Topic: front fork oil seals

[pepsoy]

1975 550 four.
does anyone have a trick for removing the front fork oil seals? it probably shouldn't be as difficult as it is. retaining clips have been removed.

[mattcb350f]

Slide hammer. It's the only way I've been able to get them out.

 Matt.

[jtrain]

There is no replacement for a good whack.

[lordmoonpie]

Errr, oil seal remover? A sort of double spiked flat pry bar thing - cheap as chips and works a treat as long as you are replacing the seals.

[76 cb550]

I'm in the middle of removing my oil seals too.  When I looked at the bike and tried to figure out how to pull them off I figured that all I had to do was pull the clips and work out the seals...but apparently you have to remove the bottom from the fork tube by removing the allen bolt in the bottom of the forks.  Did you do this?

[lordmoonpie]

Yes that's the easiest way to do it. If you're lucky the seals won't have degraded in the seats and in which cae you can prise them out with a large flat bladed screwdriver. Put a rag or piece of wood on the opposite side of the fork leg though so you don't damage that in the process...

[jdigga]

If they're unwilling to be pried out, submerging them in a bucket of really hot water for several minutes helps too.

[BobbyR]

I'm in the middle of removing my oil seals too.  When I looked at the bike and tried to figure out how to pull them off I figured that all I had to do was pull the clips and work out the seals...but apparently you have to remove the bottom from the fork tube by removing the allen bolt in the bottom of the forks.  Did you do this?

Place the rounded end of a broom handle inside the fork to hold the inner fork tube in place whgile you turn the allen head bolt. Use just a enough pressure to hold it.

[Burke]

I used a seal puller and a piece of exhaust gasket to protect my fork.

[76 cb550]

It's easy.

Go to biglots or the hardware store and buy a 2" c-clamp...I'll provide a pic if you don't know what they are.  Next get a thin but wide piece of wood 1/4"X4 should work. 

Put the metal bit of the c-clamp behind the steel ring of the seal and put the wood between the seal and the bolt of the c-clamp.  Now turn the bolt on the c-clamp and even the most persistent seals should come out. 

Cost clamps 2 3" and 2 2" for $5  wood had a piece laying around.

[pepsoy]

c clamp thing worked! thanks guys!

[76 cb550]

I'm really glad that my hours of banging my head against a wall could help someone else.

I had the clamp sitting right beside me the entire time I was trying to get the seal out.  I finally gave up, sat down and started thinking and it came to me.