Leaking fork seal K1100RS

[BorderHooner]

Since I downsized home I no longer have a workbench or a vice

The L/H seal is badly shot and seemingly all of the oil has dumped over the bike during the last ride out.

My local BMW stealership want £240 + vat per fork to replace the seals and associated parts :O £180 of this is to remove and refit the fork.

I thought I may as well replace both fork seals as I'm in North Africa on this bike in a few months.

I really don't have the facility currently to replace the fork seals myself - But I will attempt to take the forks off the bike and take them into the stealership to save around 6 hours labour....

Will check here if I get stuck with it - thanks

[mholbrook38]

I paid about $180 (US) for new seals including all labor removing the forks etc. As a bonus they screwed up the wire from the ABS sensor and had to get me a new one. I also added Boots for protection of the fork tubes and new seals. I would imagine you would want the fork boots for your bike, especially if you are going to some sandy/dusty area like what I imagine North Africa to be. Supposedly with new seals and boots, you won't have to do the job again. I think the time involved was something like 3 hours shop time according to the "book".

Good luck.

[Naked Hoof]

My local BMW stealership want £240 + vat per fork to replace the seals and associated parts :O £180 of this is to remove and refit the fork.

That remove and refit is outrageous. Takes 20-30 minutes to remove the forks if you've done it before, maybe less. Probably 45 minutes tops for a good wrencher first time.

My stealership steward was only going to charge me $100USD for that...

[jpberens1994K1100RS]

I have a garage & hand tools, no vice and I replaced the seals, and the springs. Compressed it all but just leaning on it real hard. It's tricky, but I got it.

Put on fork gaiters, only way to protect the fork legs right.

I had replaced the fork seal last summer. Had one let go on the rough
spring roads here in the mid west.

My local Milwaukee, WI dealer quoted me $200.00 for a rebuild, parts & oil included if I brought in the fork legs off the bike. They even offered a 2 year guarantee. I did not think that was so bad, but I'm VERY happy I put in the " Works Performance " spring kit I bought. The bike is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo much better now.

[Flying Duck]

Before you do the seals make sure the forks aren't scratched or pitted.

[ColoradoRod]

I just finished replacing my fork seals this afternoon with the help of a very experienced BMW motorcycle guy. Some of the times quoted might lead a person to believe that this is a 1 hour project. I can't imagine getting it done that quickly.

From the time you roll the bike into the garage, I would think it'd take you a minimum of 20 minutes just to get the front wheel off the ground and the fenders off. From there, you'll need to remove the calipers and then the front wheel.

It'll take you more than 10 minutes worth of cuss-word experimentation to find just the right combination of threats, tongue position and the right clench to your jaw to get the snap ring out that's holding the old seal in place.

Once you get the seals in and the forks back on the bike, you'll need to allow another 10-20 minutes to remove the forks again to install the boots you meant to install the first time the forks were installed. (Don't ask how I know this--both forks, no less!)

We also came across a need to replace the bushing that goes near the bottom of the fork tubes (BMW p/n 31-42-2-310-346). I ordered the parts with next day shipping. You should also (apparently) allow for the parts supplier to NOT ship the part when promised AND THEN ship it to your old address, but then also fail to put the UNIT number on the old address so nobody has any idea where the package is supposed to go. Allow time for 4-6 phone calls with FedEx regarding the status and redelivery of the package. Overnight delivery quickly becomes same-month delivery.

Yah, it's a 20-30 minute project!

The good news is that my LT now feels like a completely different machine. When we drained the old fork oil, I'd guess it was only holding about 1/2 the required oil. It was also REALLY dirty, black. The guy who was helping me guessed that the low oil quantity probably lead to excess wear on the bushings we had to replace.

All-in-all, a good learning experience. Even if I had the money to just pay somebody to do it, I probably wouldn't.

For what it's worth...

Rod

[gary1945]

replaced the fork seals on my 92 LT and within 1K miles the left failed again, replaced both bushings and seems OK now - had to install slider bushing after stanchion was inserted - now the right needs to be redone - stanchion slid in too easy
Gary

[Naked Hoof]

From the time you roll the bike into the garage, I would think it'd take you a minimum of 20 minutes just to get the front wheel off the ground and the fenders off.

If it takes you 20 minutes to do that, then your job will take all day. It colors everything else IMO, because that's 5 minutes worth of serious effort, tops, IMO, especially with a helper!

Yah, it's a 20-30 minute project!

Reading comprehension is vital to understanding what people are saying. You might wish to improve yours, that way avoiding shock and misquoting people:

Takes 20-30 minutes to remove the forks if you've done it before, maybe less. Probably 45 minutes tops for a good wrencher first time.

I didn't even come close to suggesting this was a 20-30 minute job, did I?

This is the problem with the internet, and with people in general: they just don't pay attention, then they take that misinformation/misundertstanding and push it forth as if it were fact.

[BorderHooner]

Thank you for the response.

The reality is my garage is only big enough for 1 medium sized economy car and has been sectioned off at the middle, by the old lady who previously lived here, to turn the rear into a small home office and storage at the front - with the garage door refitted the bike just fits in nose to tail. Just taking the forks off is going to be an act of contortionism. But I will do it.
Fork covers / gaiters sound like a very good idea.

[BorderHooner]

update - the price of £240 is actually to replace both fork seals, which is easier on the wallet

[ColoradoRod]

Wow. Sorry 'bout that, Naked Hoof.

I did, indeed, mis-read your post. You never said it took 20-30 minutes.

From my entire post including a little humor, a little information, and a little self-depricating heads-up suggestion, YOU chose to get pissed off to the extent that its seems everything but my parentage is in question.

Perhaps you might consider decaf.

Have a nice day.

Rod

[1der]

Did mine last week-end, was not so bad. It's more hype about doing the job. Just get into it and have some satisfaction when your done.
1der

[kewheels]

Where is can you buy fork gattors?

[Scott_Anderson]

Where is can you buy fork gattors?

Well, you can get the Rancho 1952 boots thru most auto stores, or online.

[Phil Marvin]

Hi, Kewheels,
If you want to go high-dollar, go to your friendly, local BMW dealer and buy 2 gaiters for the /5, /6 and/or /7 bikes at $21.76 each (Max's price on the fiche) OR, if you're a cheap SOB like me, go to your local auto parts store, one which preferably caters to the off-road crowd, and buy 2 Rancho 1952 or equivalent boots. The last ones I bought were Rancho clones and the pair cost me less than $9.00. I don't remember the brand nor the part number, but they work well and look good after 3 or 4 years on the bike. And since I installed gaiters, I have not had to replace fork seals!

[kewheels]

Thanks for both replies.