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$500.00 to replace fork seals!?!?!?

Discussion in 'Hangout Lounge' started by hogfiddles, Nov 12, 2012.

  1. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Quick question..... a co-worker's brother in Texas was just told his bike would not pass inspection because the forks were leaking and soaked the brake pads. they said it would cost about $500.00 to replace the seals and the pads. Bike is a '07 Yamaha FZ6.

    Any advice appreciated.

    I'm suggesting to him that he learn to do it himself over the winter, and save a lot of money, but the price still seems aweful steep.

    Thoughts?

    Dave Fox
     
  2. mlew

    mlew Well-Known Member

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    Not too far off.
    3 to 4 hours shop labor and parts(seals, fork oil, pads) I can see 500$
    I would think you can do it yourself for 100 in parts.
     
  3. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Thanks for the quick reply, mlew! Will pass the info along, as well as any other replies that come in, too.

    thanks again,

    Dave
     
  4. MercuryMan

    MercuryMan Active Member

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    What!! must be some gold plated seals then.

    Local Yamaha dealer here (who wanted $50 for a stock air filter) quoted me $145 to fix my seals if I brought them the parts and supplied the new seals-did it myself for 1/3 of that.

    More than $300 seems excessive to me. 3-4 hours is too much. 2.5 should do it, and $60 hour still wouldn't add up to $500 for 4 hours with the parts. TOO MUCH-but yes fork technology hasn't become some radical thing requiring unobtanium tools or know-how. Do it yourself.
     
  5. OzRoadbandit

    OzRoadbandit Member

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    just looked up the parts on flea bay ..... about $45 for the fork seals and dust covers. I'll take a guess at $15 for oil and $60 for pads so $120 in parts and thats retail.....

    The forks dont look any more complicated that an XJ750 so if they couldn't do seals inside 2 hours including removal and refit, I'd sack the mechanic and take it elsewhere.
    Dunno what you guys pay for shop time over there .... we're around $75/hr over here in Aus so tops $150 in labour or $270 total.....
     
  6. mlew

    mlew Well-Known Member

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    Remember its a dealer, they quote with OEM parts that are not cheap. They don't get aftermarket parts from Ebay to save you money.
    parts list, approximate OEM parts cost
    brake pads-each side 50$, 100 total
    fork seals and dust seals-26 each fork 52 total
    fork oil 10
    misc cleaners / shop supplies 25
    parts total is almost 200$ and a few hours of shop labor can easily come close to 500$.
    Yes you can do it cheaper yourself.
     
  7. Thrasher

    Thrasher Member

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    OEM fork seals are the best. What ever you do, don't buy the Leak Proof brand.
     
  8. MiCarl

    MiCarl Active Member

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    Couple hours to rebuild the forks plus getting them off and back on. Lots of times getting to them is more time than actually doing the job.

    Around here dealers get $85/hour.
     
  9. MercuryMan

    MercuryMan Active Member

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    I wouldn't take them the bike and add in all that labor, or have them do the brakes.

    If you're dealer wont let you bring them parts (still in orig. packaging) or let you save them trouble by removing the forks yourself, then it's time to find someone else to do the work. Or do it yourself.

    And please don't insist it's a liability issue. My licensed, certified Yamaha dealer was willing to have me buy the replacement parts, bring them the forks and they would do the rest. And yes they told me the biggest expense in doing this job would be the labor to remove the forks and put it all back.

    It's $60-70 per hour here.
     
  10. bigfitz52

    bigfitz52 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Has anyone looked in the fiche yet? Those forks are almost as simple as the 550 Seca forks; almost nothing to it. The fork seal KIT has an MSRP of just under $27.00, mlew nailed it.

    EASY DIY job.
     
  11. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    they only leak till their empty
     
  12. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    Here's a job that buying a Factory Workshop Manual pays for itself.

    The Step-by-step procedure is straightforward and relatively UN-Complicated.

    The trickiest part of the Job is Yanking the Old Seals OUT.
    And "Setting" the NEW Seals firmly in their seats.

    Make the Tools you need.
    Cut a section out of a 6" Length of PVC Pipe to slip it on the Fork Tube.
    Collapse the PVC PIPE to fit the ID of the New Seal by attaching Radiator Hose Clamps to squeeze the Pipe.
    Hammer on the PVC ... Not the Seal.

    You'll save over 300.00.
     
  13. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I'm passing ALL the responses on to him as they come in, so PLEASE keep it up. I'm sure they appreciate all the input!

    Dave F
     
  14. theadbrewer

    theadbrewer Member

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    Last time I did it cost me like less than $100. But this guy was awesome and really liked that i was taking care of my old bike. The other bike shop in town if you mentioned anything with carburetors they would look confused and tell you to go to the other place.
     
  15. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    Having a WorkShop Manual to follow is vitally important.

    The Front Wheel has got to come off.
    Yon need a SAFE way to support the Bike rocked-back on the Center Stand.

    One very simple method is a "Milk Crate Wedge"
    With the Rear-end pushed-down lifting the front wheel off the floor, ...
    Measure how much you need to TRIM from the Open-end of a Milk Crate to enable it to SLIDE-IN under the Exhaust Collector.

    You have to saw the OPEN-end on a slight angle to make this work.
    Make the angled cut so that the BOX is slightly WEDGE--Shaped.

    The Idea is that the BOX supports only the weight necessary to keep the Bike's center of gravity to the rear.

    Back-up the WEDGE with Safety Stands supporting the Frame.
     

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