replacing fork seals - yz250

[snowskater101]

im in the midst of trying to replace my for seals on a 1985 yz250. ive got a manual and every machine shop tool at my disposal but i cant seem to get the fork tubes out of the slider. my manual says to take the out spring/seat/cap/spacer/snap ring which ive done, then it says to pull hard on the fork tube using quick in and out strokes. it says it will pull out the dust seal/oil seal/and bushing. ive been trying this for a while now but it doesnt seem to move any, i think it might have moved a half a mm but thats it.

has anyone had any experience doing this themselves?? is it just super hard and time intensive getting the seals and fork tube out?? i know i could take it into a shop and have it done right but im not that kinda person, i like doing my own work. any help would be great, thanks!

 

[colbyc28]

I just went through this last week. I have an 89 yz 250. Not sure how similar yours is to mine. I took the top cap off, and removed the spring. Then removed the dust seal with a small screw driver. Then, you can look up in there and see the retaining clip. Once that is removed, I just pulled the two halves apart very quickly, about 5 or 6 times and it popped the seal out. It took a little bit of force, but it came apart. Might wanna try and use some penetrating oil like PB blaster, let it soak for a bit. Sounds like you are doing it right, maybe a little bit more force.

 

[snowskater101]

i think they're pretty similar forks, my manual says theres an interference fit between the slider bushing and the fork tube bushing, which they're definitely not lying about. on one of the forks the dust seal just slid out by itself(wasnt in there very tight) so i just went ahead and drilled through the oil seal(theres a metal washer behind it), inserted a wood screw, and screwed it in which in turn pryed the oil seal out. so i got all the components out which it said would happen if i pulled hard ect., but even after i got the out the seals, washer, and spacer... the fork tube will still not come out. the manual says it will just slide right out but i think they're full of it.

i went as far as putting the fork tube on a vise(the vise is attached to a 300lb table) and hooking the slider end up to the forklift and reversing, but all that happened was i pulled the table! :-/

for the other fork i think im just gonna drill through the dust seal and oil seal and do the same thing i did with the other, then just put some gasket sealer in the drill hole of the dust seal when i re-use it seeing as they dont really have that much of a purpose

 

[colbyc28]

Our shocks are a bit different. Go to this link and look up the microfiche of your front forks. May help, I dont know.

http://www.yamahaoftroy.com/fiche_section_detail.asp

 

[oldhuskyguy]

go to the eastern dirt website and look at the tech tips section for a "how to" fork seal replacement on a KYB fork. It should tell you everything you need to know plus there is a hot chick doing the work!