GL1200 Front Fork Seals (Help)

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MagnAndy

MagnAndy

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Brampton, Ontario, Canada
About the last thing I need to get my scoot certified and on the road is to replace the dust caps on the front forks, and since I am there, the seals too. I stopped the seal leak by cleaning the seals with a home made tool and replacing the fork oil but was rejected for certification today due to a crackdown on cracked dust caps this year. :crying: :rant:

I haven't done the forks before so I'd like a bit of advice. The manuals seem to want a complete disassembly including removing the forks from the bike. All I want to do is: remove the front wheel (done), remove caps & springs (again), remove fender and fork brace, pop up dust caps, remove circlip, pull fork off to pop out seal, clean the circlip groove, pour out my 4 day old $15/2 fork oil, drive in a new seal (in toolbox already), remove seal and dust cap from the fork tube and install new dust cap (in toolbox already), slide tube into seal, insert, circlip, add new $15/2 fork oil, replace springs and cap. Repeat on other side. Reassemble brace, fender, wheel, and brakes.

Is this realistic or is there a reason to remove the forks from the bike and dissassemble them as the manual indicates??

I need to get the job done this weekend so fast answers are appreciated. Thanks.
 
Trying to learn here: Why is it necessary to remove the upper portion from the bike? Can't the lower section be pulled off while the top stays on the bike?

If not, does that mean I need to remove the fairing? or can I get the forks off without doing that?
 
your plan sounds fine ....there are many ways to do it ....the bottoms only is done a lot....its nice to have an air impact for the allen head bolt in the bottom of the forks so it will come apart
 
Thanks to all for the help. I did both forks this weekend. Ended up taking them right out - the manual and crappy pictures made it look so complicated but it was a doddle.

Just one question for you - how do you compress the springs the 4" needed to get the caps back on? I did it but I had to make a special tool to do so. Since nobody warned me about it, I'm wondering if I missed something and there is an easier way - 'cuz compressing those springs while balancing the cap on top is a real treat!
 
yes thats quite a trick it seems ...with spring out like to mark exactly where the thresd start on cap and fork tube ....then just push it together and start at the marks ...ive made several different so call jigs to help depending on yr of forks and have never done it the same way twice except for the marking of where the threads line up
 
Its been more than 3 years since I did mine....I took them off the bike, but I do not remember the springs coming out?? My daughter did one and I did one. Took about 15 minutes each.

Come to think of it, we did not take the top cap off, just the allen screw at the bottom and then slid them off.
 
Joe - wish I'd a been clever enough to think about marking the thread start position - DOH! If there is a next time, I will.

McG - how did you change the fork oil?

I'm considering replacing the drain bolt with a bleeder so I can fill mine from the bottom next time - I think I would need to drill and tap for another bleeder thru the cap to let air in/out as needed. Then there wouldn't be a need to remove the caps and springs. Those springs are a bitch! . I'm in reasonable shape (round is a shape) for an old crumudgen but at 200 pounds I could barely compress the springs 4" and I certainly couldn't mate a fine pitch thread while doing it!

DSC02328.jpg


Here's what I had to resort to! Flat bar with hole thru it for rachet extension, pressing onto copper tube, pressing onto washer, pressing onto the drive end of an impact socket. Leather belt to centre of handle bars and an adjustable tie-down to the engine guard. That compresses the springs leaving me only to align the rachet extension with the fork and engage the threads. Way easier to say than do! Especially when waiting for the best part of 300 pounds of spring force to launch the fork cap at your peering face. It took me over an hour to find the volume knob from the radio after a launching cap sent it into a geosynchronus orbit!
 
Was the front tire on the ground?
It is impossible on mine that way. I jack up the front end so the wheel is hanging free. Does help but still tough. I put a rag on the cap then clamp it with a vise grips, push down and catch the threads.
 
MagnAndy":2fxxafcb said:
McG - how did you change the fork oil?
Click to expand...
We did take the forks off the bike.

I pulled the plug out of the bottom and took the air hose out of the top and pushed down on the fork tube while assembled. Oil came right out. Refilled the oil via the drain hole at the bottom using a medicine syringe for baby medicine.

Next time I do the seals I will have to make a video! I hate to see you go through that much trouble to replace fork seals! :shock:
 
I think the issue I had was trying to follow the manual - which only talks of dissassembly, not seal change. Anyway, now that I have done it once I'm OK to figure shortcuts out without the manual. A vid would be helpful for others doing it for the first time. I did take lots of pics of how to do it the hard way!
 
MagnAndy":ud2osncc said:
I think the issue I had was trying to follow the manual - which only talks of dissassembly, not seal change. Anyway, now that I have done it once I'm OK to figure shortcuts out without the manual. A vid would be helpful for others doing it for the first time. I did take lots of pics of how to do it the hard way!
Click to expand...

Well we could post how not to do fork seals :hihihi:

I know they're not fun. Any chance we can to help out a brother..............
 
I wish I had a spare set of forks to do a video (I did from the wrecked '81...but they have long since been recycled).

I think once everyone who has not done this sees how easy it is they can save a lot of time and aggravation!
 
I used a speed handle and had no problem after spinning it backward till threads lined up , then turn forward until tight .
 
The easy way that I have used for years.
1. drain the fork oil out and reinstall the bolt.
2. pull up the dust cap and remove the snap ring.
3. apply a but load of air thru the shrader for the air ride, and the seal should pop.
4. loosen the triple clamp slie the fork down, and pull off the old parts and slide on the new.
5 Use a piece of PVC thin wall pipe for a seal driver, and finish assembling to the front end.
6. reinstall the fender and wheel
7. add oil aprox 10oz
8. clean up & ride.
 
I used a small gear puller, brought the cap down until it just touched the fork tube and turned it wih light pressure to make sure I didn't cross thread. I had installed new progressive springs that seemed to make it very easy to install the caps.
 

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