Inexperience wrencher

[katfan97]

I just got back from the motorcycle supply here in town, I was buying a cargo net.  Anyway, I asked the guy about progressive springs, and he says "why are your forks bad...etc".  I asked him to look, he says "looks like you're leaking fork oil, maybe just a little".  I say "that's bad".  He says "you can get by for now, but you're going to need to replace the seals soon".  Therein lies my dilemna.  

He told me about $200 to change the seals, add fork oil, get the progressive springs and spacer with labor included.   On the other hand, I've read so many post on the board about fork seals, "the tool", etc, but I'm still not convinced that I can do this job on my own.  I just bought the Clymer manual and it should arrive tomorrow.  I've got next weekend free and I do have some tools.

Is there a link to a "step by step" on this board, like the "rejetting for dummies" and other posts?  If not, is there someone with some experience who would PM me to let me call in case of trouble.  Taking off the forks/brakes/front tree etc. scares me a little.  Doing the springs wouldn't be a problem, but the seals look a little more difficult, especially after reading about vises, clamps, and other torture devices. :dunno:

[Kerry]

alexey recently posted a full-blown Changing Fork Seals how-to.

You will find that some details can be changed, but overall it's very good.  (And the job is not as scary as it looks.)

[katfan97]

alexey recently posted a full-blown Changing Fork Seals how-to.

You will find that some details can be changed, but overall it's very good.  (And the job is not as scary as it looks.)

I guess that the part that looks the worst is the "damper rod" and the "damper rod bolt" disassembly.  I'm going to ask my step-dad (who knows a few things around a garage) to help me.  Besides he has an impact wrench, and a vise.  I guess if worst comes to worst, I could find a way to get all the parts to the motorcycle repair :mrgreen:

[katfan97]

alexey recently posted a full-blown Changing Fork Seals how-to.

You will find that some details can be changed, but overall it's very good.  (And the job is not as scary as it looks.)

I guess that the part that looks the worst is the "damper rod" and the "damper rod bolt" disassembly.  I'm going to ask my step-dad (who knows a few things around a garage) to help me.  Besides he has an impact wrench, and a vise.  I guess if worst comes to worst, I could find a way to get all the parts to the motorcycle repair :mrgreen:

By the way, where can I get the parts for this ie the fork seals, progressive springs and other misc.?

[Kerry]

I guess if worst comes to worst, I could find a way to get all the parts to the motorcycle repair :mrgreen:

I doubt that will be necessary.  

You mentioned "the tool".  Are you comfortable with how to make one, just in case the impact wrench doesn't work?  See the original post, and others' subsequent ideas.

[Kerry]

By the way, where can I get the parts for this ie the fork seals, progressive springs and other misc.?

Progressive Springs: See uh...prog springs model #  (Especially Rema1000's price comparison post.)

Fork Seals:  I would suggest Ron Ayers.

You have a '93, right?  Go to the Ron Ayers '93 parts fiche page and click on "Front Damper".  The oil seal you need is item #5 in the diagram and on the list.  Click on the part number in the list to see the price.  Optionally, you may want to pick up a pair of dust seals (item #7) while you're at it.

[perfdrug]

wrench on it yourself. save a lot of money, and be really satisfied when you fix it.
when i replaced my head gasket, and the bike fired up on the first try, i was so damn happy.

[Richard UK]

take care not to scratch the chrome plate on the part of the tubes that the seals slide against - or you'll be doing it all again in six months time!  Good luck with it.

[katfan97]

By the way, where can I get the parts for this ie the fork seals, progressive springs and other misc.?

Progressive Springs: See uh...prog springs model #  (Especially Rema1000's price comparison post.)

Fork Seals:  I would suggest Ron Ayers.

You have a '93, right?  Go to the Ron Ayers '93 parts fiche page and click on "Front Damper".  The oil seal you need is item #5 in the diagram and on the list.  Click on the part number in the list to see the price.  Optionally, you may want to pick up a pair of dust seals (item #7) while you're at it.

I tried to click on the part numbers, but nothing happened.  I went around the "back door" way and tried to look through their online catalog and it said that there are no GS500 parts that are "categorized".  Any other ideas?

[katfan97]

By the way, where can I get the parts for this ie the fork seals, progressive springs and other misc.?

Progressive Springs: See uh...prog springs model #  (Especially Rema1000's price comparison post.)

Fork Seals:  I would suggest Ron Ayers.

You have a '93, right?  Go to the Ron Ayers '93 parts fiche page and click on "Front Damper".  The oil seal you need is item #5 in the diagram and on the list.  Click on the part number in the list to see the price.  Optionally, you may want to pick up a pair of dust seals (item #7) while you're at it.

I tried to click on the part numbers, but nothing happened.  I went around the "back door" way and tried to look through their online catalog and it said that there are no GS500 parts that are "categorized".  Any other ideas?

Just curious I just looked at bikebandit.com and they are like $25 is that right?  Good night, isn't that expensive?

[katfan97]

By the way, where can I get the parts for this ie the fork seals, progressive springs and other misc.?

Progressive Springs: See uh...prog springs model #  (Especially Rema1000's price comparison post.)

Fork Seals:  I would suggest Ron Ayers.

You have a '93, right?  Go to the Ron Ayers '93 parts fiche page and click on "Front Damper".  The oil seal you need is item #5 in the
iagram and on the list.  Click on the part number in the list to see the price.  Optionally, you may want to pick up a pair of dust seals (item #7) while you're at it.

I tried to click on the part numbers, but nothing happened.  I went around the "back door" way and tried to look through their online catalog and it said that there are no GS500 parts that are "categorized".  Any other ideas?

Just curious I just looked at bikebandit.com and they are like $25 is that right?  Good night, isn't that expensive?

I just put everything that I think that I would need to do this job (progressive springs, fork seals -leak proof, 2 dust seals - OEM) and the total before shipping came to 106.74  does that sound about right?  I know that I will need to buy fork oil, and I guess a oil level whosiewhatsit to measure the space at the top.  Is that everything?

[Kerry]

Sorry, I got behind there....

The before-shipping price sounds about right.

Are you getting the Progressives from Chaparral?  If so, then you could pick up the fork oil from them, too:

Code Select Expand

                  10W (liter)  15W (liter)
Bel-Ray              344-4082     344-4083
                       $6.99        $6.99

Maxima
 Fork Oil           353-0605     353-0606
                       $3.99        $3.99
 Racing Fork Fluid  353-0662     353-0663
                       $7.49        $7.49

Spectro               19-3020      19-3021
                       $7.99        $7.99

Yamalube              19-1115      19-1116
                       $3.95        $3.95



For measuring the oil level, just fashion your own dipstick.  (See THIS POST and the next few after it.  You'll have to decide on the actual number of mm to use - somewhere between 99 and 130-ish.)

[Kerry]

I tried to click on the part numbers [at Ron Ayers], but nothing happened.

After catching up on your posts I noticed that the Ron Ayers site was totally down.  Just now I tried again, and sure enough - clicking on the part numbers brings up a nearly blank page.

I wonder what's going on?  Probably too many GS500 owners all hitting their site at the same time.