Dirt bike racing or off-road driving on dirt tracks makes your forks work even harder to keep dirt and other trash out. As they have a difficult lifespan, you need to service your fork seals or change them after 40 hours of riding. Most people just wait until they leak to service or replace them, but serious racers should be prepared and never let a leaking fork seal ruin a day of racing or their results.
Even if you don't ride your bike very often motorcycle, you should change the oil and seals every two years, as idle time will dry out your fork seals and cause leaks.
Fork seals leak due to normal wear and tear, aging, and debris entering the seals. Imperfections and nicks in the chrome can also cause fork seals to leak. Most of the time, however, leaks are caused by debris caught in the gasket that keeps it open and allows fork oil to seep in.
The best time to act immediately is when you first notice the leak. While you might be tempted to ignore it for now so you can keep running, you know what will happen if you ignore it. If you're tearing your hair out wondering why your fork seals keep leaking, read on to find out what the issues are and how to fix them so you can get back to racing quickly.
A leaking motorcycle fork: what are the causes?
As we mentioned before, dirt, sand, and other debris seep between the seal and the fork's inner tube, creating an incomplete seal.
While riding, rocks and other debris inevitably fly off and dent the inner tube or cause scratches or chips on the fork. When this happens, it causes the seals to leak before they wear out. You need to check the fork every now and then to make sure that doesn't happen.
What to do with a leaking motorcycle fork?
Besides replacing the seals, there are several things you can do to fix your fork seals and get back to racing before you even know it. If you cannot do it yourself, you should take your bike to a qualified mechanic who will do it for you. Replacing the fork seals can cost anywhere from $ 100 to $ 200, depending on how many parts need to be replaced.
Replace the motorcycle fork seals
Fork seals should be replaced after 40 hours of driving or two years if you don't ride very often. Even if you regularly clean the gaskets, they will eventually wear out and leak, no matter what you do to keep them tight. If you don't know how, you can talk to your local motorcycle mechanic or befriend a mechanically knowledgeable motorcyclist and learn in-depth.
You will need specialized tools, like fork seal chasers, to do the job on your own. These tools can be expensive and specific to your bike or the size of the suspension. A trip to the dealership to fix this problem is also costly.
Lift the dust cover of the motorcycle fork and clean it
If you know what you are doing, carefully disassemble the dust seal using a flat screwdriver, being careful not to scratch the fork or damage the seal. Using a lint-free cloth or cotton swab, clean off any mud or debris stuck under the lip before putting everything back in place.
If that does not solve the problem, remove the dust seal and use a piece of camera film or other thin flexible object to wrap it around the axle, then push up until that you come under the lip. This method removes debris that might be missing from a cotton swab. Then put everything back in place.
The downside to this method is that it pushes the debris that was causing the leakage into the suspension. The small valve inside the suspension cannot handle debris and therefore further damage can be done by repairing a simple leak in this manner.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the best time to take immediate action is when you first notice the leak. While you might be tempted to ignore it for now so you can continue racing, you know what will happen if you ignore it. Act instantly.
