Help! Fork tubes pitted

My 2005 VFR 800 was at the local dealer's for new fork seals today. However, I was told that the stanchions were too pitted to guarantee a proper seal. They quoted me 326 dollars each for replacement tubes. Can I have the old tubes repaired? Anyone else had this problem? Bike has 61000km/36000 miles and has lived at the ocean all its life

 

Never actually seen this in person, but it does happen. then add in the heavy Ocean air, so not surprising to hear on another point of curiosity, that's not a lot of miles, so in backwards thinking had it been ridden more, as that would have swiped the tubes more, maybe this wouldn't have happened, Just saying.. I'd find out if they would install tubes you find. Here is where Ebay could be your friend.

 

Same problem on my 1991. Looking for a fix. Not much of anything on EBay or wrecking yards.

 

Having lived by the ocean, you need to check your electrical connectors for corrosion too, especially the 3-wire connector from the stator. Look for discoloration from heat on that one.

I just Googled "Motorcycle pitted fork repair" and there are some novel ideas there, several articles and YouTube videos.

 

Will def check that out.. I have a gold valves in my forks and according to a couple of sources the forks on a 1991 are different than the 90s and 93s . The bike was delivered in a crate to the Port of Seattle and has lived not far from a marine environment all its life. Same deal on the Texas Gulf Coast and nearby. Very hard on any type of plating.

 

Forking by Frank sells aftermarket top quality forks which they make inhouse.

 

I thought Frank was very ill or died a few years ago and his wife was winding the business up. I could be way off the mark though or maybe somebody bought the business.I had a pair of tubes rechromed a couple of years ago and they cost $450

 

You can sand the tubes after you use a razor blade to scrape off globs of rust. Then use scotch brite pads and assorted grits of ssndpaper in a cross hatch section. Never up and down. It has worked in the past for me and bikes i worked on. Gota wipe down the fork legs after every ride regardless. Good luck

 

FleaBay or you can sand the rough spots where the pits are raised with a fine grit sandpaper and oil.

Or, you can take the tubes to a chrome shop to be repaired.

 

All that abrading is temporary. Once oxidation sets in. it's permanent. Smooth as it can be for awhile, in time it will cut the fork seals. The resultant leak will affect the front brakes.

The plating needs to be hard chrome not the decorative type.

Tried Ebay and some wrecking yards. The yards have as much credibility as a service manager at a Harley dealership IMO..

 

Dealer reduced the price of the tubes by $100. Pretty much ends up the same as used tubes or rechroming by the nearest shop, with shipping. Hong Kong has cheap tubes, but the quality is unknown, so OEM it is.

Thanks everyone, for all the advice

 

I probably have some. Shoot me an email and I can check if you would like.