Topic: Couple fork seal questions

[MetalHead550]

Doing repairs on my 78 550 before I start turning it into a cafe.  Ive got the forks tore apart cuz they were leaking.  I noticed that the seals were not seated on the lip in the lower fork case?  I read in the FAQ that they are supposed to be, but both were about a cm from the lip as though they were intentionally installed that way. Not sure if they are the original seals, so are they supposed to be seated against that lip or not?  Im also assuming that the up side on the new seals is the side with the numbers?  The inner part of the seal with the circle springs is a larger diameter on the numbers side. Is that the up side?  Any good advice for installing new seals as far as what/what not to use to press them in ect.?  Thanks!

[CB500_k2]

A Honda repair tech told me that the seals should be fully seated.  When you put the seals in make sure that the lettering on the seal faces up.  If you put them in with the lettering facing down you will get leakage.  The design of the seals are deceptive as there is a chamfer on the edge which should face up.  The first time I replaced the seals I thought this was the edge to be pushed into the lower fork housing. After 300 miles oil started leaking out of the gaters.  We live and learn.

[MetalHead550]

Thanks!  This bike must have experienced a really heavy shock in front to have pushed the seals up like that...or does the pressure from the oil eventually work them up over time?  Im gonna try using pvc that fits the outer edge of the seal to push the new ones in.  I hope this goes well...

[mcpuffett]

do they not have a circlip to hold them in ? mick.

[MetalHead550]

Its a 550.  Yes there are circlips but they were another cm above the seals that were, according to the above post, already a cm from where they were supposed to be seated.  So in my case, while they dont keep the seal seated against the lip in the lower fork case, they keep them from popping out?  Unless something isnt right.  We'll see!

[jwalters]

I would take a piece of ~2 foot pvc just a bit too small for the fork.  Cut it in half and butt both sides of the pvc around the fork and into the slider, so that it makes contact with the seal.  Then, hit the pvc from the top end, works great on my hondas and suzuki's and really cheap!
jesse

[MetalHead550]

Thanks all.  Just an update that it all went back together just fine!  I ended up using a length of 1.5 inch pvc to push the new seals in.  It fit over the fork tube and into the slider without cutting it in half.  It was a bit too tight going into the slider so I shaved it down a bit on the outside and it worked perfectly!  The pvc contacted the outer edge of the seals so I was able to pound them in while aplying downward force on the pvc to keep it even.  I recommend using 1.5 inch pvc for 550 fork seals!  Just make sure you use the perfectly flat factory end of the pipe on the seals.