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TECHNICAL MOTOBRICK WRENCHING In Remembrance of Inge K. => The Motobrick Workshop => Topic started by: OLDHIPPIE on April 03, 2012, 05:44:38 PM

Title: Leaking fork seals
Post by: OLDHIPPIE on April 03, 2012, 05:44:38 PM

Hey all,  I just bought this 94 1100 lt. When picking up the bike the seals, tubes were dry. When I got it home they were leaking. Po said seals were replaced with few miles on them. Will compression on the forks from tie downs in a trailer cause fork fluid to puke out?
 

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: frankenduck on April 03, 2012, 05:54:05 PM

Where did you tie the front down?  Handlebars?  Fork tree?

(I tie the front down at the fork brace and let the bike ride on it's suspension to avoid overcompressing the forks.  It's easiest if you take out the screw and remove the plastic fork brace cover first.)

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: OLDHIPPIE on April 03, 2012, 06:11:34 PM

Fork tree adjusted it a couple times on 750 mile trip. Overcompressing will cause them to Puke?

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: frankenduck on April 03, 2012, 06:19:29 PM

I've heard that you can blown your fork seals that way but have always done the fork brace tie down so don't have any personal experience.

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: Rick G on April 03, 2012, 07:55:41 PM

I will confirm that it will blow the fork seals. I have done it and now find that the best way is to drop the fork oil or if only a short trip dont tie them down all the way till there is no movement.

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: frankenduck on April 03, 2012, 08:11:31 PM

The best way is to tie it down at the fork brace and let the bike ride on it's own suspension so you have zero risk of fork seals blowing.

When this guy showed up (flat tire, no repair kit, towing insurance) he let me tie down the front.

(http://home.comcast.net/~smithduck/tours/bmwp_lakes/bmwp_pics/IMG_1030.JPG)

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: OLDHIPPIE on April 03, 2012, 11:12:33 PM

Quote from: Rick G on April 03, 2012, 07:55:41 PM

I will confirm that it will blow the fork seals. I have done it and now find that the best way is to drop the fork oil or if only a short trip dont tie them down all the way till there is no movement.

"Crap"

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: johnny on April 04, 2012, 12:38:17 AM

greetings oldhippie...

welcome to the world famous motobrick.com...

i gotts lotts o compressed motobrick suspension towing miles... approx a quarter million in all...

1stly... i keep my fork oil fresh... swap it out twice a year... fresh fork oil is absolutely necessary for proficient motobricking...

2ndly... when i getts a weeper caused by compressed suspension towing... i wipe down the fork tubes with automatic transmission fluid... the a t f swells the fork seals and stops the weeper as long as there is no tube or seal damage...

what i would do if it were me... i would wipe down the fork tubes with a t f... i would swap the existing fork oil with a t f... i would ride it a few hunderd miles... i would swap out the a t f with honda ss8-10 (http://www.kneedraggers.com/PRO-HONDA-SUSPENSION-FLUID-SS8-10W) suspension fluid... hope for the best...

j o

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: frankenduck on April 04, 2012, 01:03:10 AM

Johnny is full of ch1t. Overcompressing your forks is a very bad idea.  JMHO.  Tie down your bike so that it rides on its own suspension.

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: johnny on April 04, 2012, 06:29:06 AM

greetings frankenduck...

my post didnt say if overcompressing forks is a good or very bad idea... my post addressed what i do when my fork seals leak due to compressed motobrick suspension towing...

perhaps you should put down the crown royal on the rocks... wait till the double vision goes away... then read what i posted  again...

now frankenduck... the next time you want to follow up one of my posts... i suggest you get the facts right or do not post at all...

j o

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: Scott_ on April 04, 2012, 07:42:35 AM

I will also add that I have had blown out seals from over compressing as well. When I first got my '97LT, I trailered it from Florida to Iowa, strapped to the handlebars(yes I know better now not to ). And yes it puked the oil out the seals as well by the time I got home.

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: DRxBMW on April 04, 2012, 07:46:03 AM

Quote from: OLDHIPPIE on April 03, 2012, 05:44:38 PM

Hey all,  I just bought this 94 1100 lt. When picking up the bike the seals, tubes were dry. When I got it home they were leaking. Po said seals were replaced with few miles on them. Will compression on the forks from tie downs in a trailer cause fork fluid to puke out?

If the mighty bricK was tied down so tight the forks were fully compressed, I'm afraid you have indeed blown the seals.

At least you'll remember that tidbit next time the ole girl needs a lift.

The plastic "suspension saver" inserts work excellent. 

(http://www.sportutilitytrailers.com/img/products/PCFS1-fullsheet.jpg)

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: DRxBMW on April 04, 2012, 07:52:36 AM

Quote from: frankenduck on April 04, 2012, 01:03:10 AM

Johnny is full of ch1t. Overcompressing your forks is a very bad idea.  JMHO.  Tie down your bike so that it rides on its own suspension.

DO NOT SQUASH the front forks and tow PERIOD !

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: DRxBMW on April 04, 2012, 08:26:02 AM

Quote from: johnny on April 04, 2012, 12:38:17 AM

greetings oldhippie...

welcome to the world famous motobrick.com...

i gotts lotts o compressed motobrick suspension towing miles... approx a quarter million in all...

j o

You can compress the forks to the the halfway point but NO more for safe towing.

 

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: Rick G on April 04, 2012, 08:32:43 AM

Yeah I just deleted that Scott thanks.
Once again as Oscar Wilde once sais "Two great nations seperated by a common language"
My humble appologies to all and especially Oldhippie. :embarass: :embarass:

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: Rick G on April 04, 2012, 08:39:38 AM

Quote from: frankenduck on April 04, 2012, 01:03:10 AM

Johnny is full of ch1t. Overcompressing your forks is a very bad idea.  JMHO.  Tie down your bike so that it rides on its own suspension.

I know a guy in Oz who ships bikes all over the world and he has a strapping system that goes over each tire and holds them that way and lets the suspension work. I believe the cars that get transported on trucks have a similar system.

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: DRxBMW on April 04, 2012, 08:49:52 AM

Quote from: Rick G on April 04, 2012, 08:32:43 AM

Yeah I just deleted that Scott thanks.
Once again as Oscar Wilde once sais "Two great nations separated by a common language"
My humble apologies to all and especially Oldhippie. :embarass: :embarass:

Sometimes we all NEED to rant Rick. 

Ha,you should chat on the KBMW list.  Vicious fu*Kers, one quickly learns to be tough skinned. Worse, most of the time Curry is "semi" right.

JO's, ATV cure is interesting.  Been my experience once a fork seal is toast, a new one is in order. I have used 35 mm film as a cleaning tool before with good results.

Another beautiful Spring day here in the Mid Atlantic.  motobricKing to Penn State main campus is the plan, once the temp gets a little warmer.

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: Rick G on April 04, 2012, 08:58:22 AM

I did a brand new set in a large pothole a while ago. Just going slow and the hole was in a shadow and whump and no more seals. Worst of all was we were going home over one of the best riding roads in the country.

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: DRxBMW on April 04, 2012, 09:14:51 AM

Quote from: frankenduck on April 03, 2012, 08:11:31 PM

The best way is to tie it down at the fork brace and let the bike ride on it's own suspension so you have zero risk of fork seals blowing.
When this guy showed up (flat tire, no repair kit, towing insurance) he let me tie down the front.

Has anyone here ever used the "Canyon Dancer" type tie down straps ?

Naysayers on the Pasnit forum, complained about the CD straps pushing the grips on both sides of the handle bars in.

"On the throttle side this meant that the rubber end of the grip was in contact with the side of the brake fluid container and the friction was preventing the throttle from snapping closed when released. I was able to compensate for this while riding (and before I knew what the problem was) by manually forcing the throttle into the closed position and after the trip I am in the process of tugging the grips back into place."

http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13282 (http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13282)

Cycle Cynch is the new kid in town.

http://www.cyclecinch.com/CCpages/CCproduct.html (http://www.cyclecinch.com/CCpages/CCproduct.html)

(http://www.cyclecinch.com/CCphotos/CC2_3.jpg)

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: frankenduck on April 04, 2012, 09:20:04 AM

Quote from: johnny on April 04, 2012, 06:29:06 AM

perhaps you should put down the crown royal on the rocks... wait till the double vision goes away...

JJoohhnnyy, wwhhaatt iiss tthhiiss ddoouubbllee vviissiioonn ooff wwhhiicchh yyoouu ssppeeaakk??

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: DRxBMW on April 04, 2012, 09:46:03 AM

Quote from: frankenduck on April 04, 2012, 09:20:04 AM

Quote from: johnny on April 04, 2012, 06:29:06 AM

perhaps you should put down the crown royal on the rocks... wait till the double vision goes away...

JJoohhnnyy, wwhhaatt iiss tthhiiss ddoouubbllee vviissiioonn ooff wwhhiicchh yyoouu ssppeeaakk??

http://grooveshark.com/s/Double+Vision/3Wx8D4?src=5 (http://grooveshark.com/s/Double+Vision/3Wx8D4?src=5)

(http://farmvillesuccessdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/double-vision.jpg)

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: Scott_ on April 04, 2012, 09:17:51 PM

Quote from: DRxBMW on April 04, 2012, 08:49:52 AM

Sometimes we all NEED to rant Rick. 

Ha,you should chat on the KBMW list.  Vicious fu*Kers, one quickly learns to be tough skinned. Worse, most of the time Curry is "semi" right.

Yea, I'll attest to that. I started posting there 1st when I got my bike, and I don't anymore. I still get the daily e-mails that I read, but other than that.... nada.

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: frankenduck on April 04, 2012, 09:20:22 PM

Quote from: Rick G link=topic=2098.msg11141

I know a guy in Oz who ships bikes all over the world and he has a strapping system that goes over each tire and holds them that way and lets the suspension work. I believe the cars that get transported on trucks have a similar system.

I believe that was invented by some clever Ozzie just a few years ago.

Title: Re: Leaking fork seals
Post by: Rick G on April 04, 2012, 10:44:56 PM

Yeah that is Dave Millington (or close to that) he has a shipping business called Get Routed (it means more in the Ozzie language).
I was talking to him a while ago about bringing some Ks in from US but the bum fell out of the prices here and it now isn't viable.
!2 months ago I could get $6000 for a good low km K1100 LT but now only about $3200 tops so another get rich scheme got the crap shot out of it.
I have considered bringing some Ks in for spare parts as I wouldnt sell many frames or complete engines so the numbers don't matter.