86 350X front fork seal question

[floydechoes2000]

Hey guys, I bought new seals for my forks and I need to know if I can/should replace the seals without totally disassembling the forks. I've removed and drained the forks, taken off the boots and fork wipers and removed the snap rings.

I'd like to totally disassemble the forks but I can't seem to remove the allen bolts in the bottom of the forks.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[jensenracing77]

originally the allen bolts had lock tight on them. (i recommend doing the same when you assemble them) i would try to get them out and clean everything. i do have a cousin that flushed his forks with new oil. he added new oil and worked the forks without springs many times, then he pored it out and put the correct amount of oil in them and just put in new seals. it worked for him but would be much better to take them apart and inspect everything at the same time.

[floydechoes2000]

Ah, now that you mention it I think I read somewhere there was loctite on them. Maybe I'll try some gentle heat tomorrow morning. Thanks for the advice!

[harryredtrike]

youll need this to help you out

[Yamaha_Rules69]

Yes, if you already have the snap rings out, you might as well take them apart completely, as that was pretty much the tricky part. Make sure you are using the correct size allen wrench (should be a metric, maybe a 5mm?) dont use a standard allen, because it will likely strip the bolt, then you will be in a lot worse shape. If you come to find out you get the bolt loose, but it keeps spinning, you may have to re-assemble the spring and cap, and see if that stops it from spinning. If not, you may have to use an impact to get it the rest of the way out (remember, it is already loosened, but wont come out.) Also, you could try penetrating oil before the heat. Good luck, and should be a sinch.

[camoweasel]

Yes, if you already have the snap rings out, you might as well take them apart completely, as that was pretty much the tricky part. Make sure you are using the correct size allen wrench (should be a metric, maybe a 5mm?) dont use a standard allen, because it will likely strip the bolt, then you will be in a lot worse shape. If you come to find out you get the bolt loose, but it keeps spinning, you may have to re-assemble the spring and cap, and see if that stops it from spinning. If not, you may have to use an impact to get it the rest of the way out (remember, it is already loosened, but wont come out.) Also, you could try penetrating oil before the heat. Good luck, and should be a sinch.

It is actually a 6mm allen head. Invested in a craftsman 6mm hex socket and i've used it to do both fork seals for the 200x and 350x plus it's the same size head used to adjust the chain on a 350x.

[Dirtcrasher]

Those come out easier with the upper tube springs installed.

Put the master cylinder mounts (or other) in a vice and the whole seal and bushing assembly, top tube comes out.

I take it ALL apart (easy) and clean it all with gas. Reassemble with fork oil on the 2 bearing surfaces per fork.

I put a plastic bag with fork oil on it when I slide the 2 seals down the tube, clean clean clean!

You'll need a seal installer whether it's pipe, PVC or anything else you can hammer down onto the fork.

Using an impact on the lower allen makes life easier.....

[jensenracing77]

....and clean it all with gas.

lol, i use gas as a cleaner pretty often, my dad gets so mad at me for that. :)

[TatTooL23]

I did my 350X forks and my buddies helped me out. I was worried about it but it's really easy. Just remember the order of things. The worst part was the snap rings. It's very worth it to completely take them apart and clean them. All they do is just slide in so it's easy to just dump the parts out. I use PVC to press the new seals in.

[floydechoes2000]

Thanks again everyone! I soaked the bolts for an hour or so in PB Blaster while I went to Sears for a new, high quality 6mm allen bit. The one I tried last night just bent like a pretzel. When I got home I laid the fork flat on my workbench and held it down while giving the allen wrench some muscle and they both popped free with a minimum of fuss. I'm glad I took them all apart, they were a mess inside.

[Dirtcrasher]

Yeah, unless I did it every 20 riding hours, I usually leave the fluid alone (aside from once a year) to until the seals blow :lol: and do it again.

OEM lasts a looooong time, then allot of gunk is in there.......

People should always strip them down, green scruffi the seal and bearing seats and I have a nylon bristle brush for the rest.

[KgoX]

The bolt on the bottom of the fork kept spinning even when pushing down on the front forks...then with the fork off and me compressing it more then when it was on the bike...I knew something was a miss,I don't have a allen head socket so I ended up fashioning a old mini broom handle and sticking it in a vice and whittling down one end to hold the inner piece from spinning, (I had read about someone doing this from a magazine when I was a kid),and had miraculously remembered this one night while not sleeping lying in my bed and decided to give it a try.
It worked, the reason for all the grief? someone glued the bolt in...you read that right, GLUED it in, not locktite, I am grateful they didn't use red loctite.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb114/jonesofbucket/350X/101_2892.jpghttp://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb114/jonesofbucket/350X/101_2891.jpg
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb114/jonesofbucket/350X/101_2897.jpghttp://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb114/jonesofbucket/350X/101_2893.jpg
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb114/jonesofbucket/350X/101_2895.jpg

on a side note,I don't know if this was a great idea or a dumb Idea but when I was having trouble getting these apart,I pulled the clip from the fork seals and then put some air from the compressor on the fork valve stems and "pop" out came the fork seals about a inch above the bottom tubes to where I was able to grab them undamaged and slide them off the forks.

[falloutboy]

Nice trick with the broom stick. I also tend to do my problem solving thinking right before I go to sleep :D

[swampthang]

I need to put new seals in my X too. I have all the parts I just havent gotten around to it yet. Can you loosen the Allen head bolt while the forks are still on the trike? For some reason my bench vise is missing. I think it got barrowed and not returned. I figure keeping the tubes on the bike would be like using a vise though. Will this work?

[KgoX]

Can you loosen the Allen head bolt while the forks are still on the trike?

hopefully you can, try doing that first.
you only have to resort to other ideas if the first one doesn't work.