Hitchcocks Forum

I need to change the oil seals, read the tech-note on this site, may YT and more, but i have a one-way front fork?
How can i separate the legs? (i cannot find a 'domed nut'anywhere)

Top pic bolt nearest your left foot

Is the bolt to separate the fork legs

Hope this helps Dai

This nut:


All stripped:

EDIT/ needed a rubber Mallet, sorry folks.. now i wonder how to remove the plastic ring and the lower seal..
And i've understood there are several types in dimensions? I measured 35,0mm inner leg and.. 47.6mm outer.. does that agree with something?

To remove the seals I put either a jubilee clip or exhaust clamp round top of lower leg then use a screwdriver, pick, or seal remover to get out the seals
Remove circlip before attempting to remove the seals use old seal as drift to fit new seals use plenty of grease to make things easier for yourself

The clip or clamp helps protect the leg while you dig out the old seal

Hope this makes sense it's easier to do than explain how to do it

Take care Dai

h e plastic ring should fall out once you've removed the wire clip and upper seal, it's just acting as a spacer.

Good job I took loads of pictures last time I did this.

Note the steel collar round the top fo the fork leg to pry against. If they are tight, some heat does no harm.



I use a bit of plastic waste pipe and a mallet to drive the new ones in with. With a good smear of red rubber grease on the seats.


Another tip. The seals come in a heavy duty plastic bag. oil it liberally and tightly wrap it round the end of the stanchion:


Then you can slide the lower over it without damaging the seal on the sharp edge. Note, if you do not oil it enough on both sides, you'll not be able to get it out from under the seal once it's on.

Now i understand the steel collar, it has an ridge so doesn't slide down..
well, i cannot get something like that over heere, will try the m8 method.. will warming the leg up with a hair dryer do some good?

heating it won't do any harm. it'll soften the rubber and slightly expand the alloy. I've even used a heat gun on them, you won't get it hot enough to damage anything you're keeping.

Hello.
My old seals were tight as hell, so I properly heated the fork casting with a heatgun.
They came out then.
Philip.

Don't know if you have done them yet but I have just discovered that a 34mm 3/4 drive socket makes the perfect tool for setting the seals
Hope this helps Dai