Front Fork Seals / bushings - what to order?

After 50,000 miles on my 1999 VFR I noticed that a fork seal has developed a slight leak. Since I have never changed the fork oil (way over due..) I have a few questions for the list. Do I need both the fork seals AND bushings? I thought I read somewhere about replacing both. As far as oil goes, what should I use? I weight in at 150lbs and the liked the way it performed it the past. I plan on keeping the same springs and just replacing oil, seals and maybe bushings. Where can I find a nice pictorial on how to do this maintenance (first time with fork work)? I've got all the manuals but I always enjoy reading and viewing another owners write up. Thanks for all your help.
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With 50K miles on the clock, and the forks already completely disassembled,
I think you'd be crazy to not replace the springs.


I've been using mobil1 ATF in my forks, and I'm happy with its performance.



Dan B



_____

From: vfr-bounces (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu [mailto:vfr-bounces (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu] On Behalf Of
vfr800fi
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 10:25 PM
To: vfr (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu
Subject: Front Fork Seals / bushings - what to order?



After 50,000 miles on my 1999 VFR I noticed that a fork seal has developed a
slight leak. Since I have never changed the fork oil (way over due..) I
have a few questions for the list. Do I need both the fork seals AND
bushings? I thought I read somewhere about replacing both. As far as oil
goes, what should I use? I weight in at 150lbs and the liked the way it
performed it the past. I plan on keeping the same springs and just
replacing oil, seals and maybe bushings. Where can I find a nice pictorial
on how to do this maintenance (first time with fork work)? I've got all the
manuals but I always enjoy reading and viewing another owners write up.
Thanks for all your help.


_______________________________________________
Vfr mailing list
Vfr (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

ATF is not the right stuff to put in your forks.

________________________________

From: vfr-bounces (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu on behalf of Dan Barufaldi
Sent: Tue 1/17/2006 9:42 PM
To: 'vfr800fi'; vfr (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu
Subject: RE: Front Fork Seals / bushings - what to order?



With 50K miles on the clock, and the forks already completely disassembled,
I think you'd be crazy to not replace the springs.


I've been using mobil1 ATF in my forks, and I'm happy with its performance.



Dan B



________________________________

From: vfr-bounces (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu [mailto:vfr-bounces (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu] On Behalf Of
vfr800fi
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 10:25 PM
To: vfr (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu
Subject: Front Fork Seals / bushings - what to order?



After 50,000 miles on my 1999 VFR I noticed that a fork seal has developed a
slight leak. Since I have never changed the fork oil (way over due..) I
have a few questions for the list. Do I need both the fork seals AND
bushings? I thought I read somewhere about replacing both. As far as oil
goes, what should I use? I weight in at 150lbs and the liked the way it
performed it the past. I plan on keeping the same springs and just
replacing oil, seals and maybe bushings. Where can I find a nice pictorial
on how to do this maintenance (first time with fork work)? I've got all the
manuals but I always enjoy reading and viewing another owners write up.
Thanks for all your help.


_______________________________________________
Vfr mailing list
Vfr (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

Works quite well for me.

Dan B
-----Original Message-----
>From: Chris Burgess
>Sent: Jan 18, 2006 1:17 AM
>To: dbarufaldi (AT) earthlink (DOT) net, vfr800fi , vfr (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu
>Subject: RE: Front Fork Seals / bushings - what to order?
>
>ATF is not the right stuff to put in your forks.
>
>________________________________
>
>From: vfr-bounces (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu on behalf of Dan Barufaldi
>Sent: Tue 1/17/2006 9:42 PM
>To: 'vfr800fi'; vfr (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu
>Subject: RE: Front Fork Seals / bushings - what to order?
>
>
>
>With 50K miles on the clock, and the forks already completely disassembled,
>I think you'd be crazy to not replace the springs.
>
>
>I've been using mobil1 ATF in my forks, and I'm happy with its performance.
>
>
>
>Dan B
>
>
>
>________________________________
>
>From: vfr-bounces (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu [mailto:vfr-bounces (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu] On Behalf Of
>vfr800fi
>Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 10:25 PM
>To: vfr (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu
>Subject: Front Fork Seals / bushings - what to order?
>
>
>
>After 50,000 miles on my 1999 VFR I noticed that a fork seal has developed a
>slight leak. Since I have never changed the fork oil (way over due..) I
>have a few questions for the list. Do I need both the fork seals AND
>bushings? I thought I read somewhere about replacing both. As far as oil
>goes, what should I use? I weight in at 150lbs and the liked the way it
>performed it the past. I plan on keeping the same springs and just
>replacing oil, seals and maybe bushings. Where can I find a nice pictorial
>on how to do this maintenance (first time with fork work)? I've got all the
>manuals but I always enjoy reading and viewing another owners write up.
>Thanks for all your help.
>

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You can use ATF, my Hawk GT had it from the factory. I put one drop of brake fluid in the fork on my KX125 and it stopped the leak.

--94' VFR
Thanks,
Bob
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The reason not to use ATF is that all ATF has friction enhancers added to
them to help enhance friction. This is a bad thing in forks as the last
thing you want is extra friction in your forks not coming from the
compression and rebound valving.

Fork oil does not have these friction enhancers so your forks are going to
perform to the specs to how they are setup.

I suspect the reason most of you don't notice a difference is that you have
such ill setup forks in the first place that 120w gear oil wouldn't be
noticed.

-Chris

________________________________

From: vfr-bounces (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu on behalf of bob.harmon (AT) comcast (DOT) net
Sent: Thu 1/19/2006 7:51 AM
To: vfr (AT) cs (DOT) wisc.edu
Subject: RE: Front Fork Seals / bushings - what to order?



You can use ATF, my Hawk GT had it from the factory. I put one drop of brake
fluid in the fork on my KX125 and it stopped the leak.

--94' VFR
Thanks,
Bob
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Best to send forks to specialists and let them rebuild & set up correctly for you (weight,riding style,road conditions, etc.). ATF was OK years ago, don't take a chance with it today unless you like gambling with seal leakage and inconsistant action.

Brad
CT.

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