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weeping fork oil

26667

26667

the Wizard of Oz
sombody tell me I'm not cancelling the only trip I might take this year...or the last three, for that matter! boo hoo.:violin

yesterday I noticed a light film of oil on both forks btw the upper triple tree and the lower yolk; i.e. the next one down about 8". Enough to also put a light film on the clamp and pinch bolt there too. Dry below that.

Please tell me I can live with this. We've had those forks apart a half a dozen times and believe me, with the fairing, gauges and steering damper it's a PITA. Only a couple thou' since the last dismantling and reconstruction. Whether I do it w the guru or take it to a BM Cert' shop, the time involved will cancel my planned three-day trip mid-September. (Violin smilie goes here) ...or =8-(
 
26667 said:
yesterday I noticed a light film of oil on both forks btw the upper triple tree and the lower yolk; i.e. the next one down about 8". Enough to also put a light film on the clamp and pinch bolt there too. Dry below that.
Click to expand...

You didn't say how you noticed it... Visually or handling?

How far is the trip?
 
It doesn't seem like you're loosing that much oil. From what I've heard from the "gurus" is that you're not going to loose that much oil from the fork seals under this scenario. Is there just a light film on the forks or is there oil dripping down? If it's just a light film with no drips I would just change the fork oil before you leave. That way you know you have the right amount of oil in each fork, then deal with the seals when you get back.

Mid-September three day trip. Are you going to the Beemer Bash in Quincy?
Edit: But, that's in CA and you're in Chicago.
 
just a light film I noticed when the sun was just right. Handles just fine. I suppose it could be a sloppy pour from when they did the work last at johnny's. Three or four months and a couple thousand miles ago. But I think I'd have noticed it. My first guess is that it's a recent leak from the top. About an equal coating on each. Very light.

I did hit one doozy of a pavement buckle at about 70 mph yesterday. bounced my skinny ass off the seat.
 
26667 said:
just a light film I noticed when the sun was just right. Handles just fine.
I did hit one doozy of a pavement buckle at about 70 mph yesterday. bounced my skinny ass off the seat.
Click to expand...

Wipe it off. You don't want dirt/dust collecting on the oil to be drug up and down the tubes.

Wipe it off, observe it and have fun on your trip.:whistle

Take pictures and bring back souvenirs!
 
GO

If you noticed a heavy flow of oil coming out from under the gators or slider seals, or at the bottom of the sliders or ... but what you describe is around the steering head bearings (heavy grease) or the fork caps (some oil might mist out if you had a small air leak when you hit a large bump (???), dont sound like no problem. Take it from the guy who wrapped a bandana around a leaking fork seal so he could keep on driving without the oil spraying on his fairing ... :dunno :whistle
 
If you gave the year and model of the bike, we could help you a bit better.

That said, if it is just a light film, it probably won't be that big a problem and you can just do an oil change in the forks to make sure you have enough in them.

But, as fork seals are one of the simplest things to replace, why not just bite the bullet and do them. Took me a total of 30 minutes to do mine on my '81 R100RT and even less on the '80 R45.

Process is easy:
1. Put bike on centre stand and remove front wheel, and put a block under the front of the engine to keep the front end up.
2. Drain both forks while having a smoke or 1 beer. :drink
3. Remove 1 fork bottom slider at a time and pull the seal and insert new one. Remember to put some new fresh oil on the seal before sliding it back on carefully.
4. Once forks are back on, insert drain plug and reattach front wheel.
5. Fill each fork tube with oil as per your manual. Each model uses a slightly different amount and some people play with the weight and amount, depending on taste of riding style.
6. Once you have the oil in, gently press the forks down and up slowly to dispel any excess air, then once at rest, reinsert the top filler plugs.
7. Clean everything that may have had Fork oil contact and you are done.
8. Congratulate yourself :dance and take bike for a short test ride. Come back and inspect forks to ensure no more leakage.
9. If all is fine, Congratulate yourself again :dance and reward yourself with another beer :drink


This procedure is simplified to just replace the seals and the oil. In reality, you should pull the springs out and any bumpers/spacers for inspection. May need to replace the bumpers/spacers due to age as some tend to disintegrate over time.

:ca
 
he gone

THAT'S just what I wanted to hear!

i know lots ride w weepy fork seals, but this bike's been so "one-effing-thing-after-another" for the past two seasons that it's hard not to fuss and feel like "oh shiite! here we go again."

All the residue was at the top of the forks, and very light. I'll keep an eye on it the next couple weeks before i leave.

Criminy! I'm only asking the riding gods for three days.
 
shire2000 said:
If you gave the year and model of the bike, we could help you a bit better.

That said, if it is just a light film, it probably won't be that big a problem and you can just do an oil change in the forks to make sure you have enough in them.

Thanx. It's a '78 RS and we've had those forks completely apart and back together a half dozen times over the past six months trying to get them sorted out. PO had done some entertaining work on them and Clymer was not really accurate. Finally, not wanting to cause my guru or myself anymore frustration, I took the bike down to Johnny's and let his tech do it. It rides nice. There's still a little noise over harsh bumps which he says is "normal." But it handles good and rides smooth. About 2k since they did the work and changed the oil.
I'm only planning to go over to 555 in Ohio and back. Probably less than 1500 miles round trip.
Click to expand...
 
Weeping Fork oil

Do you have an aftermarket upper triple clamp on your bike? If you do, the split in it eliminates the seal caused by properly tightened spring plugs. Whether you have the aftermarket clamp or not, a coating of plumbers paste with teflon or hylomar prevent a leak here.
 
say again...

I do have an aftermarket billet uppr triple tree, but i don't quite get what you're describing. Would you mind trying a little more detail ( or smaller words) for my tiny brain? Thanx. I'll pour another coffee and think about your post again.

i'm not averse to plumber's anything. After replacing the front brake master cylinder, at a price of about $360!, I found that the lid leaked. A couple wraps of teflon tape around the threads cured it.
 
Sounds like you have other issues with those forks. Can you actually see where the oil is coming out? When you say that all the "residue" is at the top end of the forks, do you mean that they are weeping from the very top? If the leak is from the actual fork seals, then you would have oil showing from the top of the sliders up the stanchion tubes to the point where the sliders go at the most compression. If the oil is at the very top of the fork tubes (stanchions) then the leak is from the top end and is a totally different problem. Most likely the gasket/seal on the big nut on top is not doing it's job. I have used teflon tape on those before and they sealed up fine.

If you are only getting that light film, and the handling is still good, then just ride it and keep an eye on things. Work on it when you get back, or over the winter.

Have a great ride and we will all pray to the weather and riding Gods for you.

:ca
 
Leaking forks may indicate danger!!!

Some years ago, I noticed a little oil leak at my right front fork. I had the seals on hand and made a plan to reseal them both that weekend; this was a Thursday. On my way to work I had about 4 miles of dirt desert trail and 7 miles of traffic-and-cop-free pavement. I usually drove that part between 90-100 mph. This particular day, though, I levelled out about 55; I don't know why. After a few hundred yards it started to wobble. I touched the front brake and we headed for the bushes. I let go of the brake and geared down and used the rear brake and got stopped. Investigating, I found the right tube snapped off at the clamp; only thing holding things together was the spring!

Just be sure you know how the oil is getting out. A cracked tube could be really bad!! If I had made an error with the brakes it could have been fatal.

Your mention of a hard bump recently makes me more suspicious...
 
Thx!

Thanx, shire and ecyarter. Took a 60 mile jaunt up and down the same crappy Illinois pavement today, (So about 120 mi total since I first noticed it and wiped the fork tubes) and no sign of oil.

The forks are dry below the rubber boots on the fairing upper. So I believe it either came from the top or was a slight spillage from the fill. If it appears again I think I'll give the teflon tape idea a try.

And thanx for the good wishes! As many of the online airhead experts who've helped me know, this bike sat for 20+ years and it's been ..."educational":bottle getting it right again. It looked a beaut' and the miles were low, but time is quite an enemy. I'm about 200 shy of the 1500 mi valve adj/oil change after the top-end, and I'm starting to feel confident. It's got that nice sweet spot at about 4200 and is starting to be happy at 5000. I've almost stopped lusting after modern bikes....almost
 
Last edited:
I had a friend who had the forks break off just below the bottom triple clamp on an R90/6...about a 1976. Later inspection showed multiple thin dark lines of fracture above and below the point of the fracture. He had complained several times of failing fork seals which he replaced more than once but still leaking he thought. It turned out the oil was coming out of the cracks in the forks. It pays to check them out carefully.
 
Last edited:
Weeping Fork oil

"I do have an aftermarket billet uppr triple tree, but i don't quite get what you're describing. Would you mind trying a little more detail"

The stock upper triple clamp (plate?) and the top of the fork tube form a seal when the tube is pulled into place by the top plug. Aftermarket triple clamps have a sawn slot in them and a pinch bolt so they can grip the tube. This slot can allow oil to leak past the top plug and down the tube.
 
shire2000 said:
If you gave the year and model of the bike, we could help you a bit better.

That said, if it is just a light film, it probably won't be that big a problem and you can just do an oil change in the forks to make sure you have enough in them.

But, as fork seals are one of the simplest things to replace, why not just bite the bullet and do them. Took me a total of 30 minutes to do mine on my '81 R100RT and even less on the '80 R45.

Process is easy:
1. Put bike on centre stand and remove front wheel, and put a block under the front of the engine to keep the front end up.
2. Drain both forks while having a smoke or 1 beer. :drink
3. Remove 1 fork bottom slider at a time and pull the seal and insert new one. Remember to put some new fresh oil on the seal before sliding it back on carefully.
4. Once forks are back on, insert drain plug and reattach front wheel.
5. Fill each fork tube with oil as per your manual. Each model uses a slightly different amount and some people play with the weight and amount, depending on taste of riding style.
6. Once you have the oil in, gently press the forks down and up slowly to dispel any excess air, then once at rest, reinsert the top filler plugs.
7. Clean everything that may have had Fork oil contact and you are done.
8. Congratulate yourself :dance and take bike for a short test ride. Come back and inspect forks to ensure no more leakage.
9. If all is fine, Congratulate yourself again :dance and reward yourself with another beer :drink


This procedure is simplified to just replace the seals and the oil. In reality, you should pull the springs out and any bumpers/spacers for inspection. May need to replace the bumpers/spacers due to age as some tend to disintegrate over time.

:ca
Click to expand...

It looks a little more difficult than this for my 92 R100RS ... handlebars look as though they need to be rotated or removed to get at the tops of the fork tubes, in order to fill with oil.
Steve:ca
 
CanadianSteve said:
It looks a little more difficult than this for my 92 R100RS ... handlebars look as though they need to be rotated or removed to get at the tops of the fork tubes, in order to fill with oil.
Steve:ca
Click to expand...

exactometemundo, mon ami.

Fortunately, it seems to have stopped. So I don't have to do it again for awhile. But I wonder if it was a sloppy fill at southside Johnny's or the result of that big pavement buckle at 75mph.
I suppose time will tell.
 
lostboy;361097 The stock upper triple clamp (plate?) and the top of the fork tube form a seal when the tube is pulled into place by the top plug. Aftermarket triple clamps have a sawn slot in them and a pinch bolt so they can grip the tube. This slot can allow oil to leak past the top plug and down the tube.[/QUOTE said:
I gotta look more closely nexttime I have it apart. When we did it the first several times, I was so busy trying to keep up w what we were doing and how it all worked, that it was hard to recall details other than the most basic of basics of how to get it apart and back together.
Thanx for the reply.
Click to expand...
 
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