I hope someone can help. I have just taken off the lower fork to replace the oil seal and it does not seem to be the same as the spares diagram or Haynes manual. After trying to lever the old seal out without success (excepting removing the oil scraper spring). I soaked it in hot water and then tried again. This time the main seal was soft and pretty much fell apart. Leaving a metal rim around the top of the forks and crud between the metal rim adn the seal seat.

This metal rim according to the manual should be a circlip/split ring. But it is solid and certainly does not want to move. Is this some old design not covered and how am I suposse to change the seal??? Any help appreaciated, ta

I am not sure if the forks are the same but I went a completely different route to change my fork seals on my '84 which is reasonably painless. I was going to use the method you chose and then found it easier to remove the whole fork assembly from the triple clamps dump the oil and then fill to the top with either cheap fork oil (or ATF) replace the fill and drain plugs and then compress the forks with something suitable. I used a long carpenters clamp (sash cramp?) and the hydraulic pressure forces the old seal out. The point being there is NO circlip holding them in. To put the new seal in(after draining the excess fluid) you use the old seal on top of the new one as protection then an appropriate size tube (PVC water pipe) to tap the new seal in place. So far (touch wood) it has been fine and I put some gaiters on to reduce the risk of damage again. Hope this is of some help,

Regards,

Phil

Thanks Phil, it is now too late to try your method!! Thanks for the response...so if there is no circlip...do you think I am looking at the remains of the top of the old oil seal?

cheers

Problem solved, once I knew there was not meant to be some sort of retaining clip I was able to pop it out the remainder of the seal.

Phil,

Your method of filling up the fork in order to remove the seal is a smart one.
This method can be applied for bearings and brass bushing too.
If you want to remove a brass bushing inserted in a dead hole (as an exemple the brass bushing at the end of the output shaft), pack it with grease, slide the push rod in and then with a good hammer hit the rod (not Jack ).
The pressure applied to the grease by the rod will push the brass bushing out.
This is also a good method to remove the taper bearings of the swing arm. Usually they get stock with the 20 years old grease.

It does work surprisingly well but I can not take credit for it as it comes from http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/replace_fork_seals/index.html but I did modify it to suit. I have not tried the method with bearings/ bushings however but I am well aware of the uses of hydraulic pressure so I will try to keep it in mind although the older I get the less I remember. Be nice to be able to give my mind a defrag now and again and by the way where is the delete key

Funny...

I don't know where the delete key is, but if you find the Ctrl-Alt-Del, this is what you will get.
Thanks to George Carlin. We'll miss him for ever

" The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends.
I think the life cycle is all backwards.
You should die first; get it out of the way.
Then you live in an old age home.
You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch,
you go to work.
You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement.
You drink alcohol, you party,
you get ready for high school.
You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb,
You spend your last nine months floating...
Then you finish off as an orgasm."
Amen! "