Mag lower fork seal removal

[brian kirby]

I've never had trouble replacing fork seals before, but I've noticed that the mag lower 'Zokes are super thin at the top where the seal goes in. You cant "lever" on that area at all to get the seal out its so delicate. Anyone have any tricks to getting 30 year old seals out of the mag lowers? Gently heat them? Small dremel and cut the steel ring in the seal?

Brian

'72 Berkshire

[454MRW]

Take an old spoon, or similar utensile and bend the handle end over double and slip it past the seal and pull the seal out a little on each side until it comes out. Vise grips on the spoon side often helps if they are stubborn. If the top portion of the lowers are badly pitted,(like most), a thorough cleaning and a coating of JB weld and slight sanding afterwards will keep a bad situation from getting worse over time. You might ask Phast Phil about this, but BE SURE to remove the snap ring first! Sorry Phil. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S

[Ernie Phillips]

I would try Dremel and cut steel ring.  Be careful with the heat and/or grinding.  Magnesium is one of those metals that burns white hot ...  -EP

[brian kirby]

Mike, great idea for the home made tool.

Ernie, I was going to be gentle, maybe just enough heat to make the old rubber seals soft so they move a little.

Brian

'72 Berkshire

[joe novak]

Rules of working and repair: 1.don't hurt anybody, including yourself  2.don't break anything  3. try to fix something.   If you have removed the chrome fork tubes, a slide hammer with a tool which has a lip on it is a great tool to use.  Be sure there is not a hidden circlip holding the seal in.   Another technique for removing seals is to drill a small hole in the top (the face), insert a sheet metal screw, wrap a piece of strong wire around the head of the screw, and quickly and forcefully pull on it.  Pliers or Vise-grips work well, also.  I have used this technique to successfully replace crankcase seals on Sachs engines without removing cranks or splitting cases.   Always lube the lips of the seals before replacing.   On 35mm Cerianni forks, we used to use 35mm Honda fork seals which had two lips downward (to keep the oil in), and one lip upward (to keep the dirt out).  Having removed 4 seals from the forks, we used two of the least distorted ones to insert upside down on top of the new seals to keep the dirt out.  This seal was inserted on top of the circlip, and never became dislodged.   Also, old spokes ground to a point or edge, then bent to a hook at the end, and another spoke welded to make a T-handle make a great spring puller, or seal puller.   Good luck.

[tomale]

Yea the use of a Seal removal tool is the way to go, if you can get to the inside of the seal, like on a set of forks. you can rent one at a local rental store. but I like the idea of using a screw too..
back in the day I use to use honda 305 fork seals. they worked great and were cheap. The other thing I learned is to never use NOS seals. they maybe right but they do not last... On the engine I buy my seals at the local bearing warehouse but not so on the fork seals... too much stiction.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)

[G Ellis]

Brain  the way I get them out without breaking anything,is use a rubber hose 1/4 inch.Cut a slit in it and slide it over the top lip. Then I use a screwdriver and pry using the rubber tube side to put the screwdriver metal on.Them make sure you have removed the clip before doing all of this. Should come out easy. Hope this helps. Later Gary

[garrettccovington]

My 6-Day seals were a bear to get out. They had never been changed since installed in 72.  I ended up soaking the seal end of the Lowers in PB Blaster, Heating the Tubes up with a Heat gun and taking a internal slide hammer to pop them out.  I can't remeber where I got it at, probaly Harbor Freight.  Anyways I cut out all the old rubber,Clamped the lower in a vise around the axel flats, tighted up the internal jaws to catch the metal lip of the seal, and pulled up on the slide hammer.  Just kept working it around and around and they finaly came out.  It took about a hour per seal and didn't damage anything. It wasn't easy.

72 six-day

[garrettccovington]

Hey Brian, can you post how you got the seals out?  I'm working on the brakes right now on my 79 250, so seals are not far off.

72 six-day

[brian kirby]

I have not done them yet, but I think Gary Ellis' method is what I will use, and a little gentle heat.

Brian

'72 Berkshire

[joe novak]

Several POG members have sent some really excellent advice and mechanical techiques for seal removal.   Once you get started, you will know what you need to do to remove the seals without damaging the fork legs.   Take your time and be patient!