Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
I'm not sure if I have an actual fork leak or not. I bought a 91 cr125 with race tech suspension on it a couple of days ago. I was cleaning it and it started to rain outside so I took it into the shed to continue cleaning in there. When I was done I noticed a little bit of a greenish colored oil on my left fork. I wiped it off with a rag and came back 20 minutes later and there was a tiny amount there again. So I wiped that off and came back about 2 hours later and there was nothing. I haven't taken my bike for a ride yet, and I know the bike doesn't have more than 15 minute on it this year. Will this problem go away when I ride the bike or will it get worse?

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!
 

zsr

Member
Mar 17, 2001
90
0
I would whip the forks off and have a look at the condition of the oil. It would be wise to check the level in the forks anyway as you've not been out on the bike before. Don't worry if the seals are gone, it's suprisingly easy to change them



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98 CR125 01 CR250 99YZF R1

Thanks to: Motorex / D.I.D. / Vesrah / YES Helmets
 

Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
The guy said the oil was changed late last year, and had hardly been used much after.

I checked again and it leaked some more.

Exactly how easy are they to change? How much do shops charge?

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!
 

Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
I was looking through some of my old MXA's and found 2 articles dealing with forks. One was removing the dust cover and cleaning underneath to get rid of any dirt. Does this usually work or not?

The second one was about changing the seals and it didn't look all that easy to me, but there are probably some guys that I could get to do it for cheap if I need them changed.

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!
 

zsr

Member
Mar 17, 2001
90
0
You could try sliding a strip of film neg around the seal, many people on the forum claim great success doing this.

I've paid anything up to $40 for a seal to be changed, but recently bought a motion pro seal driver and had a go myself. It's REALLY easy.

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98 CR125 01 CR250 99YZF R1

Thanks to: Motorex / D.I.D. / Vesrah / YES Helmets
 

Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
I tried the contact cleaner method like MXA said to do, and it is leaking a little less now. They also suggested the electrical tape wrapped around the fork with the sticky side facing out to get dirt out. I think I will try that next.

Are seal drivers expensive?

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!
 

zsr

Member
Mar 17, 2001
90
0
Got mine (motion pro)in UK for £25 ($35).

Great bit of kit, can't wait for the next one to go so i can save more money !!

:)

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98 CR125 01 CR250 99YZF R1

Thanks to: Motorex / D.I.D. / Vesrah / YES Helmets
 

Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
Does anyone know approximately how much a shop will charge to change a seal?

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!
 

SPD

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 20, 2001
591
0
Around 75.00 + the cost of the seal.Take forks off and clean them and use some old film and brake cleaner first. Then if that doesn't work take them in.

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Dennis
99 Husky WR250
I refuse to grow up
 

zsr

Member
Mar 17, 2001
90
0
$75 ?????? :(

Do you have another shop near you?

Buy the driver - it's what Monday evenings are for. :)

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98 CR125 01 CR250 99YZF R1

Thanks to: Motorex / D.I.D. / Vesrah / YES Helmets
 

Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
My dad talked to the closest Honda dealer and they said it would be $80(canadian) if I take the shock off and bring it in to them.

If I just take the bike in they will change the seal and set the suspension for my weight.

The seal drivers I've found so far cost almost $100 after tax. It would be easier to let them do it.

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!
 

XR4 Jockey

Member
Apr 11, 2001
18
0
Dude - film negatives work! I had a leaky seal, I looked here for some answers, and found them. Take a film negative and slide it between the seal and tube. I think what it does is clear any dirt that is ever so slightly caught and pushing out the seal just enough to let oil seep out. I did this and compressed them a few times, all the oil worked it's way out and now doesn't leak at all. I rode hard last weekend too. Be sure to check the oil level after doing this. Good luck.....

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96 XR400, nicely modified
 

Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
I saw some tool for checking oil level, is it needed or is it just one of those things that is nice to have.

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!

[This message has been edited by Bman (edited 04-20-2001).]
 

Zenith

Member
Jan 11, 2001
483
0
zsr - Could you explain briefly how to change the fork seals myself if I got a seal driver so I can decide whether it would be worth doing. Could you also tell me how I can check the oil level and top it up on your CR125. What was the name of the shop you got the driver from?

My seals were leaking to the point where there was a small pool of oil on our trailer, I popped out the wipers and used film negative on the seals. Neither of the seals leak now. Of course this will only work if your seals are reasonably new and it is only dirt making them leak, not old age.

Thanks,


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No.234 '96 CR125
 

zsr

Member
Mar 17, 2001
90
0
Originally posted by Zenith:
zsr - Could you explain briefly how to change the fork seals myself if I got a seal driver so I can decide whether it would be worth doing. Could you also tell me how I can check the oil level and top it up on your CR125. What was the name of the shop you got the driver from?

Got the driver from www.bikewizz.com but I believe they got it from Off Road Only in Wales

Loosen fork cap
Remove fork
remove cap, spring, oil.
prise dust seal out, remove seal retaining clip.
extend the fork in sharp jerks to seperate inner / outer legs.
Remove old seal.
Wrap small piece of selophane over top of inner leg, coat new seal with plenty of oil, slip over selophane/fork inner.
insert inner into outer.
drive seal (hard) home with driver
replace clip, dust seal, oil, spring, cap, fork. :)

Seems quicker to do it than describe it!

I use a fork oil level tool, but make sure you remove the air pockets befor you set the level.

Just wish I could do a shock. :(




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98 CR125 01 CR250 99YZF R1

Thanks to: Motorex / D.I.D. / Vesrah / YES Helmets
 

Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
I went out to the shed today and the fork leaked out even more than it has in the past(despite trying the brake cleaner + electrical tape method). So I tried cleaning the seal out with the film negative. I went back about 12 hours later and there is nothing on my fork! I took the dust cover off and there is none in there either! I am a little leary on weather or not this actually cleared the problem up completely, or is it possible I ran out of oil? How much oil do forks hold?

I'm hoping this solved the leak permanently. I am taking the bike out for a ride on sunday, so if it doesn't leak after that I will add oil to the fork. If it does leak, I guess it will be off to the shop I go.

Anyway, thanks for all the help so far.

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!
 

Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
How do you add oil to the forks? I have 360cc's of it in the garage and it looks like it is about the same amount that I leaked out. I doubt it leaked more than that. I was told forks hold close to 350ml of oil, so there should still be lots left. I have also been advised to put oil in before I ride tomorrow, he said something with uneven levels can be bad for the forks.

Somebody please answer this! I really want to go riding tomorrow!

BTW, if any of you guys are wondering, I don't have a manual yet. The guy I bought the bike off of said he couldn't find it and he would bring to me when he did. He talked to my dad a couple days ago and said he was bringing it today and it still isn't here. It would be nice if it was though, then I wouldn't have to bother you people for answers.

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!
 

marcusgunby

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 9, 2000
6,450
2
You need to take the cap off with the rebound adjuster set to full soft(anticlockwise) then remove spring.Compress fork and pour oil in so it is nearly full and then pull the damper rod(centre tube) in and out several times.Then raise the outer tube to the top and then return it to fully down.Then remove oil until it measures 60mm(01 Cr125 setting sorry i dont know yours)from the top, then pull inner tube to the top and press slightly with your thumb to hold the inner tube(damper rod)up while slipping the spring over the damper rod and refit cap and reset rebound adjuster.

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afm_722

Member
Apr 24, 2000
87
0
This last weekend, I had an oil leak develop after a mud mired race track on Saturday. Luckily, it was the right fork leg, but it got way worse on Sunday and leaked a ton of fluid in the last moto. I lost 50mm of oil height!

Yesterday, I dropped the dust wiper, sprayed contact cleaner in and around both the fork seal and the dust wiper. Then, I took the film negative pushed in up into the fork seal, turned it about a 1/4 turn then pulled it back down. I was amazed at how much dirt was trapped in the little holes in the negative. I repeated this several times cleaning the negative each time.

Put everything back together, added oil, and no leaks!

Definitely going to pack a couple negatives in the race day tool box.

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Regards,
Ted
'01 KX250
 

Bman

Member
Apr 28, 2000
53
0
So how do you add oil? We were told that you put it in through the air valves. So my dad removed the center and we put some in. What are those air valves there for? Is there supposed to be air inside the forks?

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Doubt from others is fuel for my determination!
 

afm_722

Member
Apr 24, 2000
87
0
The only way I know to measure oil height is to pop the fork caps off. You can add oil through the air release, however. You shouldn't run any air pressure in the fork...make releasing air in the fork a habit like lubing the chain.

Checking the oil height(without removing forks):
Remove the handlebars, loosen the top fork triple clamps (on both sides), loosen both fork caps.

The fork cap will be tightened against the cartridge rod. You need to remove the fork caps from the damper rod's so you can remove the springs.

At this point you should be able to rotate the bike forward on the stand and bottom the front suspension. With the cartridge rods fully collapsed, the oil height measurement is the distance from the oil to the top of the upper(outer) fork leg. There are fancy tools you can buy to check this or you can devise your own measurement tool.

That's about it. Reverse the steps and be sure to adequately tighten the fork cap against the cartridge rod.


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Regards,
Ted
'01 KX310, '93 CBR900RR Road Racer
 

penguin

~SPONSOR~
N. Texas SP
Feb 19, 2000
390
0
A trick i learened has kept my fork seals good for almost 2 years now . I bleed the excess air pressure after every ride and clean out under the wipers every other ride. After a mud ride I always clean out under the wipers :cool:
 

motopuffs

Member
Mar 15, 2001
182
0
Just a thought on the film negative trick: I know it is possible that some of the dirt will catch in the little drive holes of the negative, but won't you also be pushing some of the dirt up inside the fork, where it will just cause problems again another day?

This sounds to me like a trick that would be appropriate in the middle of an off road race, etc. but not a permanant fix.

By the way, I tried this on my 01 cr250, and I couldn't get the negative to go far enough up into the seal. Either my seals are really tight, or I am doing it wrong, or I have some wimpy negative material...
 


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