has anyone tried Motion Pro Seal Mate fork seal Repair Tool

[DogBunny]

Stumbled upon this:
http://sealmate.net/seal_mate_instructions.html
Gets mostly good reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-Seal-Mate-Cleaner/dp/B0039LDF4A#customerReviews
Has anyone tried it?

 

[5twins]

I never heard of it before but I'm buying some, lol. Personally, I don't have many fork seal problems on my bikes, probably because they are protected by gaiters, but I do encounter leaky ones on many of the bike I work on. This is certainly worth trying before resorting to replacement.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Yes, its certainly worth trying it before buying new seals. Similar to 5twins, I just don't see leaky fork seals. I replaced the originals about 9 years ago, and the "All balls" triple seals have been leak free.
Appears that the main benefit would be for the off road and moto cross guys, that like to wallow in the dirt and mud.
If using gaiters, seems like leakage would be a rare event.

 

[mrtwowheel]

I made my own from a plastic 2 liter soda/pop bottle. Works great, 100% on the seals I've used it on. I use walmart's SuperTech lubricant to clean and lube the seal and tube, and pre-lube the tool. It always amazes me how easy the tool slips in there. I find that my leaks happen after a bike has sat for a while, sometimes the leak starts while moving a bike around the garage after sitting. Swiping out the dirt and limbering up the seal lips with the lube works to fix it. THIS IS NOT A TEMPORARY FIX. I may buy a real SealMate someday, just as a thank you gesture for the great idea, nah, I'm a cheap ass bastard.

Always a good Idea to empty, flush and replace the fluid, dirt and grit gets in there.

I realize how upsetting this is to people who have gone to all of the trouble to change seals.

Scott

 

[5twins]

I never knew any better, lol. But, once changed, I've never had to do it again. But, I do "service" them, keep them clean (the tops) and add a little lube to keep them from drying out. This also keeps the washer on top and the retaining wire from getting rusty. I used to use a little fork oil applied with a Q-tip but since I discovered it, I now use red rubber grease.

 

[DogBunny]

I've read where a lot of people are making their own from various sources such as milk jugs or pop bottles, or ice cream container lids, but I want to see how thin and rigid the real thing is first. It seems like using a pop bottle would have the advantage of being pre-curved to conform to the fork tube.

 

[DogBunny]

Yeah, I bought a can of red rubber grease on eBay a couple years ago. No one in the U.S. had it, had to buy it from a U.K. seller. I use it on all master cylinder and brake caliper re-builds. Touted as the only lubricant compatible with both rubber and brake or hydraulic fluid. Money well spent.

 

[5twins]

I had to send to England for mine too. But as you said, money well spent. I use it on lots more things now. Try it on the rubber footpeg mounts, makes them slide on and off very nicely.

 

[mrtwowheel]

I've read where a lot of people are making their own from various sources such as milk jugs or pop bottles, or ice cream container lids, but I want to see how thin and rigid the real thing is first. It seems like using a pop bottle would have the advantage of being pre-curved to conform to the fork tube.

Yes, my copy is pre-curved with a similar "hook" shape to capture the debris and pull it out. I did some buffing on the edges with a Scotch-Brite pad so there would be no burr or hook on the edge.

Scott

 

[glennpm]

Used to be that 35mm film was the thing to use, which I've done. Not so much of that kicking around anymore though,

I use gaitors on all my bikes. The only time I had a persistent leaker was due to a nick on one of my forks tubes. It was very small but enough to wear the seals out. Another "used to do" was pass nylons or knee highs over the tubes and if there was a nick, this would be telling. Any fine, shear, and thin cloth would work.

Why not use silicone grease for your rubber bits? Sold all over the place as silicone grease for brakes but any pure silicone grease is fine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicone_grease

https://www.amazon.com/Super-Lube-97008-Lubricating-Translucent/dp/B0081JEBFC

 

[retiredgentleman]

Similar to to glennpm. I use a silicone grease for all rubber parts. Actually I keep a tube of dielectric grease handy, and use it for electrical connectors, carb manifold boots (carbs slip in real easy), foot peg rubbers , carb diaphrams, etc.
I also use it on the my car for the sun roof seals and door seals. It keeps all rubber parts soft and flexible.

 

[mrtwowheel]

If you look at seal lips, they only seal in one direction. When the forks are compressed the lips are forced against the tube,when that fork is extending the lips are not being forced against the tube, that's when the dirt goes in. If that dirt/grit gets trapped between the lip and tube you have a leak.

Scott

 

[retiredgentleman]

Scott....................maybe that why "All Balls" made the triple lip fork seal. Called the triple lip, and it has 3 lips, but only 2 of the lips have a spring behind them, so its actually a 2 lip oil seal. I do wipe away the dirt on my forks, and so far after many year of use I have no leakage.

 

[Doug79]

Does anyone have a part number for the all balls seal kit that will fit a 79 Special. I'm not having any luck finding anything.

 

[FLEA]

no don't own one or heard of it ,but straight after reading and watching video ,ordered one ,needless to say iv got a leaking seal if if can get away from pulling the forks down ill take a $13 punt..heres hoping

 

[retiredgentleman]

Does anyone have a part number for the all balls seal kit that will fit a 79 Special. I'm not having any luck finding anything.

The allballs fork seals size is 35 mm x 48 mm X 11 mm. If you google you should find them.

 

[Doug79]

Thanks R.G......I'm not sure what I did wrong, the first time I tried all balls racing but this time it worked and I got them coming.