Lower fork crack

[Dadster]

Washing my gl1200i last weekend I noticed what looks like a crack in the lower right fork about 3" long running up and down kinda jagged not a straight line ending about 1 1/2" down from the wiper. Very hard to see. Could have been there when I had them apart to replace seals. I can feel the edge if I run a fingernail across it but just barely. No fluid is leaking and haven't lost air so my question is "Do I need to worry about this?"

 

[Steve83]

Can you post some good, close-up pics? If it's not leaking, it's not cracked all the way through the casing...

 

[Dadster]

I'll try to get good pics later this morning to post.

 

[slabghost]

It's possible the crack is only in the old clearcoat. That is some pretty tough stuff. I hope that is all it is.

 

[Dadster]

Managed to get 1 good pic. I was wrong, the crack is about 6" long.

 

[AApple]

Hard to say without actually seeing it in person, but I don't think that's a crack. Looks more like rough forging flash. My bet is you could sand on it a little, and it would disappear. Look just above it, and you'll see an area that looks rough, also. Just a part that dint get smoothed out perfectly when it was machined, or had a "divet" in the surface that is deeper than the machining went on it. See it all the time on cast, and forged parts.
If it ain't leaking, it doesn't go all the way thru. Could also just be a scratch in the surface. :yes:

 

[zman]

Hard to imagine it is a crack but it is behaving just like a crack..If it were me I would get some high magnification device , something with an LED light would also help..Look really close for the typical cavity that cracks have. I bought one at radio shack for 10 buck I would guess there or wal mart or harbor freight may have something similar
Sheesh..That would be catastrophic if it fail while riding. Here is a link to what I bought.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Radioshack-63-1 ... B000A1EHHG
By the way this is UK Amazon, I would think US Amazon has the same stuff.

 

[Dadster]

AApple To the left about 2" and slightly down from the top of the crack is another jagged crack/blemish running more horizontal about an inch long. I hope these are blemishes or cracks in the clear coat. I considered sanding it but with aluminium being so soft I thought I would move metal and possibly fill in any fine crack hiding a potential problem.

Zman I took your advise and ordered that microscope.

 

[joedrum]

im with apple looks like typical honda for the time made parts...one could run a hose clamp as safety device to stay together and reverse stress inward

 

[AApple]

I can't say for sure what it is, just that it appears, from the pic, to be a casting boo-boo. Take a look at this pic, as it shows what a rough casting can look like before machining. If the "flaw" is deeper than the machining, you can wind up with funny looking surfaces on the finished part. That's all I'm saying. Definitely need a better look to determine ed-zarchary what it is. :good:

fushioncast2

• AApple
• Jun 11, 2015

casting "flaw" in aluminuminum casting

 

[mcgovern61]

+1 on a clearcoat or casting issue. You can sand it down and see if the crack disappears. Mind you, the clearcoat is tough as nails to sand.

 

[Dadster]

I'll wait a couple day for the microscope to get a better look at things. In the meantime I might take Joe's suggestion and clamp it for peace of mind.

 

[backyardtrouble]

That really looks like a clear coat crack to me, could be wrong, but like mentioned before, that clear coat is tough and it does look bad and feels bad when it does crack, kinda scary somewhat. I would do some deeper findings about it, not to safe if it is cracked.

 

[zman]

If all else fails get the sandpaper out , pull the fender and calipers out of the way and buff them out..That paint is so pretty and would really look nice with polished fork legs.
Hard to believe Honda would let a casting blemish like that through their quality control least on a polished fork leg , if it is the clear coat it will disappear with sanding or polishing.

 

[dan filipi]

Doesn't look like a crack to me, and since there is blemish in the finish at the top I'm inclined to think it's a scratch or clear coat.
I'd sand on it then use compressed air from a nozzle to blow it clean. That should blow out any sandings that filled it if it is a crack.

 

[slabghost]

Magic marker should soak into any crack. But will sand right off of the surface. Could try that if you are still unsure after a magnification look.

 

[Dadster]

Should have the lighted microscope by Monday. I'll hold off till then and post what I find. Fingers crossed.

 

[zman]

Whatever happened here?

 

[Dadster]

Should have followed up. After examination under my new lighted microscope, it turned out to be a scratch. Sure did look like a crack to the naked eye. :whistling: That was 2 trips to W.Va. ago. 1000 miles.

 

[zman]

Good news..case closed.