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Front fork seals 1982 750 Seca

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by proserviceguy, Aug 15, 2006.

  1. proserviceguy

    proserviceguy New Member

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    How easy is it to replace the seals on the front shocks/anti dive damper?

    Are the parts available? How much cost and down time should I expect?

    Should I expect to have to replace more than that?

    I am a pretty mechanical dude - NO not "pretty" - in THAT way.

    They leak when I hit any bumps - kinda messy, ya know AND it is about as bumpy as skateboarding down an alligators back!!!
     
  2. LoDollarDave

    LoDollarDave Member

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    Just did mine this weekend - not too bad, but either lay out your parts as they're removed, or take pics - things can get pretty confusing. Do not attempt without a parts drawing. A decent manual will tell you all the little hints and kinks. I found fork seals and dust boots were readily available at the Yammy dealer - $18 Cdn ea for the seals, a little less for the dust seals. Check your fork stanchions for scratches and rock chips before starting - scratches that run vertically up the stanchion and rusted rock chips will result in leakage immediately after install. If you have the shocks apart to the extent necessary to replace the oil seals, you may want to go the extra mile and replace the bushings too - also readily available at the dealership (don't remember the price, I did mine last year). Yes, my stanchions are pretty much shot, making fork seal replacment an annual event! Although I may be looking at replacments pretty quick.

    Good Luck!
     
  3. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    If you have rusted, pitted or scratched upper fork tubes ... any HARD CHROME replating business -- The places that re-chrome the hydraulic pistons for heavy machinery -- can put you right back in business, with a "Like new" set of uppers by re-chroming them.

    Getting them both re-chromed is a heck of a lot cheaper than you'll pay for a new one.
     
  4. proserviceguy

    proserviceguy New Member

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    Thought I'd post a pick of it in its' early stages......

    Hmmm, I wonder if the earlier Thanks to you guys went out...
     
  5. LoDollarDave

    LoDollarDave Member

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    I've checked out the price for rechroming before - both hard chrome and 'bright' chrome. 4 out of 5 shops won't touch it at any price (they hate working on 'that kind of stuff'), and the 5th place wanted almost $400! Of course, the local shops are used to working on oilfield equipment, and price accordingly....
    I did manage to find a set of pristine forks, complete with the anti-dive valves i need, for $300, so I guess its time to stick a prybar in the 'ol wallet - even though it'll put me way over my $200 maximum annual parts/service limit! (They don't call me LoDollar for nuthin!) Kind of a pity, I put new bushings in those forks just over a year ago. :cry:
     
  6. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    You know ... those Anti-Dives are totally overhaul-able. First, check the tiny "setting screw" at the bottom to see that it still moves. Be careful ... use a perfectly fitting screwdriver ... EVEN if you have to sacrifice one out of your toolbox to fabricate the head by doing some grinding.

    The "Dives" are a two-part assembly. The UPPER is the activator ... connected to the front brake hydraulics. The LOWER is the fork oil regulator. That LOWER Unit strips-down. Its a little tricky if it's never been done before.

    Remove rubber dust cover. Remove circlip. Use clean brake fluid to lube housing. "Try" extracting the rod and aluminum bushing ... if it won't go ... DO NOT HEAT ... NO HEAT!!! There's a nylon bush in there that will be destroyed if you heat it. Try prying it out from the upper fluid hole. Use a socket of larger diameter and try tapping the inside mechanism out into the big socket.

    The guts are pretty basic. Spring, nylon bushing and the rod. The rod needs to be able to move within the nylon bushing without binding or sticking.

    Clean the nylon bushing with a strong detergent and warm water. Refinish the rod if it is pitted or rusted. Working on it -- with strips of # 600 finishing paper using brake fluid as the wetting agent. Put a new shine on it after you do the 600 by bumping up to 800 and then 1200.

    Make a little roll of 1200 and do the INSIDE diameter of the nylon bushing. When the rod will travel within the bushing without binding and sticking. Clean-out the whole deal with spray Disc Brake Kleen.

    IF the tiny screw at the bottom will turn ... exercise it in and out using brake fluid as lube. When (if) you get the screw to adjust in and out -- COAT the threads of that adjustment screw with ANTI SEIZE Compound.

    It goes back together real simple. You just want to make sure that the O-ring on the top ... surrounding the aluminum bush that the rod extends through is -- clean; along with the locating channel.

    Smear some fork oil in the inside diameter of the top end when you re-insert the aluminum bush to help that O-ring along.

    Lock it up with the circlip ... get it back on the forks taking care not to pinch the pair of O-ring seals.

    Bingo!!! WORKING Dives ... with 3 Positions!

    Good luck with those little adjustment screws. If they don't move -- PM me and I'll walk you through a little procedure you can try to free them.
     
  7. Robert

    Robert Active Member

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    Proserviceguy, you can obtain fresh tubes should yours be damaged at Forking By Frank. He's on the www and costs about $230 delivered to your door. Chroming in California is darn near impossible, no one wants to do it and the only chromers I know of are in L.A. (EPA rules make this a VERY difficult field to run a business in, at least in this state). I hope your tubes are good. Passed through your neck of the woods visiting Seca550_SF on Wednesday, wish I'd had computer access. I would have been happy to stop by and take a peak. Forks are a minor difficulty, the fellows seem to have covered it all very nicely, you should be able to muddle through without too many problems, just don't forget the seal clips located beneath the dust seals. Gotta pull those to get it all apart.
     
  8. proserviceguy

    proserviceguy New Member

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    Thanks again for all the advise and help - seems like one of those weekend projects in the winter.

    Jim
     
  9. Robert

    Robert Active Member

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    Didn't know we had winter here in CA! Only seasons we have is spring and fall. I'm going to try to get back up to Northern CA in a couple of weeks, might have the time to pop by. Keep me posted, I have the tools to do it in about an hour or so.
     
  10. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    I thought the other two seasons in California were: "Mud and Fire"
     
  11. Robert

    Robert Active Member

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    Hey, your right! Forgot about them (how could I, been through it countless times already).
     

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