Fork seals

**Gooner** · 30 Jun 08, 10:04 PM

I've just sprung yet another leak to the right fork seal on my ST3. This is the third time this year and I'm getting a wee bit fed up with it now

.
Is it just me? Just bad luck? Or does anyone else have a recurring problem with fork seals?

**Clive** · 30 Jun 08, 11:14 PM

19,500 miles on my 2006 ST3s since March 2006 and no issues to date (touch wood!!!!).

Regards

Clive

**BAZ77** · 01 Jul 08, 04:50 AM

That's pretty unusual, Gooner. Fork seals last for yonks.

Sounds like there may be some damage on the inner (lowe) fork tube to me - maybe a ding or scratch from a stone hitting it. This damage would wear the seal quite quickly.

Either that or the fork is slightly bent in some way - has the bike been down the road?

**Gooner** · 06 Jul 08, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAZ77

That's pretty unusual, Gooner. Fork seals last for yonks.

Sounds like there may be some damage on the inner (lowe) fork tube to me - maybe a ding or scratch from a stone hitting it. This damage would wear the seal quite quickly.

Either that or the fork is slightly bent in some way - has the bike been down the road?

I've had it from new and it's never been anything but upright Bazz.

Having thought about it I reckon it's likely to be a stone chip as I talked to the mechanic who services it and he says he did notice a small dink and tried to rub it out with a bit of wet & dry, but that clearly hasn't worked.

I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get a new tube - I dread to think what the cost might be but it's got to be cheaper than new seals every couple of months or worse, oil on the front wheel.

**MarkST** · 06 Jul 08, 11:50 AM

Ducati SHOWA ST2 ST4 Monster S2r 620 -800 -1000 new on eBay, also Ducati, Motorcycle Parts, Motorcycle Parts Accessories, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 10-Jul-08 13:19:51 BST)
Second hand ones come up quite regularly too.

**Gooner** · 06 Jul 08, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkST

Ducati SHOWA ST2 ST4 Monster S2r 620 -800 -1000 new on eBay, also Ducati, Motorcycle Parts, Motorcycle Parts Accessories, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 10-Jul-08 13:19:51 BST)
Second hand ones come up quite regularly too.

Thanks Mark
I think I'd go for new forks as with second hand ones you don't know the history and I might end up with the same problem - or maybe even worse!

I think I'll get the seals changed one more time and then see how it goes but I'm planning to visit Croatia (via Ducati in Bologna) later this year and I obviously need to get it sorted before then.

**MarkST** · 06 Jul 08, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gooner

Thanks Mark
I think I'd go for new forks as with second hand ones you don't know the history and I might end up with the same problem - or maybe even worse!

No probs. the ones in the link I posted are new, and a very good price !!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gooner

I think I'll get the seals changed one more time and then see how it goes but I'm planning to visit Croatia (via Ducati in Bologna) later this year and I obviously need to get it sorted before then.

Lucky sod, that sounds a great trip, you must post some pics when you get back.

**Gooner** · 29 Jul 08, 05:35 PM

Seems I can have the fork legs re-coated at a cost of circa £40 per leg. I believe they come back a slightly darker colour, but hey - it might even look better??!!

At around £300 plus labour for the new set I think it's worth going for the recoating option first. Only drawback is that I'll be without the bike for 2-3 weeks so I might be hiring one, I think I saw a thread on another forum where the costs are not too bad.

I'll let you know whether the recoating works and what it looks like when I get it back.

**dgmulti** · 29 Jul 08, 05:56 PM

If you went for the Showa Forks I think you would get the added advantage of the adjustable Damping which the standard ST3 forks are missing....!

**Mr.R** · 29 Jul 08, 08:03 PM

The fully adjustable Showa's on my '91 851 have covered over 33,000 miles on the original fork seals and I'm no jockey!
My other 851 (Also fitted with adjustable Showa's) has covered over 21,000 miles on the original seals...
Both of these bikes have had regular fork oil changes.
If your bike keeps eating fork seals there's definitely something wrong, as BAZ77 has said I think that you've probably got a nick or scratch on the chromed/Ti' coated legs or the bushes are Fcuked, allowing the legs to wobble about*.

*I found this on a FZ750 Yamaha that I'd changed the seals on twice, the surface of the sliders were perfect but the seals failed again pretty quickly, it took me a little time to work out why they were failing, once I did and changed the bushes the recurring problem went away.
Job done!

Steve R

**Gooner** · 30 Jul 08, 11:04 AM

OK guys - you've convinced me to go for the new ones and I've ordered them from Holland today.

I'll let you know how it goes, but after all your helpful comments I'm fairly sure they will be the right answer.

It's great to have a forum like this where you can get opinions from people you may never meet but who you can trust just because we share the same passion.

Thanks for all your help.

**monster_998** · 04 Aug 08, 08:29 PM

Were you using genuine or pattern replacement seals?

I used pattern ones once on my Monster and had to replace them fairly quickly - with Ducati ones which are still working 7 years later.

**Gooner** · 05 Aug 08, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster_998

Were you using genuine or pattern replacement seals?

I used pattern ones once on my Monster and had to replace them fairly quickly - with Ducati ones which are still working 7 years later.

Genuine seals Monster - I have a bit of a phobia about "wannabe" replacement parts so I usually go for the real thing.

It seems there's a chip in the leg which can't be rubbed out satisfactorily so it's not the seals at fault and hopefully the new legs will sort things out.

**Gooner** · 09 Aug 08, 11:43 AM

Name and fame!

Got the new fork legs from
eBay UK Shop - Duc Vintage Parts Gio: Bevel single parts NOS, Bevel twins parts NOS, other vintage parts
in Holland - delivered at reasonable cost inside a week - I will be using them again.

Also fitted by Parkinsons in Colchester for an hour's labour - I've always used Parky's and will continue to do so.

Total satisfaction .............. thanks to both, and to MarkST for the link.

**MarkST** · 09 Aug 08, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gooner

Name and fame!

Got the new fork legs from
eBay UK Shop - Duc Vintage Parts Gio: Bevel single parts NOS, Bevel twins parts NOS, other vintage parts
in Holland - delivered at reasonable cost inside a week - I will be using them again.

Also fitted by Parkinsons in Colchester for an hour's labour - I've always used Parky's and will continue to do so.

Total satisfaction .............. thanks to both, and to MarkST for the link.

Great stuff, I'm glad it all turned out ok in the end.
Dont forget to post lots of pics of your Croatia trip !!