Fork reseal prices

[erod1]

Hello everyone. I have noticed that one of my front forks is leaking.
I have been quoted $300 to $400 plus parts to re seal the forks. I am in the Long Island/New York city area. I was also quoted $400-$500 to lube the splines. It sounds high to me. What do you guys think.
Also the top part of my forks are pitted , can that be changed ?
Ed.

[Bob_Roller]

Considering the labor involved to remove the forks from the bike disassemble and then reassemble and reinstall, doesn't seem too out of line .

Usual shop labor rates are in the $90-100 range .

To remove the transmission from the bike, clean up the splines and lube them, clean and lube the throwout bearing, is about 4-5 hours of work, not including any other issues that may be found in the process .

So again not too far out of line .

If you could do them yourself, the cost would be around $100 for parts and lubricants for both jobs .

[Barry]

I don't know New York prices but it seems very high to me. A pro mechanic should be able to change the fork seals in 1.5 hours if that's all that's being done. If your stanchions are pitted new seals might leak anyway. Pitting can be repaired to some degree but mechanics are going to want to sell you new stanchions which will double the cost and then some. A good 2nd hand set of forks might be a more economic solution.

Or (and please don't be offended) a new bike might be cheaper.  If you have to pay these sort of rates then the argument that buying the very best in the first place is the cheapest option really holds true.

A spline lube took me 4 hours but I only pulled back the gearbox and I'm not a pro mechanic.

[Matt Chapter]

I just had my fork seals done last year, I think the cost was 275$.  But I'm in god's chosen land, the land of cold beer and hot barbeque.. Austin, Texas!  When my mechanic told me the price, I said "wow" and he started to justify himself.. and then I said, "I thought it was going to be a bit higher!"  Caveat: he's an independent mechanic, not a shop guy.

I'm pretty good with valve adjustments and whatnot, I don't know if I'd tackle either of those jobs though.

[erod1]

Thanks for all your input. The price seems high to me because it is an independent working from home. I do alot of my own work , but I dont think I want to handle the forks. I might attempt the spline lube.

[montmil]

Ed, Don't go selling yourself short on the fork seal job. It is not a difficult job being ranked two spanners on the 1 to 5 spanner scale. If you're comfortable removing the transmission, the fork legs will be cake.

Some forum members leave the stanchions in their clamps, removing only the lowers. others pull off the entire leg. Either way.

A pair of fork seals, felt wipers for the boots -replace the boots if they are ozone damaged lookin'- a quart of fork oil and that's your expense. Might add in the "bumpers" that often deteriorate.

You will need a socket on the end of about fourteen inches of 1/4" extension to reach the machine screw in the bottom of the lowers.

Bring us up to speed on the stanchion pitting. Does the pitted area extend into the fork seals? If not, it's just a cosmetic issue. I've not tried it but have heard about filling the pits with good ol' JB Weld and smoothing out the surface. Quien sabe?

[erod1]

Thanks Monte,

  I guess I'll waite until the weather warms up to tackle the job. The stanchions are pitted on the top side, so it will not affect the seals. The bike was sitting for about 10 years. It was in a garage but the area was coastal, so some rusting started to form before I purchased it. So I assume that is the rerason for the pitting. I also have it on the handle bars.

[tvrla]

Forks aren't that tough. Another solution might be to wait for a tech day in your area and do it then.

I'd run with those forks and maybe clean up the pitting to make it prettier - but I often see R65 forks sell for $100 to $150. Just watch for another set and you're golden!

[Barry]

Agree with Monte that fork seals are easier than the spline lube. There is no reason at all to remove the fork stanchions just for a seal job. Just drop the lowers off.

[montmil]

Hide the pitting with a nice pair of rubber boots. Easy install while doing the fork seals. Yea, now that's a plan.

My '81 R65 has some minor pitting on the bars but so little of the chrome shows on those short Euro bars I just forget about it and ride happy.