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Fork Seal failure

Glenn Yingst

Tuned and Synch'ed
GT Contributor
Joined
Oct 3, 2015
Messages
60
Location
Strathmore AB Canada
So I know fork seals are considered a consumable . and a wear item but I have to say I am a bit disappointed. Left fork seal on my 2016 Stelvio failed at 20000 km. So I sucked it up and drop my Stelvio off at my local dealer . $300 and change later I had it back. now at 23000 km the right Fork is peeing oil all over my garage floor.
I took a closer look at the offending fork and noticed the metal spring retainer is missing from the dust seal.
Only my dealer has had the forks off this bike. Me thinks I will be having a chat with the service dept.
 
Glenn, go and invest in a seal mate - they cost around $11 here and might be less over your way. Simple process:
- remove dust seal (slide it up and away) from the oil seal;
- use the seal mate (good instructions on their website) to clean the gunk out of the seal, wipe sealmate, repeat until clean;
- do the same for the dust seal;
- repeat on other leg;

Money well spent if this solves it, and most oil seals "blown" are crud getting in and blocking the seal from working correctly. Replacing the seals is a good money spinner when they only need a clean.

Bear in mind that you will need to replace your seals at some time, as they will wear. Meanwhile a few bucks can get you going again rather quickly, and when this doesn't work, then it is time for a new seal.
 
Seal Mates seem like a good idea, but I can't say I have ever used one.
Two things come to mind for me.
Do you ride off road or on dirt roads? Have the forks taken any rocks or anything that could have caused a nick or other defect in the tubes?
When I replace a fork seal I always replace them in pairs. Did you have just the blown seal replaced or did they do the pair?
 
I've used a Seal-Mate, and it's a real 'eye-opener' just how much crud you can get out of even a non-leaking Seal.

Don't be frightened of doing the Seals yourself Glenn, it's a relatively easy job, the Stelvio Forks strip down really easily, and you don't have to fully disassemble the internals to do the Seals.
ForkStrip
 
What I don't get is why is it always the left seal. I have heard this from both a number of owners & also Guzzi mechanics. It is always the left seal?!
 
Could be something to do with the fact one leg deals with Compression Damping, and the other does Rebound Damping?
Probably not though . . .
 
So went into my local MG Dealer and talked to the Service mgr, He has been great to deal with in the past. Told him my story and showed him Pictures of the 2 different seals on my Bike. Left seal that they replaced ( the one with the Spring retainer) and the Right one with no spring. He says lets go look and the bikes on the show room floor. So we go through some bikes.
Stelvio - no spring
Grizo- Spring
Capanord- Spring
RSV4 -Spring
Norge-Spring
It made no sense. Now some were Mazzachi and some were Sachs. Anyway he admits they have had a few problems with these shocks and he has no answer as to why.... But if I brought in my Fork .. Loose he would have the seals replaced N/C.

Excellent!!!!!!
 
Sprint retainer?
Do you mean the coil of Tension Spring around the 'Lip' ?
Dust Seal
The type without the Spring are a different design.
Dust Seal2

So does your's have a Spring missing, or is it the latter type?
 
See what happens when I post without wearing my glasses.. Yes spring Retainer. It looks like the top picture but the spring is missing. But that is exactly what the Stelvio in the show room had. The same dust cap missing the springs.Makes no sense to me.
 
They're easily dislodged from the groove, so understandable for one to be missing.
You could use a suitable thin-section O-Ring in place of the Spring, it only needs a slight tension on it.
 
Just discovered leaky seal on my bike as well. Will be trying the SealMate.
Question; I have lost likely +/- 1/2 ounce of oil. is there a way to check and replenish?
Cheers
 
Just discovered leaky seal on my bike as well. Will be trying the SealMate.
Question; I have lost likely +/- 1/2 ounce of oil. is there a way to check and replenish?
Cheers


If you know what the fluid height should be, you could just measure oil level from the top. Probably easier to just drain and refill both fork legs with an equal amount of fork oil.
 
I wouldn't sweat a 1/2 ounce. That is insignificant. If you lost 1-2 or more, then perhaps I would dig into it.
 
Glenn, go and invest in a seal mate - they cost around $11 here and might be less over your way. Simple process:
- remove dust seal (slide it up and away) from the oil seal;
- use the seal mate (good instructions on their website) to clean the gunk out of the seal, wipe sealmate, repeat until clean;
- do the same for the dust seal;
- repeat on other leg;

Money well spent if this solves it, and most oil seals "blown" are crud getting in and blocking the seal from working correctly. Replacing the seals is a good money spinner when they only need a clean.

Bear in mind that you will need to replace your seals at some time, as they will wear. Meanwhile a few bucks can get you going again rather quickly, and when this doesn't work, then it is time for a new seal.


I'm completely in agreement with Tony here. I never replace a fork seal that I have not first tried using a Seal Mate on. In fact, just today I just cleaned the seals on my newly acquired 1997 Centauro, and 3 passes with the Seal Mate, and about a dozen bouncing up and down of the forks, and the small leak on both side, is completely gone. A bunch of crud was removed from the seal and it has reformed the inner lip on the stanchion tube again. So simple and cost nothing but a little effort and time. I was going to write a post about it but searched for 'Seal Mate" and found this. It really does work wonders and you will be surprised how few fork seals really need to be replaced, but actually only need to be cleaned out.
 
I have had good results with the seal mate in the past and I have the seal mate in my tool kit on the bike. Sadly I never thought to use it. I have since made some guards that protect the exposed fork area. Normally its bug guts and road crap that take out the seals so hopefully these will help.
 
I have had good results with the seal mate in the past and I have the seal mate in my tool kit on the bike. Sadly I never thought to use it. I have since made some guards that protect the exposed fork area. Normally its bug guts and road crap that take out the seals so hopefully these will help.

For the bug reasons, I recommend NOJ fork gaiters to everyone. No need to take forks off to install. I've never replaced a fork seal on a bike that has these installed. They may not look that great, but the function to me is worth the appearance.
 
I just change mine as part of the fork oil change its surprising how bad the oil gets over time and its an easy job, I change mine every third service 18k. 25 quid for seals and dust boots fresh oil makes a big difference to the way it rides, and I do them on my time scale, from memory my dust boots originally didn't have springs but I always replace with boots with springs
 
Totally agree with the Seal Mate option. My 2016 Stelvio had what appeared to be a leaking fork seal on the right side. I slipped off the dust cover and used the Seal Mate as well as cleaning out the grease (that I think was the cause of the marks on the leg) that was in the dust cover. No more "leaks".
 
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