Sorry, I'm new to the forum/site, I've read over the maintenance section and the postings on fork seal replacement but am still left with a few questions. I recently purchased an 86 VFR 700 F2 Interceptor with 9957 miles on it. The left fork seal is leaking enough to leave say a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of oil on the floor while sitting overnight in my garage. I have not experienced any oil on my rotors while riding. I have the new seals and have ordered the dust boots because one is split. I'm fairly well versed in automotive repairs such as brakes, oil changes, etc. but have done no more than oil changes on bikes.
1. Is this leak enough I should not ride until I make the repair?
2. With a service manual and a general mechanical knowledge how long should it take for me to replace the fork seals?
3. My local dealer techs won't touch the bike because it is older than most of them, are there any other resources anyone knows of I can draw from
for future maintenance needs?
I appreciate any and all input. If this is posted in the wrong section I apologize.
Thanks
JB
Apex, NC
JB wish I had your answers, but I am about to do the same thing to my wifes V-30 magna. I would say that it is rideable as long as your rotors are clean, just be careful. I will be gleaning info off your post,
Thanks
Gary
Sounds like it is not leaking too bad, so it is OK to ride until you fix it or it gets worse. If you get oil on your rotors, you are going to have to degrease them and buy new brake pads.
You can wrap a paper towel around the fork tubes and secure them in place with zip ties to help catch the oil coming out.
I'm not familiar with forks that old, but if you have the service manual and some repair experience, it shouldn't be too difficult. Make sure to save the old fork seals to use a drivers for the new ones. You will need a piece of pipe just larger than the upper fork tube to drive the seals in.
You will want to replace the fork oil, so get 2 quarts of that, and it would be a good time to install some correct rate springs.
[image: View Post]V-FORE, on Jun 17 2008, 06:40 PM, said:
JB wish I had your answers, but I am about to do the same thing to my wifes V-30 magna. I would say that it is rideable as long as your rotors are clean, just be careful. I will be gleaning info off your post,
Thanks
Gary
Gary,
Don't ride with them leaking. I went for a test ride with cotton socks zip tied on to slow the leak and there was very little feel to the front end. I won't be riding until mine are replaced.
JB
[image: View Post]JLB, on Jun 18 2008, 07:56 PM, said:
[image: View Post]V-FORE, on Jun 17 2008, 06:40 PM, said:
JB wish I had your answers, but I am about to do the same thing to my wifes V-30 magna. I would say that it is rideable as long as your rotors are clean, just be careful. I will be gleaning info off your post,
Thanks
Gary
Gary,
Don't ride with them leaking. I went for a test ride with cotton socks zip tied on to slow the leak and there was very little feel to the front end. I won't be riding until mine are replaced.
JB
Concur with JB. Replace the seals soonest. While I can't specifically comment on early VFR forks, I just had the same problem on my 6th gen. The left fork seal went bad so I called the dealer. They wanted $207 plus parts so I decided to do it myself. Turned out to be no big deal. USE THE SERVICE MANUAL.
That said it took about 3 hours total. If I had to do it again it would take less time.
The only issue I had was the need to for a special tool to drive the seal into its seat. I ended up buying a piece of 2 inch pvc pipe. That fit over the oleo but was too big to fit into the seat on the outer fork casing so I bought another piece of PVC (some sort of fitting adaptor) that was slightly smaller in diameter. Put the new seal in its seat. Then stacked the old seal on top of the new one so I wouldn't damage the new one. Adaptor on top of that then the 2 inch pvc. I used a rubber mallet against the pvc pipe and drove the new seal into the seat. Took more force than expected but after putting it all together the new seal is working fine. While everything is apart, it is a good time to replace the fork oil. You never know, that stuff could be original.
My advice, get a service manual and do it yourself. The seal was easier than bleeding LBS brakes on the 6th gen.
Paul
Thanks for the info, I think I will tear into her bike this weekend, it should be a breeze, compared to my valve check last weekend :fing02: Thanks for the pvc info Paul!
Gary
btw I haven't been riding her bike, I won't even let her until I fix it, although it was a kick when I picked it up & putted around. A V30 magna feels like a scooter(not that thats a bad thing :goofy: )
JLB,
I replaced the seals on my wifes V-30 magna this weekend, piece of cake :fing02: no problem at all. The only problem I had was removing the bottom bolt(at the bottom of the fork) The book stated that they are put on with locktite and if you have problems removing take to dealer. The first one the allen head was stripped so I took them both to the dealer sat am about 10:00 dropped them off & for 50 bucks they removed & replaced the bolts for me. For them to replace seals & fluids they wanted $245.00. I already had the seals so when they called at about 1:30 I went & picked them up & off to Lowes to get a 1 1/2 pvc pipe to drive the new seals on. So the job cost 50. & 6.00 for the pipe & some time & beer. No leaks & now her bike is safe to ride!
So for all who have leaking seals, Replace them! Not difficult at all.
Gary
I just replaced the fork seals on my '84 V30 Honda Magna. The first thing I did was to set the center stand on two thick blocks of wood raising it off the ground more than normal to let me get at the front forks. then I had to tak a floor jack with some plywood on top of the contact point and raise the front end of the bike high enough I coule slide out the forks. The next part of the job was the front end dissasembly removing teh speedo cable, and unmounting the front brakes. Since I did not want to hang the brake just on the brake line itself I used a very thick towel, laid it on the tank, and then gently laid the brakes on it. I undid the allen wrenches that held the front forks in place, loosening them enough to permit me to slide the forks out.
With the forks out the next part was pretty easy.
(1) Use a 10MM box wrench to undo the bolt at the bottom of the forks to remove the old oil. CAUTION! unless you have had something go badly wrong this oil will be under pressure. Either point the bolt at the ground or wear eye protection. I got shot in the face with 10W oil, and I got lucky. It just missed my eyes. Once you have drained most of the oil put your weight on the top of the fork and pump it up and down a few time to work out as much of the remaining oil as you can. Set teh bolts aside in a safe location.
(2) On the bottom of the fork there is a nut that takes a 6MM hex bit. You need to use an impact wrench to undo it or it will turn uselessly. On one of my forks the hex nut was stripped round by the previous owner. I used a T-45 Torx bit and a hammer to seat it in place. Once it was fimr in place, light pressure slowly increasing on the impact wrench removed it. I had to go to the shop before starting this fork to get a replacement bolt since doing this ruins the original one.
(3) There is a cap on the top of each fork that can be unscrewed by fingers. Underneath the cap there is a fitting you have to put a 14 MM box wrench to. It is easeier if one person holds the wrench in place, and someone else turns the fork to unscrew it, but you can do it with one person if you have to.
(4) Next you need a set of 45 degree snap ring pliers to remove the snap ring holding the fork seal in place. Be care fule when removing as it is easy to snap this small piece.
(5) Slide out part of the assembly keeping it on the work area in the same order it came out in for reference. Clean it up with brake
(6) Firmly yank on the upper part of the fork to pull out the rest of the assembly including the fork seal. There are two pieces that go on the lower end of the fork that have to be cleaned up and put back on before the fork seal goes on.
(7) Once the first two pieces of the assembly are back on the fork, place a bit of plastic from the fork seal bag over the fork, lightly grease the fork seal, and carefully slide it down making sure it does not get damaged in the process. At this point in the job, if you see it is cut or damaged in any way you can change it easily by just getting another set of seals and replacing the damaged one.
(8) Slide the assembly into the fork, lining it up with the hole in hte bottom of the fork. Start threading the 6MM bolt in the bottom until it is finger tight. Use the impact wrench to finish the job.
(9) Replace the spring, and the bolt on the side of the forks and you are ready to fill it with the new oil. The V30 forks take 13.5 ounces of oil both sides. I used a measuring cup and turkey baster from Wal-mart that had hal ounce markings. I used the turkey baster until the level was low enough to pour the measuring cup without spilling it.
(10) To seat the fork seal below the level of the snap ring I used a large punch and VERY light tapping over several minutes with lots of patience. In hind sight, I would use a 1 1/2 inch piece of PVC pipe to accomplish this task.
(11) Place the snap ring in with the snap ring pliers. You may have to push this in place until it seats. there is an impossible to miss sound when this happens.
(12) Put the same piece of plastic over the forks like you did for the fork seal, lightly greas the dust cap, and carefully slide it don over the fork. Push it all the way down until it is seated.
(13) Place the fork cap back on the top of the spring. (It will be close to the top but will not touch the threads at this point). Clean up any oil or grease onthe outside of the fork at this point so one person can turn it while the other is pressing down on the fork cap with the 14MM box wrench. This is very easy to do with 2 people and a real PIA with only one. Tighten the cap all the way down.
(14) Replace the cover on top of the fork and finger tighten it down completing one side.
(15) Take a break if you need to, and then repeat steps 1-14 for the other side.
(16) After both forks are completed, slide them back through the fork clamps until they are the same distance on both side from the top. make sure they are the same distance in comparison to the top of the fork clamps as they were before, and then tighten the allen bolts down to secure them.
(17) Replace both the speedo cable and the brakes, tighten down the bolts, and check everything to make sure all bolts are tight and secure.
(18) After making sure everything is reinstalled correctly it is time for the check ride. Enjoy.
You guys really need to join SabMag.org. There is a guy over there that has come up with a 15 minute repair of the fork seals. It can even be done on the road. I did the fix on my 86 VFR over a year ago and they are holding great.
[image: View Post]v4swordrider, on May 17 2009, 11:30 AM, said:
You guys really need to join SabMag.org. There is a guy over there that has come up with a 15 minute repair of the fork seals. It can even be done on the road. I did the fix on my 86 VFR over a year ago and they are holding great.
I did look at Sabmag.org, and it was rigged out almost exclusively for the V65 Magna. There were a few references for the v45 but none for the V30 which is what the posts before me were discussing. It is pretty much the same everywhere. No information available for the V30 except for what you do yourself, or find yourself talking with people.
The main dealers may not touch it, but one of the off dealers will, a fork seal is not a big gamble for them or costly.
Get both done while your at it. as long as your sliders arent rusted or damaged shouldnt
be an issue to fix.
The only reason I would ride it, is to the shop, cause the performance of the suspension is grately compromised once you start losing oil height. and thats besides the potential of contaminating brake pads.
Use oem seals, the aftemarkets I dont trust at all
I gather you now know what Camp I'm in LOL!
Another user I know, I won't name names, has been riding his bike with bad seals for over a year just adding oil, lately he's stopped doing that and now they have oil. So, yes, it is possible to ride it. The suspension will not be right, though. I wouldn't ride fast around any bumpy corners.
I'm not saying you shouldn't change them (you should, and I would recommend it) just that you can ride a bit in the meantime.
I did look at Sabmag.org, and it was rigged out almost exclusively for the V65 Magna. There were a few references for the v45 but none for the V30 which is what the posts before me were discussing. It is pretty much the same everywhere. No information available for the V30 except for what you do yourself, or find yourself talking with people.
[/quote]
There are some things out there for the V30 Magna's, you just have to work to find them. It took me two years to find someone that made forwardd controls for the V30, but I found them.
http://www.refinedcy...14&categoryId=6
Holy old thread batman!
You could just tell the guy that the trick is to run a piece of camera film down the tube to clear debris... but that only works for seals that are leaking due to stuck debris. Won't fix a seal that's been damaged.
Replacing them isn't that big of a deal. Best advice to give you is to get a good set of snap ring pliers to get the snap ring out that holds the seal in place although a small needle nose pliers can suffice. Use a piece of pvc pipe to act as a driver to put the top bushing back in place.
Change only the seal that is leaking, Get genuine honda seals. It shouldnt be a problem if you are automotive tech.
End of thread · 15 posts recovered Wayback Machine snapshot 4 Jun 2011