forks worth rebuilding?

[Dakota_Lew]

Hey all,

I am running a rat rod / dirt bike style XS650 for about 3 years now. I ride it everyday on gravel and on dirt. They are VERY hard miles and rolled over 16,000 miles last October in 3 years since i have had it. I burn threw 2 chains a year on this bike to give it perspective of the life it has. I live way out in the badlands and work as a farm chemist/ agronomist so this cycle see nothing but gravel and dirt and maybe has 60 miles of highway for a beer run.

Anyways I rebuilt my forks last year because they started to leak (and leak alot) I have rebuilt 5 of them over the years and have had no problems till now. They have had dust seals on them there whole life, but this time they are leaking and leaking bad. I rebuilt them in November this year and its been sitting since winter/snow/ice hit, and today i went out to my storage and there is a nice puddle of fork fluid on the floor. I would be shocked if i rebuilt them wrong, i am kind of an anal mechanic with these things but it is possible.

I am thinking to just want them to be rebuilt professionally by Hugh this time, but before i do i want to make sure there isn't something i am missing on why they are leaking so bad. I obviously cleaned them thoroughly before i put them back together andf didn't notice and giant gaping scratches or dings on them.

My question is the following.

Think they are worth rebuilding or are they fucked from the sand and grit that got underneath the fork boot? Maybe i am better off to find some old ones on the forums to replace them?

Think i can take them off and polish the inner cylinder?

Maybe bad seals to begin with, they didn't look bad.

any other advice?

Thanks for your time guys, just wanted to run it by the experts before i spend the funds to have them done professionally.

-Lew

 

[DC Cycle Works]

Hard to say without seeing them may post some pics. Have you thought about using fork boots? I put fork boots on all of my bikes and have never had to change fork seals due to leaking. I have seen dried bugs on the forks cause fork seals to leak from the seal going up and down on them over and over. Just a thought that may help a little. Good luck

 

[retiredgentleman]

I would avoid buying fork seals from Mikesxs.com. I once installed fork seals, upside down, which is a dumb thing to do, and of course they leaked really bad

About 8 years ago I installed the "All Balls Racing" triple lip fork seals. Bought from 650central.com. They have worked perfectly for me, and they continue to work great with no leakage at all.

Do you use gaiters to keep the dust and dirt out of the seals? If not, perhaps they would be a good idea because of the type of riding you do.

 

[gggGary]

I know a guy that has a nice pair of low miles late model forks complete.......... At some point you might just want to start over. There are bushings jsut below the seals that can wear. Supply a steady diet of abrasive dust/dirt and....

I'm with use gators on the next go around. Wouldn't want to be broke down in the badlands on rattlesnake sunning days.

 

[Dakota_Lew]

Oh yea i used gators, i always referred to them as fork boots, but i may have my lingo wrong on that.

I would post pictures but its hard to see of course without dissembling them and even then pictures are hard to show really.

I had no idea that there was other seals besides the mikes XS ones, and i should know better since i buy most of my stuff threw central. It is also entirely possible i installed them wrong, just don't tell my wife i did something wrong haha.

Ok i think i am gonna try to get some seals threw central first, i have all the tooling to do it so i will give it a go first. I would just be shocked if the inner cylinder were bad. Also i think i am gonna stiffen them up a little to, i think i read a post about how to do it awhile back i need to search down.

Thanks for the advice, thats what i needed to make a decision on what to do.

 

[Dakota_Lew]

Oh damn there closed till Monday. oh well its only the first part of february no riding days for a good month and a half anyways.

 

[DC Cycle Works]

There are tons of places that sell parts for the xs650 besides mikes. Really the only thing I buy from them is when I get a pamco kit with all the other ignition components. I usually get most of my stuff three parts unlimited which any local motorcycle shop would probably be a dealer for. Very affordable, no shipping charges and usually gets here in about 3 days, I buy as little off the Internet as I can. All balls ones are really good which u can get through parts unlimited and I have had really good luck with the parts unlimited brand seals also, and they cost about 8 bucks. Just a thought. A lot of people don't realize how much stuff is out there besides the places that specialize in the xs650

 

[Dakota_Lew]

Yea i live about two hour's from any sizable town like bend thats over 800 people that has a cycle shop or even a parts store that could find them haha. I am pretty reliant on 650 central and mikes, the nature of the my business and personal life choices.

I have 3 XS 650 i have found in old barns out here, which started this addiction 6 years ago now. All have PMAS and the Hall ignitions with the electronic advances, well worth it if you ask me when you live in cold climates.

I was threaten by my wife to stop bringing home old XS 650's.... the next day i came home with a 1974 honda trail 90, i told her it wasnt a XS650 this time like she said... and thats when the fight started. haha.

 

[DC Cycle Works]

Oh ya, Internet will be your best friend then sorry man haha. But a quick eBay search brought these up, 11 bucks free shipping all balls seals for 77-83 http://m.ebay.com/itm/All-Balls-Racing-Fork-Seal-Kit-55-108-/391221340292?nav=SEARCH

 

[retiredgentleman]

Oh yea i used gators, i always referred to them as fork boots, but i may have my lingo wrong on that.

I would post pictures but its hard to see of course without dissembling them and even then pictures are hard to show really.

I had no idea that there was other seals besides the mikes XS ones, and i should know better since i buy most of my stuff threw central. It is also entirely possible i installed them wrong, just don't tell my wife i did something wrong haha.

Ok i think i am gonna try to get some seals threw central first, i have all the tooling to do it so i will give it a go first. I would just be shocked if the inner cylinder were bad. Also i think i am gonna stiffen them up a little to, i think i read a post about how to do it awhile back i need to search down.

Thanks for the advice, thats what i needed to make a decision on what to do.

To stiffen them up, try using heavier grade oil. I've been using 15W40 for many years now and really firms up the front end.