Fork Seal Leaking

raynchk

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2017
Messages
68
Location
Douglas, AZ
Went for a ride today on some rough Arizona back roads and when I got home I see my Left Front fork seal is leaking. I'm ignorant about suspension, haven't really ever had to deal with it on the bikes I've had. I have a YES warranty that's still valid so I wonder if this is covered by the EW? If it's not, I think it's a good time to get the oil changed and new seals, etc. in each fork. Also, I'm wondering about rebuilding the forks and upgrading? Here's what my bike is:
2016 (Not ES) ST
26,000 miles, mostly highway
Rider Weight 210 lbs
Future Ride: Copper Canyon, MX

I've got a Yamaha dealer about 50 miles away.Their shop rate is about $90 per hour. What's a reasonable amount of time to reseal or rebuild?
How difficult is it to do the job myself? I'm good with oil changes and air filter. Any suggestions on upgrading/rebuilding?

Lotsa questions

Thanks
Dale
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Like Tenman says, look on YouTube for videos on how to clean your seals. You can make your own tool from a piece of a plastic milk carton. Grit can sometimes get forced up into the seal by the movement of the fork tubes, and it'll cause the leak. You can slide a thin piece of plastic in between the seal and the fork tube and work it around the tube to sweep out any debris in there.

Debris stuck in the seal is not an uncommon cause of leaks. Try cleaning them first before paying a shop to look at it.

I'm a believer in shock gaiters. Basically they're neoprene sleeves that fit over the portion of the shock where the seal is. I've used them for years, and never had a leak in spite of a lot of miles on dirt and gravel roads. One common brand is Seal Savers (that's what I have); another is Shock Socks.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Here's a pattern for a homemade fork seal cleaner:



Unfortunately I don't have the exact dimensions, but here's a video of this same sort of tool in action:


You should be able to estimate the size of the tool from the video and make your own. As I said in the earlier post, you can make this from a piece of polyethylene milk carton. I think guys even used to make them from a piece of 35mm film negative, back in the days when that sort of thing was more common to find around the house. Using plastic will help ensure that you don't scratch the fork tubes, which you definitely don't want to do.

I do have a video on my laptop of how to replace the fork seals/pistons etc on a Super Tenere, but it's about 5MB and I'm not sure if something that big can be posted here. It might even be too large to email. Maybe someone else could enlighten me on that. I've done the seal and piston rebuild, basically following that video plus the instructions from the service manual, and it went fine.
 

SkunkWorks

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2018
Messages
1,733
Location
Colorado
The last three major longer trips that I've taken on my T-12, one or both fork seals have started weeping.
I've used a "Seal-Mate" tool on it all three times, and each time it has stopped seeping for the remainder or the trip. I've ridden it an additional 10,000 miles or so since the first time it was weeping.
I ride a bunch of dirt, and a lot of dust ends up on the fork tubes (especially if you are following another rider) Grit and dust will inevitably end up getting in the fork-seals.
I've pulled smears of black grit out of the seals each time I've cleaned them.
You should give it a try. It really does work!
I did buy the "New and improved" version Seal-Mate tool. This has a small groove cut into the middle of the hook end. It allows some fork oil to "Flush" out some of the grit when you insert it into the seal.
To do it properly, clean the exposed fork tubes really good, use a small knife or screwdriver to slide the dust-seal down the fork tube, and use the seal-mate tool up inside the actual fork seals.
Don't forget to clean the grit out of the dust-seals also before you slide them back up into place.
It's actually really simple to do while on the road. I keep the seal-mate in a ziplock bag under my seat.
 

raynchk

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2017
Messages
68
Location
Douglas, AZ
Thanks for the replies! I worked on it this morning and 'may' have gotten it cleaned out. Didn't find any black gunk on my home made tool, just some oil residue. Took it for a ride and didn't notice anything, other than a 'line' around the bottom part of piston arm. Hopefully that's just oil that was on the dust seal. I'm going to order the fork mate and some gaiters. Was going to put them on a long time ago, but didn't do it.
 

Tedlee

New Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
3
Location
Arizona
Went for a ride today on some rough Arizona back roads and when I got home I see my Left Front fork seal is leaking. I'm ignorant about suspension, haven't really ever had to deal with it on the bikes I've had. I have a YES warranty that's still valid so I wonder if this is covered by the EW? If it's not, I think it's a good time to get the oil changed and new seals, etc. in each fork. Also, I'm wondering about rebuilding the forks and upgrading? Here's what my bike is:
2016 (Not ES) ST
26,000 miles, mostly highway
Rider Weight 210 lbs
Future Ride: Copper Canyon, MX

I've got a Yamaha dealer about 50 miles away.Their shop rate is about $90 per hour. What's a reasonable amount of time to reseal or rebuild?
How difficult is it to do the job myself? I'm good with oil changes and air filter. Any suggestions on upgrading/rebuilding?

Lotsa questions

Thanks
Dale
Hey,
I'm in Amado AZ and have a similar issue with forks seals on left side. I've used a seal saver and cleaned it several times. Seems to "almost" eliminate the seepage while road riding. However, after a ride offroad it leaks again. Don't want to take on a fork service on my own. Did you have any luck with the dealer? And where are they located? 2013 with 19833mi and no fork service to date. Thanks, Ted
 

~TABASCO~

RIDE ON ADV is what I do !
Founding Member
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Vendor
Joined
Apr 4, 2011
Messages
7,328
Location
TEXAS
Keep in mind that these are "up side down forks".... The guides on this bike don't last 'forever'.. Its happened to me and others that I have fixed, that the guid material wears away and falls off and sinks to the bottom, on the seal. (in this case) it then makes the fork leak, using one of these tools is only putting a band-aid on a bullet hole. In my case, and many other times Ive fixed it required new guides, and cleaning ALL the CRAP out of the fork, then re building it.....

Just a thought if it keeps leaking... There are old post, and many photos I have posted of the guides wearing and what this looks like. Any who- it happens on this bike / guides.
 

raynchk

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2017
Messages
68
Location
Douglas, AZ
Hey,
I'm in Amado AZ and have a similar issue with forks seals on left side. I've used a seal saver and cleaned it several times. Seems to "almost" eliminate the seepage while road riding. However, after a ride offroad it leaks again. Don't want to take on a fork service on my own. Did you have any luck with the dealer? And where are they located? 2013 with 19833mi and no fork service to date. Thanks, Ted
After reading the above posts, I made a little tool and cleaned the fork -- then ordered the seal saver. Like you, I haven't had any more problems with seepage, but haven't been off road since. I've got 26,000 on this bike and it's mostly all been asphalt and one up riding w/o gear. Seems like the seals should last a little longer. It is supposed to be an adventure bike.

I talked to the service writer at the dealer ship in Sierra Vista but the guy was to new and I didn't have him price out the fork rebuild. Looks like you're a little north of Nogales so I suppose the closest dealer for you is the one in Tucson. They did a cruise control repair for me once, but it was troublesome waiting for the part and getting it in for service. Same thing happened again and I took it to Sierra Vista and it was easier. Maybe I'll get together with my neighbor and try the rebuild. He's got a good shop and ways to suspend the bike. Or maybe just keep riding and wait and see what happens. I do have a long trip planned in the spring, though.
 

Tenman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
2,102
Location
Natchez Ms USA
1646723836713.pngThis combo will eliminate your weeping fork seals. Mine had a constant weep for the first year or 2. After I installed them. I have had zero leaks. There's a reason motocross bike come with fork protectors. I have my long shock sox adjusted where they don't touch the bottom of the tubes until I get on it and the rider sag is down. I check the occasionally and they are clean everytime. On my dirt bikes riding in some serious mud. I had a weep almost every time we made a long muddy ride until I started runnin them. The short ones packed mud inside and needed cleaning a lot. My lazy buddy didn't clean his short ones and eventually had scratches on the sliders. Yes, there's a reason pro circuit boys don't use them. They have their factory mechanic tear them down regularly.1646723868093.png
 
Last edited:

Tedlee

New Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
3
Location
Arizona
View attachment 89556This combo will eliminate your weeping fork seals. Mine had a constant weep for the first year or 2. After I installed them. I have had zero leaks. There's a reason motocross bike come with fork protectors. I have my long shock sox adjusted where they don't touch the bottom of the tubes until I get on it and the rider sag is down. I check the occasionally and they are clean everytime. On my dirt bikes riding in some serious mud. I had a weep almost every time we made a long muddy ride until I started runnin them. The short ones packed mud inside and needed cleaning a lot. My lazy buddy didn't clean his short ones and eventually had scratches on the sliders. Yes, there's a reason pro circuit boys don't use them. They have their factory mechanic tear them down regularly.View attachment 89557Im gonna try the SealMate a couple more times and add the shock sox and see how that goes before trying anything else. Thanks for the info
 

Tedlee

New Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
3
Location
Arizona
Im gonna try the SealMate a couple more times and add the shock sox and see how that goes before trying anything else. Thanks for the info
 

Highwayman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2019
Messages
394
Location
Southern California
These forks are really pretty basic to teardown. The years and miles you have, theyre due for a teardown and new fluids anyway. I personally never had much luck with seal savers on mine when they started leaking, theyd start leaking again in a few days (though mine started leaking when riding at temps near freezing so I believe just old rubber seals vs debris).

Id recommend buying a spring compressor and damper rod holder purchase for the job (still way cheaper then a pro doing em and you keep the tools).
 

Kruzzin5

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2019
Messages
415
Location
Newmarket, Ontario
Here's a pattern for a homemade fork seal cleaner:



Unfortunately I don't have the exact dimensions, but here's a video of this same sort of tool in action:


You should be able to estimate the size of the tool from the video and make your own. As I said in the earlier post, you can make this from a piece of polyethylene milk carton. I think guys even used to make them from a piece of 35mm film negative, back in the days when that sort of thing was more common to find around the house. Using plastic will help ensure that you don't scratch the fork tubes, which you definitely don't want to do.

I do have a video on my laptop of how to replace the fork seals/pistons etc on a Super Tenere, but it's about 5MB and I'm not sure if something that big can be posted here. It might even be too large to email. Maybe someone else could enlighten me on that. I've done the seal and piston rebuild, basically following that video plus the instructions from the service manual, and it went fine.

You could put the video on Google Drive. That would make it easier to send out.
 
Top