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Fork Seal Debris

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by yepper, Oct 16, 2006.

  1. yepper

    yepper Member

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    Hi folks,

    Anyone who has seen my gallery will guess at the condition of the fork seals.

    So, I tried to get the first one out this evening, replacements ready. A piece of rubber just came away in a shard, the inner spring disappeared over my shoulder.

    Now I'm left with most of it in there, and it's like welded to the metal by hard packed rust. I don't want to start carving it out with a screwdriver. No way is it coming out as a piece.

    Can I immerse it in something overnight ? Burn it out ? Boiling water ?

    Sugestions please, and thanks.
     
  2. Nick

    Nick Member

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    I just used the upper fork tube as a slide hammer to pop out the old seal. Took a few pulls but the old seal popped out in one piece.
     
  3. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    It doesn't need to come out as a piece. It's junk. Treat it like junk. Just protect the finish on the tube with some duct tape and pry it out of there.

    Grab on to whatever you can and chunk-it out.

    Grind sharp points on some good-sized nails and tap the nails between the edge of the seal and the tube ... until you can get a tool in there and pry it out like a diseased tooth.

    Pay more attention to not bunging-up the tube and have no mercy on the old seal.

    It went it. It comes out!
     
  4. yepper

    yepper Member

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    Thanks guys - I guess not being in any hurry, I was happy to avoid the risk of gouging or scoring the tube, by letting something eat away at it overnight.

    I did the best thing possible - went away and had a cup of coffee. When I came back half an hour later out it popped within seconds... a lesson there.
     
  5. Robert

    Robert Active Member

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    Patience grasshopper...
     
  6. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    Nothing would have "Ate" it! It's solid aluminum. I love aluminum!
     
  7. yepper

    yepper Member

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    Er, I meant I'd rather let something eat away at the rubber overnight, than hurry and gouge the alu. ;-)
     

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