Replacing Front Fork Seals & Springs on a ST1300 2018 Ep 21
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- Опубліковано 13 вер 2024
- The title says it all. My seals were shot and the front seemed to want a little beefing up so I ordered seals and heavier springs from Race Tech. Watched a tutorial on Delboy's Garage and felt I was ready to go. Three seasons later everything is still fine. Yes, you can do this at home!
Music Credit:
"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons...
thank you, i also have a ST1300 and must change the fork oil. I knew already that it is a lot of work. Thank you for your tips with your homemade rubber tool and the metal piece. That's why movies like this is a must to see 😁👌
It's not all the difficult... but it can take a little bit of time when it's the first ime you do it and it's not something we do often.
Nice tool tip for evenly seating that fork seal!
Good tutorial. I have a Wilbers 640. On the back I have a 3 way set up. Spring tensioner, Hi and Low settings like the modern Sport bikes. At front are progressive springs installed. I can set my ST1300 for a long comfortable highway trips as for a sport riding with higher pace in corners which makes riding even more fun. I never thought it could be possible to ride such a heavy bike like some sports bikes. Had before ST1100 which is in my opinion the stable bike on a high speed I ever rode, even more stable than ST1300.
I've been very happy with my ST1300 and jjust tweaking the suspension. My front was feeling a little soft, so putting in the heavier RaceTech springs with the seal change made sense. Sounds like you can take your ST into the best of both worlds.
Nicely done Jim! Indeed, a somewhat daunting task - especially on a big bike with a fairing.
I'll tackle almost anything mechanical. You're right, the most tedious task is getting all the tupperware off and then getting it back on.
Great video. I have done a number of fork seals myself. The progressive rate springs make a big difference in handling. I laughed when I saw your pvc seal driver. I have one that looks identical in my shop.
No need to spend $60-100 at a specialty shop... and my pvc pipe was left over from another project. I've only had to do this twice in the past 46 years of riding. I always feel better when I can and do tackle a job on the bike. Thanks for watching.
Some great tips here. Thank you.
Thanks for watching.
Its very unlikely that your fork seals needed replacing. My ST1300 has done 50,000 miles and 30,000 miles ago I had the beginnings of weeping folk seals. My Honda dealer told me that I needed them changed at the cost of about £500. I went to my toolkit and got out my plastic pro mate folk seal cleaner and then put the bike on center stand and used it. Ten minutes later...actually more like five minutes later I was all done and the dirt between the seals and the folk tubes was removed. Job done and it was the end of the weeping folk seals. I keep my folk tubes clean and since then I have had no return of the problem 30,000 miles and eight years later.
I would recommend that anyone does this simple task at the first signs of any weeping. Its easy and it solves the real issue easily and quickly which is dirt or grit between the seal and the fork tubes. When you get the bike back off the center stand just bounce the folks up and down a few times with your front brake applied to re-seat the folk seals again in case you didn't do the cleaning carefully enough and kinked the seal.
This winter I will probably use the plastic seal cleaner as I have a bit of weeping on one fork. I'll do an oil change as well. Since I was going to change the fork springs for something heavierr, I thought it would be a good time to change the seals too.
@@OldGuyonaBike Yeah sounds like a sensible thing to do if you plan to change one thing then it's also a good idea to do the lot in one go.
Try to keep your fork tubes clean on a regular basis as part of your regular maintenance. They are too often ignored and at the first signs of any smearing on the chrome which indicates a film of oil then I would always use a plastic fork seal cleaner which 95% of the time cures the issues in just a few minutes. It's good bike maintenance and fork seals should last the lifetime of the bike as long as the bike is not used off road or on unpaved roads and the tubes cleaned and polished once a month.
Thanks for the great detailed video.
Thanks... I will try almost anything.
Your own home made pvc oil driver is a super idea !!! :-)
And cheap! Thanks... I did steal the idea off another video.
Thanks for the video! Wery helpfull👍🏼
Great video.
Thank you. I'm not the best mechanic, but I will almost tackle anything.
Well done. My kind of maintenance project... I just need to be in the right frame of mind, with a lot of coffee available and keep l\keep the soft music on in the background to keep my mood all on an even keel. Patience and a strong determination to never, never apply BFI .
Coffee is a must... no distilled spirits until you are cleaning the tools off at the end of the job.
Thank’s for nice video. I wonder what is that bike lift, would you be able to do a small review? It say’s Black Jack 1500 but can’t find it online. Seems very handy and compact tool.
Thanks for watching. I picked that lift up at Costco about 20 years ago. There are lots of variations of it available. www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-ATV-Jack-Lift-Stand-Quad-Dirt-Street-Bike-Hoist-1500-Lbs-New-/182374103300 www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-motorcycle-atv-jack-1500-lbs-0091015p.html#srp www.princessauto.com/en/detail/big-red-1-500-lb-atv-motorcycle-lift/A-p8319956e I think I got mine on sale well under $100 but that was 20 years ago. I've seen similar on sale from $129-175 Cdn. I was thinking of doing a video on it when I get the bike set up later this month for maintenance.
Good job mate!
Thanks... it's hard to get up a rhythm for a fork spring change when you have only done it once before on a different bike 25 years previously.
Race tech recommends 25MM of preload on your new Race Tech springs, not sure if you cut the stock spacers shorter, but if you didnt, you may have way too much preload sir.
Hmmm. I think I actually did the replacement in 2017, so memory may be hazy. I know I followed all the instuctions from RaceTech but I don't recall cutting any spacers. Maybe my preload is too much, all I know is in the last 100,000 kms, she's always felt responsive and handles better than the stock springs for my weight. I'll have to check if I do another replacement in 50,000 kms or so.
Hi. Good video, thanks! I’m about to buy a neglected ST1300 and was wondering about the jack you’re using. Thanks
It's an old "Black Jack" jack. Lot's of similar ones on the market. I run the bike up on 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood under the tires to get the clearance I need to get the jack under the bike. To balance the biike, I lift it under the oil pan and the the folded centre stand. I have a 3/4" thick piece of hardwood for the centre stand portion to even it out with the oil pan. Works well.
Thank you very much!
good video I like delboy as well
Thanks. Lots of good Delboy videos for referencing and getting one's bearings on maintenance. My go to.
Thanks for the vid. What was the gap measurement for your homemade "compression tool"?
That was a while ago. I'll have to check, I'm sure I still have it in my garage.
Finally got out to the shed. I never throw anything away. 3/8" gap and the channel was 2" and a touch deep.
@@OldGuyonaBike thank you!
I didn't see you crack the nut at thebottom of the forks, how did you do that, did you need an air wrench?
Such a long time ago... If I remember right, that bolt is an allen head and I just used my ratchet. I think I saw another video that suggested cracking that bolt when the fork was still assembled in case the rod and spring would turn when you were trying to loosen it. I know the manual suggests cracking the fork caps when they were still clamped in place.
@@OldGuyonaBike ok thanks for that
Great video thank you. I just got the bike and I was wandering were can you. Place the jack to lift the bike up? I can see in mine only fairings thank you.
Glad you found my channel. I will be doing some maintenance over this winter and expect to do some more detailed videos on getting the bike up on the lift that I have.
The bottom edge of the lower fairings is higher than the flat bottom of the engine, so you can use a floor jack to lift using the bottom of the engine.
Did this on my RD400 Yamaha and H2750 Kawasaki oh so many years ago. A little simpler but the same basic process. The Kawasaki fork was crap the Yamaha somewhat better. There were better springs available but that was it.
Only the 2nd time ever doing fork springs. Did them in my old BMW R/75... many, many years ago. Not a difficult job, but tedious like a lot of good maintenance.
Great Video - lots of good tips. It says in the workshop manual that the fairing side panels should be removed. However, in the video it looks like you have managed to remove and install the forks with removing the fairings. Did you find this restrictive and would you suggest it better to remove the fairings? John
I did not find it too difficult to get at everything with the fairing pieces still on. I know some owners are really quick with getting all the plastic on and off... I'm not one of them.
I am the same - slow to remove the fairings removed. thanks for your reply.
Good to watch your very clever making do with what’s at hand. I’m guessing you’re retired now maybe, it’s only a guess not meaning to offend. What did you do for a living if you don’t mind me asking. You upload lots of different things and they’re all great.
Thanks for watching. Not quite but very, very close to retirement or as I like to think of it, my next career mostly doing what I want to do. I've been a theatre technician for the past 45 years and an instructor during the last 22 of those. I have a big interest in both photography and film. I have high hopes of now being able to get off the grid as I will only be working for myself so to speak. Heaven knows where it is all going to take me.
Old Guy on a Bike thanks for replying 45 years that a big achievement. I hope when I retire my days will be filled with what I want to do, like bikes, camping and travel. Looking forward to the next upload 👍
I've got a 07 ST and I'm looking for progress springs. You used RaceTech springs. Can you give me the parts numbers of the spring you used? What year is your ST? Are you happy with the up grade?
Thanks
Johnny
I think I actually did the upgrade in 2017 and found the video to edit in 2018... Knowing me, the box is in the garage somewhere buried with the old OEM springs in it. I had used Progressive Suspension springs on my old BMW R75/5 years and years ago but they had nothing in their catalogue to fit the ST. Mine's an '05. Found Race Tech and they have a pretty good website and several choices and a chart to help pick. I weigh 240 lbs. and like my front suspension pretty stiff. I remember I went with their heaviest spring at the time and just checking now I would have ordered FRSP S3827-100 along with their recommended collars. I found a great improvement in handling as I always found the stock forks a little soft. Hope that helps.