Fork seal replacement

[mkocal]

Can anyone point me to an online source explaning the replacement of fork seals on a 1984 r65 ls
Thank you,
MK

[Ed Miller]

http://w6rec.com/duane/bmw/forkseal/index.htm

The fasteners are specific to R65s but the principles in the article work.  I used it when I rebuilt my forks, then did a little write up describing the differences I found, but failed to save a copy so it went down in flames with the original R65 phorum.

Good luck,

[Bob_Roller]

To remove the top plug on the R65 fork tube, you have to depress the plug to gain acess to a circlip, then remove a round wire circlip ( I find a 90 degree scribe works well here), then the spring can come out. Sometimes a lot easier said than done. Thrang had a spare fork that he was trying to take apart, and the circlip was rusted to the top plug, so you may want to apply some grease to the area to help prevent water from sitting in the area ( I don't have this problem with living in the desert, and I've gotten over having a squeeky clean bike, so it rarely gets washed!) The normal oil capacity for each fork leg is 190 cc, for just a fluid replacement, most people add 10-20 cc extra for a total fork rebuild.

[nhmaf]

...and we should also add a couple other bits of info from those of us who have learned the "hard way":

1.  Don't over tighten the 10mm drain bolts on the backs of the fork sliders - it is quite easy to strip the threads
in the aluminum sliders.    You can often - but not always - get away with re-using the copper/crush washer on those,
but it is advisable to get new ones.

2.  The crush washer that is on the bottom of the fork sliders (and hidden by the axle when the wheel is
installed really should be replaced each time - these deform quite easily and I've found that they don't
always seak well if re-used.   for a dime apiece, it is cheap, and, it is a real PITA to have to take everything
apart again, drain oil, replace washers on the bolts, refill and reassemble after you've discovered that the
fork oil has seeped out the bottom, and sprayed onto your disk rotors (and contaminated your front brake pads).
Doesn't help the braking much, either while riding back home !

3.  You might need to get a long extension to hold the top end of the damper rod bolt down inside the fork tube
while loosening the Allen head bolt on the bottom of the slider (as in #2).  

 

[suecanada]

I remember nhmaf's number 3 point!!!! I broke into tears figuring i had stripped the bolt when it wouldn't tighten back up!!! It was just spinning around inside the fork tube and I found out it needed to be held in place in some cases....so a bought a 20 inch long socket wrench extender and duct taped the 13mm socket on the end so I wouldn't lose it inside the fork tube.....a pretty good possibility knowing my luck! With the socket firmly on the nut? inside the fork tube, the bottom bolt was then easily torqued up to spec. when the job was done.

I think the pressure of the fork spring can in some cases keep the inner nut from spinning around when the bottom bolt is tightened. One side of my forks torqued up nicely without need for the extended socket down the insides.  This is why I got sucked into thinking I had stripped something! Learn from my mistake.

[Justin B.]

When we changed springs on the '80, one did and one didn't...

[thrang]

The seals are an easy job they'll just pop out with a little levarage from a broad screwdriver. They dont cost much about £16 a pair and with out a pair of gaiters to protect them do tend to fail. Internally things are pretty bulletproof although the OE springs are a bit of a joke. About the only problem if you do have to rebuild them is the fork internals are mostly specific to the R65, and getting replacement parts can be a bit of a pain in the bum, unless you're willing to pay main dealer prices.

There's a few piccys on my webpage showing the forks stripped when I replaced the springs in Bmbo2 just after I got her. www.thrang.freeserve.co.uk
 Tony