Fork Seal Replacement - Outer Chamber Only?

mrchilly
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mrchilly
Edited Date/Time 1/19/2019 3:29pm
I've never done fork seals before. When replacing the seals on Showa 49mm Spring forks can I just put fresh oil in the outer chamber only? In other words are the inner and outer chamber oils separate from each other? These forks have only done about 10 hours.
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DaveJ
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DaveJ 1/23/2019 7:00pm
1/23/2019 7:00pm
mrchilly wrote:
I've never done fork seals before. When replacing the seals on Showa 49mm Spring forks can I just put fresh oil in the outer chamber only...
I've never done fork seals before. When replacing the seals on Showa 49mm Spring forks can I just put fresh oil in the outer chamber only? In other words are the inner and outer chamber oils separate from each other? These forks have only done about 10 hours.
Technically you don't have to put new oil in either one. And you don't have to dump any oil out if you're just replacing the seal. There are ways.

Now...that said, maybe you're thinking about servicing the fork at the same time you have them apart. In that case, you will find that the outer fluid is dirtier and in need of replacement more often than the inner chamber oil. This is because nearly all of the "soot" in a fork comes from the spring rubbing on the inside of the lower tube.
Kawasaki-rider 1/24/2019 12:15am
1/24/2019 12:15am
mrchilly wrote:
I've never done fork seals before. When replacing the seals on Showa 49mm Spring forks can I just put fresh oil in the outer chamber only...
I've never done fork seals before. When replacing the seals on Showa 49mm Spring forks can I just put fresh oil in the outer chamber only? In other words are the inner and outer chamber oils separate from each other? These forks have only done about 10 hours.
DaveJ wrote:
Technically you don't have to put new oil in either one. And you don't have to dump any oil out if you're just replacing the seal...
Technically you don't have to put new oil in either one. And you don't have to dump any oil out if you're just replacing the seal. There are ways.

Now...that said, maybe you're thinking about servicing the fork at the same time you have them apart. In that case, you will find that the outer fluid is dirtier and in need of replacement more often than the inner chamber oil. This is because nearly all of the "soot" in a fork comes from the spring rubbing on the inside of the lower tube.
Altough, the inner chamber oil gets more heat because it travels thru the stack, and "break apart" earlier.

Change inner at the same time..
Keith72
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Keith72 1/24/2019 4:53am
1/24/2019 4:53am
Rockymountainatvmc.com has a great video describing the procedure of servicing those forks.
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DaveJ
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DaveJ 1/24/2019 8:49am
1/24/2019 8:49am
mrchilly wrote:
I've never done fork seals before. When replacing the seals on Showa 49mm Spring forks can I just put fresh oil in the outer chamber only...
I've never done fork seals before. When replacing the seals on Showa 49mm Spring forks can I just put fresh oil in the outer chamber only? In other words are the inner and outer chamber oils separate from each other? These forks have only done about 10 hours.
DaveJ wrote:
Technically you don't have to put new oil in either one. And you don't have to dump any oil out if you're just replacing the seal...
Technically you don't have to put new oil in either one. And you don't have to dump any oil out if you're just replacing the seal. There are ways.

Now...that said, maybe you're thinking about servicing the fork at the same time you have them apart. In that case, you will find that the outer fluid is dirtier and in need of replacement more often than the inner chamber oil. This is because nearly all of the "soot" in a fork comes from the spring rubbing on the inside of the lower tube.
Kawasaki-rider wrote:
Altough, the inner chamber oil gets more heat because it travels thru the stack, and "break apart" earlier.

Change inner at the same time..
Ah...great point.

The inner chamber is where all the "work" is done, or the conversion from kinetic energy to heat, so it does experience a break down...all depending on how hard and often you ride the bike.

So...with low hours and a need to just fix a seal, it's not mandatory that you replace any oil. But, if you want everything in tip top shape, then...change the fluids.
mxrose3
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mxrose3 1/25/2019 10:18am
1/25/2019 10:18am Edited Date/Time 1/25/2019 10:19am
DaveJ wrote:
Technically you don't have to put new oil in either one. And you don't have to dump any oil out if you're just replacing the seal...
Technically you don't have to put new oil in either one. And you don't have to dump any oil out if you're just replacing the seal. There are ways.

Now...that said, maybe you're thinking about servicing the fork at the same time you have them apart. In that case, you will find that the outer fluid is dirtier and in need of replacement more often than the inner chamber oil. This is because nearly all of the "soot" in a fork comes from the spring rubbing on the inside of the lower tube.
When I have been in a hurry, (at the track, between moto's..lol) I have done it without changing any oil.
But yeah, if you have the time, and while you've got the inner chamber out, change the oil in it also. Not that hard.
mrchilly
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mrchilly 1/26/2019 10:50am
1/26/2019 10:50am
Thanks for the help fellas. I followed the brilliant tutorial on Rockymountainatvmc.com and did both the inner and outer. It was actually pretty straightforward.
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rollin64caddy 1/26/2019 1:11pm
1/26/2019 1:11pm
mrchilly wrote:
Thanks for the help fellas. I followed the brilliant tutorial on Rockymountainatvmc.com and did both the inner and outer. It was actually pretty straightforward.
I did mine following along with their video a few weeks ago. Don't know why I waited so long to buy my own tools and service forks myself. Straight forward and pretty simple.

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