So I see brown fluid has dripped out of the right front fork, down the fork, onto the rim, tire, and trailer floor. Bike ('06 1000rr) has been in trailer for three years, with tie-down straps under pressure. Presumably, I've a fork seal leak.
Does my presumption sound correct?
May I simply replace the gasket?
How much do you estimate it will cost to repair/replace?
The dealership will be fixing a stator-recall-problem, and also doing a tune up, since it's been sitting for so long, so I plan to have them do the work.
Lesson: Don't store your bike under pressure. Also, don't get so poor you can't ride!

 

Sounds like the right call to me. Fork seals are more about tedious than technical.
Especially if you have all of the bodywork intact. You can pull the forks without
pulling the fairings, but it makes for some ackward wrenching.

As far as the replacement, itself, do a search on both here and you-tube.
There are some really good guides available. Also do a search for DIY seal install for
how to make a PVC pipe seal hammer. Since the seals themselves are inexpensive,
do both forks and replace the oil, too. That will insure they are properly dealt with
for the next 20k or so miles.

If you want to be really ambitious, replace the steering head bearings with roller-bearings,
while you have the front-end torn down. That should assure the whole front-end
is factory-minty fresh and maximizes your labor effort, at only minimal extra cost.

Any time you do tie-downs on the bike (either for shipping/hauling or storage),
it's best to use a support under the engine at the front, or use a wheel choke/brace.
As you've found out, compressing the front forks can lead to a burst seal,
if done for too long or too much pressure. If it's any consolation, they were probably
due for replacement, anyway, given the age of the bike.

Good luck, Ern

 

Thanks, meng.
You answered my questions, as well as providing information I didn't know was pertinent (hammer, bearings, you-tube, etc,.). It's good to know the brown fluid is called "oil", too. Thanks again.

 

Yep, replace both dust & oil seals at same time. You can buy them from Honda parts as sets.

Manual recommends ProHonda SS-8 (10 wt oil/fluid). However, you can use any quality fork oil/fluid like Belray, Spectro, etc, as long as the weight is the same.

When I service my forks, I never remove the front cowl plastic. No need to make extra work for yourself. Just lift the bike by the front lower triple & pull the forks. The factory Honda Service Manual has the entire procedure outlined to make it easy. Just follow that & you'll be fine.

While you can use a DIY pvc rig, the proper tool is a *fork seal driver*. They're only about $35-45 & it pays for itself w/ the first use. I use a MotionPro fork seal driver for work on my forks.

A good rule of thumb when strapping your bike's front end for transport, is to manually compress the forks only as much as you can by hand & that's the point at which you want to rachet stap to. Anything further than that, risks rupturing the seal.

Good luck w/ everything.

 

AHA! Good to know. I'll write that on the wall of the trailer, so I don't forget.
I've got skills, but things mechanical are not in the field. I plan to have the dealership do this repair, and am pondering the approx. cost. Thanks, y'all.

 

Be prepared to shell out around $400. I got a quote from 3 different shops when I was having mine done and they were all + or - $50 or so. $95 an hour shop labor, plus parts @ a 3 hour MINIMUM. The seals will run you about $40 for OEM Honda seals and another $20 for 2 pints of fork oil (one for each tube). Glad I had a buddy of mine help me out with mine. I got the parts and pulled the tubes while he rebuilt em for me. Mine are inverted which is a bit more involved, but if yours are reg forks, they're super easy to do yourself. Your call...

 

There is a few shops here that will rebuild the forks for $230-250, that is $60 ea to pull off the bike, then $60 ea to rebuild and then the parts which he said like $20 a side. I have a seal leaking so I had to price them myself too. Mines going into the shop next week, hope to get it back quickly as the warm weather is coming.

 

Glad to help. ;-)

RE: Fork rebuild... You *can* do this. I encourage you to do the homework & give it go. You'll save yourself a l-o-t of money. The factory Honda Service Manual lays out the process pretty well. However, I understand your concern if mechanical repairs are not your forte.

Regarding costs for this, its going to depend on the shop/mechanic & what the service manual calls for in shop hrs. At $85-95 per shop hr + parts/fluid, you're prob looking at a minimum of $300.

The dust & oil seals as a set are about $40 (as already mentioned), & ProHonda fork fluid is fairly inexpensive. Actually fork service itself is easy. Its the labor of removing the forks from the bike & reinstalling that you're really paying for.

If you don't want to attempt the fork service on your own, at least consider removing the forks & taking them to the shop loose...it will save you a bunch of money.

However you decide, good luck w/ everything & hope your expenses aren't exorbitant.

 

Removing the forks is brilliant! It's a happy medium between absolutes, and that's been my most successful path in life. I'll still get my cherry popped, mechanically, without serious risk of effing it all up.
My other ride is an Expedition ("Lita") Ford, so it makes good economic sense to get the bike up and running when one compares the miles per gallon ratio between the two rides. Albuquerque is not too extreme, weather-wise, year-round, so the repairs will pay for themselves quickly at $4.00 per gallon.
Once again, I am indebted to the forum for your helpful opinions and advice. Between watching the Moto Grand Prix races (Honda Stoners Rule!), and rejoining seabarf, I am looking forward to my future for a change.

"The glass is half-full."___HC

 

You bet the bike makes good economic sense right now! :-)