Fork oil seals still leaking when new
 

Hi Guys,

I recently replaced the oil seal in one of my forks since it had been leaking oil for quite a while. It was never leaking very much though so I just kept putting off the job.

Anyway, I managed to completely dismantle the fork and replaced the seal successfully - or at least I though so. The fact is it still leaks and more-so than before, though I expect this is because there is now more oil in the fork to leak.

So, what do you reckon I most likely messed up? Like I said, the seal seemed to go in fine though it took a lot of battering down with a section of plastic tubing to get it far enough in that I could fit the retaining clip. I bought it off eBay which might not make it the most long-lasting seal, but I would at least expect it to work initially.

Any advice on what to do? I was intending to just try taking the fork off again, get the seal out and put another one in to see if it the previous one happened to be a dud.

Re: Fork oil seals still leaking when new
 

is the fork stanchion nicked or pitted? if it is it'll rip the new seal as soon as it moves over it...

Re: Fork oil seals still leaking when new
 

+1 if thers a we nic in them they will rip the seal and let oil leak out.

Re: Fork oil seals still leaking when new
 

+2

That said, if it was an ebay seal ... well it was an eBay seal!! ;)

Check the stanchion for pitting ... if it checks out, then get a proper suzuki seal!!

Re: Fork oil seals still leaking when new
 

By stanchion I assume you mean the inner part of the suspension (the top tube)? As far as I can tell it's smooth and un-pitted and once I wipe the oil ring off it looks all pretty and shiny!

One thing - the fork looks like it has been upgraded in the past. By that I mean that when I took it apart the bits inside looked different to my Haynes manual! Seems to be missing a spacer, but it all fits together properly so that itself doesn't worry me. My query is whether the oil seal could be different? The new ones I bought do seem to be the same as the old ones.

It looks like the most likely problem is the seal is just knackered though. I'll head down to the 'proper' bike shop for a new seal!

Re: Fork oil seals still leaking when new
 

yep, the stanchion is the chromed shiny tube that slide into the lower part of the leg

there could be a nick below the level of the dust cover which you may not see unless you take the weight off the suspension, but it's unlikely i'd have thought...