Fork seal leak

[solartom]

I just noticed that the right front fork seal is leaking pretty bad. The bike (2000 1100RT) has 18,000 miles on it. Is it normal to have a leaking seal like this with those miles? I haven't been doing much off-roading :~)

Also, for you do-it-yourselfers, what degree of difficulty is it to change a fork seal?

 

TIA,

Tom in Sandpoint

[georgem]

Very easy, rerove the hardware attached to your fork, Revove the handelbar. Under the bar is a 14mm nut. Then two bolts on the fork bridge and you are there. Fork tubes simply slide out.

[* SHAG *]

I had a leaker 2 years ago. Took me 3 hrs to replace the seal. I took the fork apart , cleaned up real good & changed the seal & added the fork oil . Next time I'll change the seal without removing the wheel like others do!

[Jim VonBaden]

I'll let you know, I am doing mine on Sunday morning.

 

Jim

[solartom]

Thanks Jim - I'll be looking forward to your reply...

 

Tom

[jim c]

I'll let you know, I am doing mine on Sunday morning.

 

Jim

 

so how went the fork seal change. any tips you'd like to give us about to do this as the next rt maintainence project?

[Wild Pig]

Noticed mine leaking yesterday with only 900 miles on the bike....Is this a common issue?

 

I think I'll have that fixed under warranty and save myself the hassle.

[Jim VonBaden]

Noticed mine leaking yesterday with only 900 miles on the bike....Is this a common issue?

 

I think I'll have that fixed under warranty and save myself the hassle.

 

Not really. Mine has 66K miles on it.

 

Still haven't changed it. Sunday the weather was too nice to not ride, and then the weather went to crap. I park outside, and do all my work in the parking lot, so I am waiting for the right time. Doesn't hurt it to leak, as long as you make sure it doesn't run down on the brakes.

 

Jim

[Wild Pig]

Hey Jim,

 

Just wondering if you ever got around to attacking those fork seals. Looks like I'll have to do mine because BMW says it's a "wear item" and not covered under warranty. <insert BS detector reading here>

 

I'm trying to figure out if my novice wrenching skills are up to the task. The leak seems to be coming from above the travel area of the rubber gasket, up under the handlebar mounts.

[bmwmick]

Tom,

Before you tear it apart, try this:

Don't bother to replace the seals. Remove the plastic caps on the top of the forks, and unscrew the brass plugs underneath, using a thin-walled 10mm socket. I think BMW knew that the forks would get air-bound, which is probably what happened to yours.

What you are going to do is release the air trapped in the fork. Loosen the brass plugs and compress the fork (bike off the centerstand) and retighten the plugs after all the air has hissed out. Now take a rag and pull up the dust

seal on each fork seal and clean off all the oil.

As if by magic, the leak will stop. If this doesn't work for you, you can proceed to replace the seal(s) but in most cases this will work. There are no actual telescopic fork parts in your fork legs, just oil and sliders. All the shock absorber functions are handled by the conventional shock mounted to the Telelever.

Mick

[georgem]

Not to argue, but this is contradictory from the way the shop manual says to do it. You will also be running negative pressure in your forks now, so they will have a tendency to suck contaminates into the fork. The manual says to bleed air with no load (forks extended)and then tighten the bleeder screw. Also, if the bleeder is a little loose, it will leak from the top down. It is a small 2.5mm or 3mm capscrew.

[GregsARed]

My first leaker: I'll try releasing the air pressure first, but with 145K, I think the seal might be worn. The leak began ~1500 miles from home, so I'll need to replace the oil anyway.

Next time I'll change the seal without removing the wheel like others do!

The BMW repair manual doesn't mention this shortcut. can someone explain to this simpleton (me). Thanks.