Fork seal advice!

[skilletmo]

Ok i know all the threads about fork seals that already have been posted and read them all.

Thing is im a little in denial and just need reassurance. I have a couple photos attached so if anyone who has experience that can judge whether i need new ones or if it is normal.

I noticed it a couple days ago. Its not dripping or going to the brake caliper. Its just a small amount of oil that stays around the seal area after i ride. If i clean it up it doesnt leak while parked. And even when it does leak after rides) it doesnt leak like im assuming other peoples do when they have seal problems. It just builds a small amount around the fork seal like i said. In the pictures you will see what im talking about. I posted 2 different angles. It is the right fork this is happening too (like usual as i read). Click on the picture to get a better zoomed in look.

Someone please let me know, because if the seal is bad i need to order it today so they ship Monday.

[fred smoot]

If you have oil on the outside of the seal, they are leaking. Check the surfaces of the shiny fork tubes. they must be absolutely smooth. Rocks can make dings that kill the oil seals.

Fred

[MrAtom]

Try a homemade sealmate out of a milk jug or buy one if you prefer, then rdi your forks if that doesn't fix it.

[skilletmo]

So if it is not leaking badly, like dripping, then it is okay to use sealmate? Like in the picture, can yall see if its that bad? Becuase its not like a major leak where it leaks when it is parked. Just when i ride and finish there is a tiny amount like in the picture that just sits on the seal. Like a mini puddle.

[MrAtom]

You can always use a sealmate, but it might not always work. I had worse and have had success with a sealmate. I figure it's worth a shot, but it's also probably worth it to rdi your forks, anyway.

[skilletmo]

Well i just searched seal mate and i think that will do the trick. We had a crazy day of pollen when i woke up one day. The whole front fender was almost yellow from all the pollen. Which means it had to get into the fork and seals since it is in the same area obviously. I will buy it and im sure it will work, i mean its not a huge leak, if it was then maybe it is the seals. Ill let yall know what happens.

[skilletmo]

Well id like to do them when its needed, im a college student and dont have that much time or money. I mean i can afford new seals and oil but if it is not needed and its just simple pollen and gunk in there that needs to be cleaned then that is much better than replacing it. I will replace it when the fork is noticeably leaking one day, which then means its a bad seal. But as of now, i think its just a simple clean will do the trick (i hope).

[Jono]

Have the exact same problem on my SV650. Bought the sealmate tool and it worked for one fork and helped a little on the other. Hopefully it works out for ya. I'll probably be replacing my seals and fork oil before too long.

[skilletmo]

WOW! Seal mate worked perfectly. I had a lot of pollen in there from the morning i talked about earlier. I popped the dust covers off, cleaned it with seal mate, and pumped it like 3 times before it stopped leaking. I took it for a 10 min ride and even put pressure on the forks while standing on my bike and bouncing on the pegs. No leak at all! good thing i didn't spend all that time and money on fork seals when they weren't even bad, just dirty! I knew my leak was to small for it to actually be the seal!

[Norway]

Originally Posted by skilletmo

WOW! Seal mate worked perfectly. I had a lot of pollen in there from the morning i talked about earlier. I popped the dust covers off, cleaned it with seal mate, and pumped it like 3 times before it stopped leaking. I took it for a 10 min ride and even put pressure on the forks while standing on my bike and bouncing on the pegs. No leak at all! good thing i didn't spend all that time and money on fork seals when they weren't even bad, just dirty! I knew my leak was to small for it to actually be the seal!

In a video on www.sealmate.net a dust seal is removed using a screwdriver, before the seal mate tool is used. (In the same video this is done to a dirt-bike). Does any dust seal have to be removed on the ('11) Ninja 250 as well, or could one use the seal mate tool "right away"?

[Flying]

Originally Posted by Norway

In a video on www.sealmate.net a dust seal is removed using a screwdriver, before the seal mate tool is used. (In the same video this is done to a dirt-bike). Does any dust seal have to be removed on the ('11) Ninja 250 as well, or could one use the seal mate tool "right away"?

You can use a seal mate right away, just shove it in there. If you're making your own, make sure it's long enough. I personally took a picture of a seal mate tool and used it as a template for cutting it out of plastic. Worked well to stop leaks for several hundred miles on my own bike's forks.

[Snake]

Thanks for starting this thread. My seals have been leaking and I have been dreading having to replace them. I am going to order Seal Mate first and see it fixes it.

[VaFish]

Originally Posted by Snake

Thanks for starting this thread. My seals have been leaking and I have been dreading having to replace them. I am going to order Seal Mate first and see it fixes it.

Daughters Sportster started leaking the other day.

I just ordered one as well. Amazon Prime, will have it here Monday.

[Norway]

Originally Posted by Flying

You can use a seal mate right away, just shove it in there. If you're making your own, make sure it's long enough. I personally took a picture of a seal mate tool and used it as a template for cutting it out of plastic. Worked well to stop leaks for several hundred miles on my own bike's forks.

Thanks for the advice.
I had a small leakage on the left fork leg. I found the dust seal and used an ordinary screwdriver to release it and push it maybe 5 inches up the fork leg.
I cleaned the fork leg from oil and dirt.
I then pushed the seal mate tool down inbetween the fork leg and the
fork seal. There was quite some resistance, but I managed to rotate it about twice around the fork leg, based on instructions in a video at www.sealmate.net . I put the dust seal back and compressed the front fork
about 10 times. I couldn't see any fresh oil on the fork leg.
Thereafter I went on a trip of about 50 kilometers / 30 miles, driving on a mix of roads, including both gravel and asphalt.
I have not noticed any oil on the fork leg after this, so this far it seems as seal mate worked just as promised, in my case.
This may have saved me about 3500 - 4000 NOK, or about 450 USD. :-)

[skilletmo]

Man, i just logged in after like 2 years on this forum and saw this helped people. Haha i was like 18 years old at the time and helpless, glad y'all figured it out! Stopped riding street and only ride dirt now. But im still with kawi! Kdx220. Wish they had a kdx section here, truly my favorite forum lol. Saved my ass on my project bike so many times.

[Alex]