Fork Seal Pregunta

[gsatterw]

Ok guys, I'm really sorry to do this, but I'm at a loss here. I've got an 02, and need some help on the whole fork seal thing. I've tried the search function, but honestly guys, I've been horribly ill for the past 3 weeks, and my mind is clouded and I can't sift through all the junk.

Question 1: What fork disassembly procedure do I need to follow? From the little that I've gathered, there is one way for the 89-00, and a way for the 04+...and I seem to remember just now that they were redesigned in 04, so I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess the 89-00 procedure.

Question 2: What in gods name do I need to buy here to fix my lightly leaky fork, there is nothing on ebay that is specific to my model, and I don't want to end up with the wrong part:

http://www.bikebandit.com/2002-suzuki-gs500/o/m22461#sch240311

There are no nicks or anything on the tubes, I just noticed a ring of dirt/oil a couple inches above the seal, and the dust cover had a thin film of oil on it as well. I would take pictures, but f my world right now and its dark. Might be able to get some up tomorrow if I'm feeling up to it.

Thanks errbody
Graham

[adidasguy]

Doing lots of forks myself, the seals and dust caps are the same for all years.
Wipe down the tubes with very fine steel wool to remove any burrs before reassembling them.
I recently spend a day repairing forks but didn't put oil or springs in as I would never put the OEM crap springs back in.
Whether old or new forks, the best way I found to get the bottom bolt out was buy a cheap Harbor Freight impact wrench and the extra long impact wrench allen metric bits. Then it's like 30 seconds to take a fork apart. Before I bought that - nothint but frustration.

Here's a good guy to get K&L seals & caps from:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SUZUKI-89-00-GS500-E-FORK-SEALS-WIPERS-/360514949606?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53f05d91e6&vxp=mtr

You only need a set of seals and dust caps. PVC tube can press a new seal in or I bought the Motion Pro tool. Paint rollers are the exact size, too, to press seals back in. They go in easy if you first squirt that red fork seal goop on them - it lubes it then sets up like gasket seal (which I think it is).

Lord only knows what stuff I'll but tomorrow at the last day of the motorcycle show. Already bought new helmet and heated gloves.

[gsatterw]

thanks adidasguy, your bike is lookin fly as fuk. Wish I lived in the north west. Any yea, the stock springs weren't cuttin it down here in new orleans. Running progressives with 15 weight oil, no preload. The preload made it wayyyyy to bouncy on the ridiculous sink holes that are utterly unavoidable.

Thanks again

[gsatterw]

Oh and what size pvc pipe do you use?

Is this the impact wrench your talkin about?

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-electric-impact-wrench-68099.html

And are these the allen bits you're referring to?

http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/hex-wrenches/8-piece-12-drive-metric-impact-hex-driver-set-67895.html

I'm startin to think that maybe it would be cheaper to just get the seals, caps, and fork oil and bringing the forks over to a motorcycle shop and have them do it. Not that I don't want to learn myself, but the impact driver and bits plus shipping alone is gonna be $90, not to mention the opportunity cost of my time. And I shouldn't have to do it again for a good long while, maybe when I have more cash to toss around. Think a good qualified shop can get it done in an hour @ $65/hr?

[snOhio]

i can vouch for that impact wrench - been using it to rotate tires on the cage for 2 years and no problems.  they go on sale for 39.99 and then use a 20% off coupon to get it for cheap.

[adidasguy]

Yep = correct HF tools. Well worth it. That impact wrench also can insure the magneto bolt is on tight (remember it came loose on Phenix a few months ago?)

Like everyone says: watch HF web site for coupons and sales.

Too bad you live under sea level. Ifg you were here, I's say come over and let's just swap your forks with ones already rebuilt. Then give me new seals later for the next job. We do that for brakes: tape pads off of  one set and then buy a replacement set later. Never a shortage of parts here.

Oh, PVC pipe: I forget. measure fork diameter and get pipe with inside diameter a tweak bigger. Or get a 19" paint roller. Perfect size. A couple shorter ones stacked would work.

[gsJack]

I'm not sure all years fork seals are the same, I have an 02 and still believe the 01-02 seals are different.  Way back the 89-00 models were the same, the 01-02 were the same, and the 04-09 were the same.  Three different oem numbers.

Then they changed the 89-00 and the 04-09 to all be the same but the 01-02 still had a different oem part number.  Just checked again now and the 01-02 still have a different part number than all the other years on factory parts fiches.

I had a leaking left fork seal on my 02 and replaced it in May 08 at 69k miles and now at 97k miles the right fork seal is still the original and neither has leaked since I replaced the left one.  I still have a spare since I bought a pair.   

[gsJack]

Oh by the way, I have a garage across the street behind another building I keep my bike in and it doesn't have electricity so an electric or pneumatic impact wrench wouldn't work for me.  Fortunately I got that bolt that goes up thru the bottom of the fork slider to hold the damper thingy inside loose with a large allen wrench and a hammer on the left fork but couldn't budge it on the right the day I replaced the left seal and I intended to borrow a homemade tool that holds the damper inside from my son JP and change that seal later but later sometime never comes.   

Homemade tool and PVC seal driver specs JP posted, can be handy for others with primitave garage facilities.   

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=60557.msg698885#msg698885

[motopumps]

I just repaired two leaky fork seals with a Sealmate on a 1995 GS500E I am working on to sell in the spring.  Didn't know if it would work, but gambled on the $4.70 (eBay price) and it was a success.  One seal was really leaking and the other was just oozing. Fixed both on the first try.  I will never replace a seal again until I have tried this and failed.

I have no interest in sealmate.  Just a satisfied customer and wish I had thought of it first!

http://sealmate.net

Rob
http://motopumps.com

[dread_au]

i used electrical tape wrapped around the chrome tube to get the seal in instead of pvc . That works.

Used a broomstick for both 04-12 forks and 89-00 forks so I cant see why it cant work for you too.

I also used a low tech hammer and impact driver to undo the bolt. Love my driver it also does carb screws