What's the trick to lowering down the fork seals on the ktm's, every time i try using the screwdriver method I only end up marring up the seal and the land on the fork there's got to be a better way to do this.That puppy is in there pretty tight and also after they have leaking for a while are the seals shot or will the cleaning revive the seal,if not who makes a better seal for these bikes.Thanks Dirtroost.
fork seals
- Thread starter dirtroost
- Start date
- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,969
- 2
Perhaps I can help, what kind of KTM are you working on?
- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,969
- 2
Okay. It's not that big of a job but it might sound more difficult than it is, especially the first time you do it. Also if you will click on the MX Tech link on the DRN website, Jeremy has a complete breakdown on how to do it.
1st of all, remove the forks from the bike. I like to take the bars off and loosen the upper pinch bolts on the forks then loosen the fork caps a bit with them still on the bike.
Remove the front wheel and the fork guards & brake line holder. Loosen the lower fork pinch bolts and drop out the forks. When you have the forks out, take the cap off & dump as much of the oil as you can. To get the cap off you'll have to slide the spring down & slip a wrench on the hydraulic stop (the thing inside the spring). Remove the spring and the long adjustment tube.
Next you'll need to take off the compression holder on the bottom of the fork. This can be tricky. If you don't have an impact wrench you'll have to do it like I do. Lay the fork on the floor and using a ratchet & hammer, quick & firm blows will loosen it. The compression holder will come out the bottom and the cartridge will slide out the top.
Next you'll need to slide the dust seals out and remove the circlip that holds the oil seal in place. After that it is suggested that you slightly heat the outter fork tube to make seal removal easier. Grab both the inner & outter fork tubes and pop them apart very quickly & firmly. Clean everything up and reassmble in reverse order. It takes me about 15 minutes to do each fork now but it took a couple of hours the 1st time. If you want, I can email you the manual from KTM.
1st of all, remove the forks from the bike. I like to take the bars off and loosen the upper pinch bolts on the forks then loosen the fork caps a bit with them still on the bike.
Remove the front wheel and the fork guards & brake line holder. Loosen the lower fork pinch bolts and drop out the forks. When you have the forks out, take the cap off & dump as much of the oil as you can. To get the cap off you'll have to slide the spring down & slip a wrench on the hydraulic stop (the thing inside the spring). Remove the spring and the long adjustment tube.
Next you'll need to take off the compression holder on the bottom of the fork. This can be tricky. If you don't have an impact wrench you'll have to do it like I do. Lay the fork on the floor and using a ratchet & hammer, quick & firm blows will loosen it. The compression holder will come out the bottom and the cartridge will slide out the top.
Next you'll need to slide the dust seals out and remove the circlip that holds the oil seal in place. After that it is suggested that you slightly heat the outter fork tube to make seal removal easier. Grab both the inner & outter fork tubes and pop them apart very quickly & firmly. Clean everything up and reassmble in reverse order. It takes me about 15 minutes to do each fork now but it took a couple of hours the 1st time. If you want, I can email you the manual from KTM.
dirtroost?
Are you trying to remove the actual seal? If so, Jeff is correct.
I'm thinking that you may be only wanting to remove the wiper so you can clean out around the seal. If that is the case, I just take a thin screwdriver and push it between the end of the fork tube and the seal. Just twist it and the wiper should begin to come out. Next you can try using a thin piece of film to clean out around the seal.
Good luck!
Are you trying to remove the actual seal? If so, Jeff is correct.
I'm thinking that you may be only wanting to remove the wiper so you can clean out around the seal. If that is the case, I just take a thin screwdriver and push it between the end of the fork tube and the seal. Just twist it and the wiper should begin to come out. Next you can try using a thin piece of film to clean out around the seal.
Good luck!
- Thread starter
- #6
Layton, you are right I was referring to dropping down the dust seals and cleaning hopeing that would stop the leaking but as i try to use the screwdriver it seems i start messing up the seal and marring the shock surface before i can get it out good and was wondering if there was a better way of removal.Thanks Gilbert for explaining the actual removal of the seal as i may have to go that route to retify the leaking and replace with a synergy seals.
- Thread starter
- #8
yeah, that's the spot I was prying on but it takes so much pressure by the screwdriver to get the seal moving down then at that point the screwdriver is starting to mess up the outside edge of the shock then I give up.there's not a whole lot of ledge underneath the shock and I think that's why it's happening,you would think KTM would make a tool to encompass the fork and do a safer job,maybe i'll look for a soft brass screwdriver or something.
two simple things. Take a piece of 35mm film strip, and gently work in under the dust seal, and spin the film around the lower portion of the fork, and keep working it in, lightly. then, spray some brake cleaner up by the film. this will force the dirt out. Also, i hope you are air bleeding your forks on a regular basis? the air pressure WILL force the oil out, even if the bike hasn't been riden for a while. you could tighten the dust seal spring a little to help this, or put some seal saverrs on as well. mine started leaking after about 20 hours of riding. hope this helps.
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