of operations dont have the tools to do the job properly.

There are those of us who base it on doing a thorough job and those who will do it dirt cheap and care little about the quality of the job, as in any industry.

Labour content can start at $100 for very basic forks up to $200 for the more complex forks NOT including stripdown and inspection of the cartridges. Plus seals and oil. There are also seals and there are seals, also for oil. Cheap is not best and stay well away from those red high friction multi lip seals, they totally destroy the suppleness of fork action.

**blackdog** · 23rd February 2011, 17:04

If you can't adjust your own chain, leave the fork seals to the pros.

**Flashjammin** · 24th February 2011, 21:43

Originally Posted by blackdog

If you can't adjust your own chain, leave the fork seals to the pros.

I understand the idea of adjusting the chain however have never done it before so kinda just wanna check I have the right idea. Basically loosen the axle bolts screw the adjuster bolt until the bottom of the chain has an inch or so of play (I have the specs in the manual) then tighten everything back up.
Your right though blackdog fork seals sound a little more complicated and I probably don't have the right tools.

Robert - If I get the chance I will give you a call tomorrow see if I can sort out a price with you...

**blackdog** · 24th February 2011, 21:51

Originally Posted by Flashjammin

I understand the idea of adjusting the chain however have never done it before so kinda just wanna check I have the right idea. Basically loosen the axle bolts screw the adjuster bolt until the bottom of the chain has an inch or so of play (I have the specs in the manual) then tighten everything back up.
Your right though blackdog fork seals sound a little more complicated and I probably don't have the right tools.

Robert - If I get the chance I will give you a call tomorrow see if I can sort out a price with you...

RT will not put ya crook. No substitute for a pro, esp when in ya own back yard

**Robert Taylor** · 25th February 2011, 09:35

Originally Posted by Flashjammin

I understand the idea of adjusting the chain however have never done it before so kinda just wanna check I have the right idea. Basically loosen the axle bolts screw the adjuster bolt until the bottom of the chain has an inch or so of play (I have the specs in the manual) then tighten everything back up.
Your right though blackdog fork seals sound a little more complicated and I probably don't have the right tools.

Robert - If I get the chance I will give you a call tomorrow see if I can sort out a price with you...

Please call me on my mobile, I am away Friday

**Flashjammin** · 25th February 2011, 20:15

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

Please call me on my mobile, I am away Friday

Rang in and talked to Dennis he said would be around $200 - $250. Ill do the first part and take the forks off etc. Gotta get some cash together but hopefully a week or so not riding wont kill me

**blackdog** · 25th February 2011, 20:17

Originally Posted by Flashjammin

Rang in and talked to Dennis he said would be around $200 - $250. Ill do the first part and take the forks off etc. Gotta get some cash together but hopefully a week or so not riding wont kill me

famous last words

RIP flashman

**Conquiztador** · 8th March 2011, 22:09

Originally Posted by Flashjammin

Rang in and talked to Dennis he said would be around $200 - $250. Ill do the first part and take the forks off etc. Gotta get some cash together but hopefully a week or so not riding wont kill me

I have found that taking the forks off is normally the tricky part. Seized bolts, wheel needs to come off, discs in the way, cables etc. Once that is done (normally a beer or two, some well selected swearwords, a bleeding knuckle and hurting finger) the bit of replacing seals and oil is simple. You need a nice vice and some ring spanners and a allen key or two. Good luck!

**celtickiwi** · 25th April 2011, 20:33

Originally Posted by blackdog

If you can't adjust your own chain, leave the fork seals to the pros.

ill second that!!!!

**Flashjammin** · 27th April 2011, 22:57

well i managed to fix them. turns out my mate knew exactly what he was doing we had them both fixed up in about an hr including a woodstock

was actually very interesting for me to pull the front wheel off having never done it before.

unfortunately i thought adjusting the chain cant be so hard simply tighten the adjusters evenly right...
now i have a new problem, when the chain link is on the front sprocket the chain is really tight (no movement) but anywhere on the chain loop its really loose (about 2 inches up and down) all good though just another learning curve and some more woodstocks

**hayd3n** · 27th April 2011, 23:05

Originally Posted by Flashjammin

well i managed to fix them. turns out my mate knew exactly what he was doing we had them both fixed up in about an hr including a woodstock

was actually very interesting for me to pull the front wheel off having never done it before.

unfortunately i thought adjusting the chain cant be so hard simply tighten the adjusters evenly right...
now i have a new problem, when the chain link is on the front sprocket the chain is really tight (no movement) but anywhere on the chain loop its really loose (about 2 inches up and down) all good though just another learning curve and some more woodstocks

\seized link = new chain + new sprockets but you can somtimes unseize a link