Leaking seals. Typical rebuild cost? Polish/new stanchion?
Discussion
Hi all.
I've got a leaking fork seal, most likely due to half a dozen small pits on the inside of (both) fork stanchions. Sadly in under 7k miles, but bike is 8yrs old.
I looked into rechroming, but new fork tubes made more sense. I use my bike everyday, so less downtime, and simillar cost. Was going to change these and do the seals and refill myself, but having read into replacing the stanchions, it seems it won't be easy to say the least, and I'm missing some specialist tools and equipment.
Today I took the bike to a suspension specialist, the highly praised and reccommend PDQ Motorcycle Developments in Taplow, near Slough. They seemed optimistic that if they were to rebuild with new seals and polish the stanchions, creating smoother pits, meaning the fork tubes might be okay and not rapidly destroy seals.
Apparently roughly a third of the forks they rebuild are pitted, and half of them once polished up and protected last well. Some bikes they MOT year after year are recommended new fork tubes due to pitting, but don't seem to need new seals, while some forks with immaculate stanchions eat fork seals according to the guy I spoke to.
A rebuild with fresh oil, new oil seals and new dust seals was estimated at £220 all in. Tarrozi fork tubes were available at the same cost as I'd found, and 90 mins labour added worst case, making the total £550.
I think I'm going to go for the basic rebuild, in the hope that the forks will seal fine after and if kept well protected with acf50, not eat seals. I'll be gutted, but if new seals are required in a matter of months, I'll have to have the tubes replaced - £770 all in though, yikes. With that in mind I'd be inclined to try a skim of epoxy resin polished smooth, a home remedy I've seen many times before, at this stage, with little to lose.
So, is roughly £220 reasonable for a fork service? Reputable company, K-Tech oil and dust seals.
Lastly, what would you do? Try a rebuild and polish first, or just cut to the chase and replace the stanchions, at an extra £330+
Thanks.
Matt
I've got a leaking fork seal, most likely due to half a dozen small pits on the inside of (both) fork stanchions. Sadly in under 7k miles, but bike is 8yrs old.
I looked into rechroming, but new fork tubes made more sense. I use my bike everyday, so less downtime, and simillar cost. Was going to change these and do the seals and refill myself, but having read into replacing the stanchions, it seems it won't be easy to say the least, and I'm missing some specialist tools and equipment.
Today I took the bike to a suspension specialist, the highly praised and reccommend PDQ Motorcycle Developments in Taplow, near Slough. They seemed optimistic that if they were to rebuild with new seals and polish the stanchions, creating smoother pits, meaning the fork tubes might be okay and not rapidly destroy seals.
Apparently roughly a third of the forks they rebuild are pitted, and half of them once polished up and protected last well. Some bikes they MOT year after year are recommended new fork tubes due to pitting, but don't seem to need new seals, while some forks with immaculate stanchions eat fork seals according to the guy I spoke to.
A rebuild with fresh oil, new oil seals and new dust seals was estimated at £220 all in. Tarrozi fork tubes were available at the same cost as I'd found, and 90 mins labour added worst case, making the total £550.
I think I'm going to go for the basic rebuild, in the hope that the forks will seal fine after and if kept well protected with acf50, not eat seals. I'll be gutted, but if new seals are required in a matter of months, I'll have to have the tubes replaced - £770 all in though, yikes. With that in mind I'd be inclined to try a skim of epoxy resin polished smooth, a home remedy I've seen many times before, at this stage, with little to lose.
So, is roughly £220 reasonable for a fork service? Reputable company, K-Tech oil and dust seals.
Lastly, what would you do? Try a rebuild and polish first, or just cut to the chase and replace the stanchions, at an extra £330+
Thanks.
Matt
You don't say what bike it is? I guess it depends upon the value of the bike.
What about Ebay / breakers? I am sure a good used set of forks would be way less than the prices you are quoting?
But also, yes as said - it is sometimes amazing what just a new set of seals, oil, and a good machine polish will sort out. I'd give that a go first.
What about Ebay / breakers? I am sure a good used set of forks would be way less than the prices you are quoting?
But also, yes as said - it is sometimes amazing what just a new set of seals, oil, and a good machine polish will sort out. I'd give that a go first.
BN, would you not even try to polish them? If so how? I know I'm capable of seals and oil, but I desperate want to save these forks if I can, and think that they'll be able to get the stanchions as good as they'll ever get... Definitely swaying towards the £200 rebuild over the £550 stanchion replacement rebuild.
Evo8, sounds promising. I've read about a skim of epoxy polished up to get as close to new chrome as possible on the cheap. If the seals fail again after a basic rebuild I think I'd try that before stumping up the £500+ to buy new stanchions and have the forks rebuilt again.
Ray, that's what I'm thinking. They know what they're doing and will machine polish them up as best as possible, and they might be ok. With some ACF50 or the like I should be able to prevent as best as possible corrosion getting under the chrome around the smoothed pits. It's a 2006 Daytona 675, and second hand straight forks are £500+ and still the same piss poor 'hard' chrome.
Evo8, sounds promising. I've read about a skim of epoxy polished up to get as close to new chrome as possible on the cheap. If the seals fail again after a basic rebuild I think I'd try that before stumping up the £500+ to buy new stanchions and have the forks rebuilt again.
Ray, that's what I'm thinking. They know what they're doing and will machine polish them up as best as possible, and they might be ok. With some ACF50 or the like I should be able to prevent as best as possible corrosion getting under the chrome around the smoothed pits. It's a 2006 Daytona 675, and second hand straight forks are £500+ and still the same piss poor 'hard' chrome.
£220 
firstly, you ignored my advice when I warned you to look out for pitting on the inner tubes when you went looking for a 675 so maybe you will take heed now and listen to a guy who went through it.
fork rebuild with forks on the bike should be around the £120 mark £220 is madness, yes if the pitting is bad they can be smoothed down and new seals flung in. Some garages are very hesitant to do it however as it can just burst them the next week later. However, some will do it if you are happy to take that chance. At £220 I wouldn't, id be buying 2 k-tech inners.
If you cant or don't want to do a seal change then whip the wheel off and take some photos and put them up on here.
I know what people will be thinking, ah must just be a little tiny bit which you can get away with
behold, the s
t build quality of triumphs, they rust quicker than Lancia's
if it looks like this, your fked, if its just a few tiny pin head bits you might be ok
BUT DO NOT fkING PAY £220 FOR A fkING REBUILD, fk I felt a bit ripped off when I got my track setup done for £45.
firstly, you ignored my advice when I warned you to look out for pitting on the inner tubes when you went looking for a 675 so maybe you will take heed now and listen to a guy who went through it.
fork rebuild with forks on the bike should be around the £120 mark £220 is madness, yes if the pitting is bad they can be smoothed down and new seals flung in. Some garages are very hesitant to do it however as it can just burst them the next week later. However, some will do it if you are happy to take that chance. At £220 I wouldn't, id be buying 2 k-tech inners.
If you cant or don't want to do a seal change then whip the wheel off and take some photos and put them up on here.
I know what people will be thinking, ah must just be a little tiny bit which you can get away with
behold, the s
t build quality of triumphs, they rust quicker than Lancia'sif it looks like this, your f
ked, if its just a few tiny pin head bits you might be ok BUT DO NOT f
kING PAY £220 FOR A fkING REBUILD, fk I felt a bit ripped off when I got my track setup done for £45. £220 for fitting new fork seals?! 
A main Honda dealer quoted less than that for me - £180, so I found a local independent guy who did the seals on mine for £65. Seals and oil was £25 of that, £40 labour. Left the bike there at lunchtime, picked it back up and rode away at 4:30pm.
A main Honda dealer quoted less than that for me - £180, so I found a local independent guy who did the seals on mine for £65. Seals and oil was £25 of that, £40 labour. Left the bike there at lunchtime, picked it back up and rode away at 4:30pm.
Edited by Tall_Paul on Wednesday 30th July 22:50
Tall_Paul said:
£220 for fitting new fork seals?!
A main Honda dealer quoted less than that for me - £180, so I found a local independent guy who did the seals on mine for £65. Seals and oil was £25 of that, £40 labour. Left the bike there at lunchtime, picked it back up and rode away at 4:30pm.
my god that's cheapA main Honda dealer quoted less than that for me - £180, so I found a local independent guy who did the seals on mine for £65. Seals and oil was £25 of that, £40 labour. Left the bike there at lunchtime, picked it back up and rode away at 4:30pm.
Edited by Tall_Paul on Wednesday 30th July 22:50
moanthebairns said:
my god that's cheap
Yep 
he even removed the old "L" plate fixing on the fork leg and gave the stanchions a slight smooth down on a couple of (very) slightly pitted areas. And gave the wheel/forks lowers (regular right way up forks) a good clean after No way on earth I was spending hours on a weekend wrestling with the forks for the sake of (literally) a few quid.Thanks for the somewhat sharp response MTB. I didn't ignore you, just didn't feel the pits when I checked.
PDQ were dear at £220, or about 190 if I took them in loose. I got quoted £180 or so by triumph, loose.
In the end the lads in the Honda dealership opposite work (who never have done me a deal and are usually expensive) are currently doing them. Seals from Triumph, and an hours labour, so £100 to me.
Should be ready tonight, ready for me to refit - hopefully easy, as removal was. The less pitted side was the leaking one. They're hopeful they'll polish up well. Hopefully they'll do as good er job at polishing the stanchions as PDQ would have for 2.2x more money, and will look after the finish of the (bar pitting!) immaculate forks.
Thanks for for the advice. Hopefully with any luck the last I'll need on forks for a while if this prevents more seal damage.
I'll slather ACF50 on the stanchions regularly, in the hope that the tin worm won't get in the smoothed off pits, and up the stanchions further!
PDQ were dear at £220, or about 190 if I took them in loose. I got quoted £180 or so by triumph, loose.
In the end the lads in the Honda dealership opposite work (who never have done me a deal and are usually expensive) are currently doing them. Seals from Triumph, and an hours labour, so £100 to me.
Should be ready tonight, ready for me to refit - hopefully easy, as removal was. The less pitted side was the leaking one. They're hopeful they'll polish up well. Hopefully they'll do as good er job at polishing the stanchions as PDQ would have for 2.2x more money, and will look after the finish of the (bar pitting!) immaculate forks.
Thanks for for the advice. Hopefully with any luck the last I'll need on forks for a while if this prevents more seal damage.
I'll slather ACF50 on the stanchions regularly, in the hope that the tin worm won't get in the smoothed off pits, and up the stanchions further!
Edited by 13aines on Wednesday 6th August 13:59
Talk to a chap called Stewart, who runs Stewarts Motorcycles in Sunbury-Upon-Thames
http://www.stewarts-motorcycles.co.uk/
he has some more engineering-type equipment (lathe) that he uses to polish up forks really nice; he might be able to save your stanchions
http://www.stewarts-motorcycles.co.uk/
he has some more engineering-type equipment (lathe) that he uses to polish up forks really nice; he might be able to save your stanchions
its an 8 year old bike so chances are it could do with a refresh anyway, hopefully it was just wear and tear and not due to the pitting.
if it was as bad as mines you are fked though
meant to ask what leg is it I have a spare one that has just minimum pitting that you could take a chance with
if it was as bad as mines you are f
ked thoughmeant to ask what leg is it I have a spare one that has just minimum pitting that you could take a chance with
Thanks for the suggestion thatdude, if they fail again I'll bear that place in mind, sounds ideal.
MTB, hopefully just a combination of pitting and 8 year old seals. Well see. Weren't ready today as I expected - I said there was no hurry and half their workshop technicians are ill.
RHS leaking but less badly pitted.
LHS not leaking, but much more pitted.
If be interested in your fork leg, as it could well be better than my worse one, and if I have any problems shortly after the rebuild, may come in handy! I could also practice skimming the pits with epoxy and polishing it up, if it's totally fked. How much do you want for it?
MTB, hopefully just a combination of pitting and 8 year old seals. Well see. Weren't ready today as I expected - I said there was no hurry and half their workshop technicians are ill.
RHS leaking but less badly pitted.
LHS not leaking, but much more pitted.
If be interested in your fork leg, as it could well be better than my worse one, and if I have any problems shortly after the rebuild, may come in handy! I could also practice skimming the pits with epoxy and polishing it up, if it's totally f
ked. How much do you want for it? 13aines said:
Thanks for the suggestion thatdude, if they fail again I'll bear that place in mind, sounds ideal.
MTB, hopefully just a combination of pitting and 8 year old seals. Well see. Weren't ready today as I expected - I said there was no hurry and half their workshop technicians are ill.
RHS leaking but less badly pitted.
LHS not leaking, but much more pitted.
If be interested in your fork leg, as it could well be better than my worse one, and if I have any problems shortly after the rebuild, may come in handy! I could also practice skimming the pits with epoxy and polishing it up, if it's totally fked. How much do you want for it?
no idea but not the stupid rates they go for. MTB, hopefully just a combination of pitting and 8 year old seals. Well see. Weren't ready today as I expected - I said there was no hurry and half their workshop technicians are ill.
RHS leaking but less badly pitted.
LHS not leaking, but much more pitted.
If be interested in your fork leg, as it could well be better than my worse one, and if I have any problems shortly after the rebuild, may come in handy! I could also practice skimming the pits with epoxy and polishing it up, if it's totally f
ked. How much do you want for it? Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff