Fork Seals: OE vs Aftermarket

[BoDuke]

Anybody have experience with aftermarket fork seals? I'm getting mine done and am wondering if there is a difference between factory and aftermarket seals (factory = $25 per side, Aftermarket = $20 for the set). I want to do the job right so I won't have to do it again any time soon, but if there's no diff I'd like to pocket the moola. Thanks, By the way I have a 1990 KDX 200.

 

[motochick]

I use White Bros. fork seals and haven't had any problems. Been using them about 6 years.

Brenda

------------------
89, 92 KDX 200, 240
98 Montesa
94 ATK 250, 406

 

[MN KDXer]

I bought fork seals from Rocky Mountain last year, and they were the EXACT same thing as the OEM's, right down to the same manufacturer! I think the price was something like $14 a pair.

------------------
-01 RM250 (mine) & 01 RM125 (kid's)
-Senior A Enduro and Hare Scramble Rider.
"Yep, that 14 yr old A Class rider is MY kid; He learned to ride from ME!!"

 

[Sage]

Almost all good aftermarket fork seal's are N.O.K seals, same as OE, different price.

ps. avoid the "Leak Proof" seals I have had very bad luck with them & their "Leak Proof" warrenty.

------------------
Sage Wilkinson, KDX Link 1

 

[spanky250]

I have only changed the OEM seals once on this bike, and used OEM seals for the replacement. That was three years ago, and they still don't leak.

------------------
1992 KDX 250-FMF porting,two-stage power reeds, Fatty pipe, Power Core silencer,titanium rod,Wiseco Ultra-lite, Pro-Action suspension...Why didn't I take the blue pill???

 

[Russ]

Sage is right. I've never heard anything good about leak-proof seals. I also have been purchasing mine from White Brothers.

 

[David Trustrum]

Ever replaced the fork seals & found they don't last long? On older forks the plating wears & gets quite shiny, it's like the seals don't ‘run in’ like this. Some plating is worse than others (old yamahas are bad offenders).

What I do in this case is use some medium fine sand-paper (don’t go crazy I mean like say 400 grit) rotated up one direction & then the other to produce a crosshatch sort of honed pattern. Seems to work well. Sound rough?? (Cue beration from the purists). Apparently it is common practice servicing hydraulic rams etc. Seems to work fine.

Side note: Replating forks? Seems the Japs are quite cunning platers, if you strip the old plating off the base is not always very smooth. They use a filler of some sort or machine between plates, but replating isn’t always that good.

Anyway my KDX is now dripping so it's going to get a new pair. Old owner had just changed them.. Yeah right...

 

[Sage]

The sanding thing is not so bad, thats how I get the pits out of some forks so they don't rip up the new seals, I start with 400 wet & finish with 600 wet.

------------------
Sage Wilkinson, KDX Link 1