The Zephyr Zone

When for a ride yesterday and noticed the right fork seal pissing out oil. Stopped and prized out the dust seal and gave everything a clean up thinking it might have just been some crap stuck under the oil seal lip. Seals aren't that old. Nope, didn't fix it.

Got home and pulled the right leg off and apart (had some new seals on the shelf) and as I was dismantling the leg noticed a slight 'grab' as I slid the inner tube in and out (oil drained and spring removed). Sure enough, an ever so tiny sharp 'mountain peak' on the inner tube from presumably a stone impact. Enough to have cut a groove in the top bush and obviously the seals as the tube moved in and out.

Removed the high spot with a bit of 1200 W&D and gave the whole inner tube a light work over. Reassembled with new seals and a second hand top bush that looked in pretty good condition (I keep most replaced parts, never know like this when the old one will come in handy). Life is good again, a lot to be said for 'low tech' machinery, took about 1 hour start to finish.

Nice spot and good repair Freddie,

Freddy,

Don't know if you have them, but long time ago I installed seals shields, like in new bikes with old fashion inner tube up. The shields were from Triumph and loop around the top of bottom tube fastened by bolt behind.

hugojose wrote:Freddy,

Don't know if you have them, but long time ago I installed seals shields, like in new bikes with old fashion inner tube up. The shields were from Triumph and loop around the top of bottom tube fastened by bolt behind.

Hi HJ,
Used to have a pair fitted. Mine were all plastic held on by a cable tie used like a hose clamp. However they were in the way of fitting a front fork brace which has its ends clamped in the exact same position, so off they came.