Rusty or pitted forks? (RG150)

[stoo]

Since I'm noob at owning motorcycles I didn't think to check the condition of my forks, which turned out to be a bit rusty and munched the seals within the first 200 k's of riding.
Some elbow grease and a scotchbrite pad took care of the rust but left behind some pitting, which I'm assuming is not all that seal friendly either.

Not sure what to do about it. Can they be re-chromed, or should I just start looking for a set in better condition? And with the second option, will forks from a similarly sized sports bike work? Or will they mess with how nicely balanced the bike is?

Apologies if beating a dead horse, but I couldn't find much via the search function.

[unstuck]

If they are pitted, then my advice would be to source some forks in better condition. You can get pitted forks fixed and rechromed, but probably cheaper to source different forks.

[Robert Taylor]

If they are pitted, then my advice would be to source some forks in better condition. You can get pitted forks fixed and rechromed, but probably cheaper to source different forks.

I think there should be a little clarification of ''different forks''. If they are different then there may be different clamping diameters, different axle sizes, different caliper attachment points etc etc. Thats all very well as long as all the different parts that go with different forks you can basically ''steal'' cost wise.

[Pumba]

Get some new (well new to you, so I guess secondhand) RG forks. You could get them re chromed, make sure it is hard chroming not just the decorative chrome that most places do, but I suspect that cost would make it an unattractive option.

There are some other options out there that will fit the RG but for road riding I don't recommend that you go down that path.

[unstuck]

I think there should be a little clarification of ''different forks''. If they are different then there may be different clamping diameters, different axle sizes, different caliper attachment points etc etc. Thats all very well as long as all the different parts that go with different forks you can basically ''steal'' cost wise.

Yeah, my bad. Did actually mean second hand rg150 forks.

[GrayWolf]

an old 'dodge' that might give a bit more servicable life while hunting replacements is to rub silver solder over the pits in the forks... this will give a bit of a build up and fill in the deeper ridges and pits....

[vagrant]

http://www.motorcycle-parts.com.au/Std_Fork_Tubes.htm
Price is way cheaper than OEM.

[Akzle]

i'm assuming it's in the line of travel? if it's above the max travel of the forks (or even above 3/4 travel - unless you like bottoming out your forks on a regular basis) then dunnae worry. if not. the yeah, some new forkies.

[stoo]

http://www.motorcycle-parts.com.au/Std_Fork_Tubes.htm
Price is way cheaper than OEM.

Hmm. rg150 isn't on there. Are there any bikes that share fork tube sizes? RG 125 maybe?

i'm assuming it's in the line of travel? if it's above the max travel of the forks (or even above 3/4 travel - unless you like bottoming out your forks on a regular basis) then dunnae worry. if not. the yeah, some new forkies.

I think the seal damage is mostly from rust which kinda dribbled down the fork from where the bad pits are now. I got rid of that so most of the pitting is at or past the end of fork travel.
There are one or two smaller marks lower down around where normal travel usually ends (i.e. the high mark left by the leaky seal after a normal ride) but I don't want to replace the seals and then have them disintigrate within the next couple of hundred k's.

[Robert Taylor]

Hmm. rg150 isn't on there. Are there any bikes that share fork tube sizes? RG 125 maybe?


I think the seal damage is mostly from rust which kinda dribbled down the fork from where the bad pits are now. I got rid of that so most of the pitting is at or past the end of fork travel.
There are one or two smaller marks lower down around where normal travel usually ends (i.e. the high mark left by the leaky seal after a normal ride) but I don't want to replace the seals and then have them disintigrate within the next couple of hundred k's.

Its not only about length and outer diameter, its also about internal diameter so that it matches the top hat and piston ring at the top of the damper rod. Its also about thread size and pitch for the top cap. Its also ( very importantly ) about the bottom checkplate fitting detail that regulates the inwards and outwards flow of the oil chambers.

[SVboy]

I have read of people stripping out the tubes, getting a VERY fine grade strip of emery and polishing out all the high points and marks, then finding pits using fingernails and filling with either araldite or nail polish[clear!] then polishing the repairs.

[ducatilover]

I'd sit down and weigh up the situation (I'm beige and old fashioned like this often)
Are you planning on keeping the bike for a long time?
Yes: Completely rebuild the forks, re-chrome the legs.
No: second hand forks.

It's that simple.
New chrome is obviosly going to be better than old chrome on second hand legs, it won't be cheap. But worth it if you're keeping the bike for a long time.

[actungbaby]

yes and has to be hard chrome i know of place that used to do this in wanganui

i am former chrome plater but not of the hard chrome type this diffrent process to normal
chrome plating

I'd sit down and weigh up the situation (I'm beige and old fashioned like this often)
Are you planning on keeping the bike for a long time?
Yes: Completely rebuild the forks, re-chrome the legs.
No: second hand forks.

It's that simple.
New chrome is obviosly going to be better than old chrome on second hand legs, it won't be cheap. But worth it if you're keeping the bike for a long time.

[gammaguy]

price up new ones from suzuki,you may be pleasantly surprised.

getting them re chromed is expensive,I have had a few done over the years.

other than that it should not be too hard to find them at the wreckers