Fork cap rubber seal?

[GrahamB]

Does anyone know if the rubber O ring that seals the top fork cap is available on its own? One of mine seems to have given up & I have fork oil weeping out onto the top yoke. 

[Tmation]

O Rings are normally easy to get ust take the part and the old O ring to a good engineering suppliers (normally one on mos big industrial estates) they should be able to sort you out.


Or try a suspension specialist if there is one nearby.

[AyJay]

I had exactly the same problem on both forks. It wasn't the seals though, it was salt corrosion in the fork leg top. Just inside the leg, it was starting to get a bit lumpy with crystalline deposits, so I cleaned the top 5mm of the leg scrupulously, popped the fork tops back on and 18 months later, still no sign of the leak reoccurring.


I think salt water from our disastrous weather sits in the groove if your fork legs are flush with the yoke, so I've pulled mine just clear to stop it happening again.

[fazer390]

Hi GrahamB
I used a guy called Mark Hammond to refurbish my rear shock & front forks and also set them up to my weight and riding style.
Anyway, he's got hundreds of O rings on the shelf. If you take him your bike I'm sure he'll replace it for you for penuts.
Really nice guy and very good by the way...
http://www.mhracing.com/
 

[GrahamB]

Thank you all for advice. My forks tops are 15mm above the yoke from memory. I will strip them both for inspection when I get the time. I will confess to landing the front wheel very heavily after a fairly spirited 2nd gear.. .  incident? I think the problem started from that moment. It was such a heavy landing that the float in my fuel tank became jammed. I had to get a magnet in there to free it off!
 Have neglected the Fazer slightly these last few months as I've been concentrating on getting my FZ750 ready for its first MOT in nearly 10 years!

[AyJay]

Probably not corrosion then, Graham! Lovely FZ750. I had such a hankering for one when they came out, they just seemed to look right, what with that canted engine and half fairing. And here I am with a Fazer thou... wonder if there's a connection there...

[GrahamB]

Thanks AyJay. I'm certain there is a connection. The FZ was the blueprint for nearly all of Yamaha's sports bikes right up until recently when they stopped using 5 valve heads. I love mine. 

[AyJay]

Yes, Graham, I was being a bit tongue in cheek. There's a direct line from that 5 valve bike to the Genesis 1000, FZS 1000 a line that was ended by the 4 valve 2007 R1. They all shared a similar architecture and what a fine family of bikes they were. But it was your FZ that started it all and it's iconic for that reason. I remember visiting the motorcycle show in 1985 when it was launched and it was just so exciting - 5 valve heads, canted engine, perimeter frame - it just looked like the future. And it was for 22 years.


Keep it well. It's a very important bike.