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Fork seal job

7K views 20 replies 15 participants last post by  JAD 
#1 ·
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How much should a fork seal job cost? Not on a Wing, but my Honda Shadow.
 
#2 ·
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If ya do it yourself....just cost of the parts. It's not hard to do as the forks are pretty much the same for most Honda's......Ya done one...you can do them all!!
 
#6 ·
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MoneyGuy wrote:
What if I don't?
OK....let's figure this out.
Letting the Stealership do it........

$65/hr labor X 2hrs
$150 for parts
____________
approx. $280

Doing it yourself (for the first time)

$0/hr labor X 4hrs
$75 for parts
____________
approx. $75 (plus cost of beer:D)

That should just about do it! :waving:
 
#7 ·
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I did my Shadow's 3 times. My uppers where pitted badly(po let it sit under a overhang) and the seal would keep tearing when it hit that spot. I think got a set of uppers off ebay that was finally nice and smooth.
I had never done a set before on a Shadow and it was easy.Check out the Shadownet forum. You may already have it booked .

Hardest time I had was getting the C-clip out of the lower that sits under the dust seal and on top of the seal itself. One end had rusted and broken off. Man that was a pain. Put in a new clip and it was easy. After the pitting was taken care of, I replaced them lickity split.

If you do it yourself, get a good quality pair of C-clip pliers or just make a set like I did with needle nose pliers w/90 degree long tip, and take a grinder to them. They make excellent donors for just that. Pop that clip out and remove the allen screw that holds the lower to the upper thats recessed where the front axle is and they'll just pull right apart.

Man if you weren't in Canada I'd tell you bring that puppy over and I'd show you how easy it is. We'd have those seals replaced in about an hour and you'd be riding cushy again. Fork seals=$25-$30 US and a bottle of PJ Fork oil or as Honda manual called for ATF fluid. I used PJ.

Good luck and FYI, a local guy with a GL1200 had a quote of $250 for his seals at a local mc repair shop parts and labor.
 
#8 ·
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Snorebaby wrote:
MoneyGuy wrote:
What if I don't?
OK....let's figure this out.
Letting the Stealership do it........

$65/hr labor X 2hrs
$150 for parts
____________
approx. $280

Doing it yourself (for the first time)

$0/hr labor X 4hrs
$75 for parts
____________
approx. $75 (plus cost of beer:D)

That should just about do it! :waving:
That's pretty good price, being how any shop around here (two close to me) will quote you from 350.00 to 380.00, course that is doing bushing as well. You right I did get a quote for 280 for just seals. That alone makes you want to learn real fast.

MoneyGuy, it is not hard. If you have doubts get manual or download one from here on the forum. It is easy, even the bushing replacements are easy. The full fork seal kit, includes, bushings, O-rings and seals is 97.00, I just bought one. Nothing like getting to know your own bike.;)
 
#10 ·
imported post

Snorebaby wrote:
MoneyGuy wrote:
What if I don't?
OK....let's figure this out.
Letting the Stealership do it........

$65/hr labor X 2hrs
$150 for parts
____________
____________
approx. $75 (plus cost of beer:D)

That should just about do it! :waving:
I had my left seal replaced this year under warranty. Parts were only $20, but they did it while I waited..........about four hours.
 
#11 ·
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rgbeard wrote:
So where do I buy a complete fork seal kit - not parts one by one - for a GL-1200? I think the 84 is coming due.
That my friend is a darn good question. I checked a few places and it seems the seal kit can be purchased, but the rest are individual pieces.
 
#12 ·
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In 1990 I paid 175.00 to a yamaha dealer for a Yamaha Venture.I thought that was a bit expensive then.In 2009 i shutter to think what it would cost.
Ive doen a few myself.Not the hardest thing your ever going to do.
Getting them off is easy.I found a semi trailer refilled the forks to the top wirh 30 weight motor oil,capped them and wedged them between the trailer bottom side and a nascar style hydraulic jack.I protected the ends from scarring with a thick rag.I slowly pumped the jack and the old seals popped out real slow,enough to pull out with pliers.Drained them completely and used some pcv pipe to gently knock in the new seals.Refilled them with fork oil,put springs in capped them and reinstalled on the bike.
it doesnt go fast for a beginner but after a few you know what to have with you to do the job and it goes pretty smoothly.
The oil is used for hydraulic pushout of the seals btw.
Flatfour
 
#13 ·
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A set of seals can be had for less than $20.00, dust caps (if needed) about the same. That's $40.00, + your time. You can use the sliders to pull out the old seals (use 'em like a slide hammer), and a length of PVC to install the new ones. It's a very easy job...go for it
 
#14 ·
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rgbeard wrote:
So where do I buy a complete fork seal kit - not parts one by one - for a GL-1200? I think the 84 is coming due.
I've never seen the whole kit, with bushings and all.

I got my bushing setsfrom Ron Ayers (Honda), and the (All Balls) seals and wipers off eBay.

Total outlay was between $60 and $70.
 
#17 ·
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thats why i did my stator myself, starter, head gasket timing belts if your even slightly handy and have some basic hand tools the job isnt hard


this fourm is a great tool for the shop if i didnt have this fourms info i'd have just sold the bike for scrap long ago cuz the shop repair costs would have far outweighted the value of the bike.


alot of us are handy some more than others so im sure if we put our heads together we can do amazing things


im the beer opener tho i got 1st dibs
 
#18 ·
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I would suggest using Honda seals when possible. I had to change seals in a friends 1500 last yr. because of leaking. He had just had a shop install aftermarket seals. They were so thin and flexible that a spacer was included to make them the same thickness as stock Honda. After changing to Honda he has had no more problems.
 
#19 ·
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hay thank you for reply
I started on my fork seal job and found
I did not need to remove wind sheild or garnish
The Honda book sure tells you to do a lot
Of stuff you don't have to do!after getting started
I removed speaker & switch cover assembly
Then meters ,then I could get to top of fork
And top pinch bolts will finish Sunday
It started to get dark so I started cleaning my
garage and sorting tools, my work area is such
A mess talk to you later
 
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