Topic: Can you cut a fork oil seal? (Hail Mary options)

[Brycelyoung]

First time disassembling the forks on my 1979 CB650. Everything good, but now I'm down to removing the oil seals and neither one will budge. Tried a screwdriver (lol), hammer claw, bought a seal puller, tried heating them up....there is no evidence that I've even touched them, they just haven't moved at all.

I'm at my whit's end, close to taking them to a dealer, but wondered if it would be possible to cut them out with a mini-cutoff wheel with a Dremel. Any other tips I've missed?

Seen every video and online tutorial I can find, and they all say, "These are tough, but just be patient and you'll get it." har har

[bryanj]

Have you taken the wire circlips out

[Brycelyoung]

Yes, I have.

[madmtnmotors]

I made a tool to remove the seals from the fork lowers. I scrounged up what looks like an automotive shock absorber washer (stepped profile) that was almost the same o.d. as the seal. I then squared two sides of the washer so I could "see-saw" the washer in behind the seal after welding a 3/8"-16 nut to the backside of the washer. A big ol' washer on top of the fork and a bolt through the nut behind the washer that is behind the seal and I have yet to find a seal that could resist this type of persuasion. If I can find the tool (without too much effort) I'll post a pic.

EZPZ 

[craz1]

Here is what I use. Its basically a tire iron with a plastic protector that is used on the rims when removing tires but any plastic would work
Never has failed or damaged the top of the fork tube. You can use a bit of heat on those really old (40-50 years) ones we tend to find on these older bikes

[scunny]

Boil a pot of water, place fork leg in seal down. leave for a few minutes, then carry out craz1 plan.

[BenelliSEI]

I punch/screw two drywall screws (they are very sharp) down into the seal top, 180 degrees apart. Then protect the fork leg top with a scrap of plastic or wood, and pry up on the screw head with a nail puller (small crow bar with a nail pulling head).

[scottly]

I also use a tire iron with a piece of plastic to protect the top of the fork, but my iron is more curved than craz1's, which makes for a better angle of attack.

[Brycelyoung]

Boil a pot of water, place fork leg in seal down. leave for a few minutes, then carry out craz1 plan.

This one I actually tried a couple times. Never made any difference. I finally did get them out—using a propane torch I just blasted them to hell.

[Brycelyoung]

I punch/screw two drywall screws (they are very sharp) down into the seal top, 180 degrees apart. Then protect the fork leg top with a scrap of plastic or wood, and pry up on the screw head with a nail puller (small crow bar with a nail pulling head).

Ah, this makes sense—I hope I will not have to give it a try again any time soon.

[PeWe]

Tire iron after heating the fork outside with a heat gun.
A little bending from different sides to avoid cracking the aluminium.

[rotortiller]

I use hydraulics to pop them. Take the spring out, add fluid, install the fork cap and compress the shock with a press or something. Massive prying etc not required.

[Floshenbarnical]

I use hydraulics to pop them. Take the spring out, add fluid, install the fork cap and compress the shock with a press or something. Massive prying etc not required.

+1 for tire iron. Only thing that would shift mine. I put a rolled up micro fiber cloth under the iron to prevent marring the form upper.

[Alan F.]

First time I removed 50 year old fork seals I drilled 3 small holes in the top of the metal body of the seal and threaded in 3 drywall screws, I used a flat washer slipped between the seal and the bottom of the seal bore for each screw to bottom against, then I screwed the drywall screws in a half turn each until the seal began to rise.

Adding heat to this method may be an improvement. If a screw pulls out thread in a fatter screw.