All 650Rs Front suspension service and seals

[Cláudio Nogueira]

Hello.

Maybe a silly question, but when cleaning front fork stanchions, I noticed the left one (maybe the damper side) seems not to be as dry as it was, despite I cannot say it´s leaking, otherwise I would know the answer. My bike is now 27KKm.
How long in average the seals of these forks last? How frequently stanchions should be removed and serviced? Should oil service be done only when replacing seals, or should it also be done in between seals replacement procedures?
What about steering bearings? I can imagine riding conditions have a considerable influence, but in average, do they last?

TIA

 

[Brammers]

I've got 43k miles on mine, 8 years and on the original seals.

Half the time it's dirt under the seal, rather than it being bad.

Could try one of these as a cheap alternative... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/33418632...vmSqywwmd38_ZQDx3gv1jxZ4kgN5wc4RoCzXkQAvD_BwE

J

 

[miweber929]

It all depends on where you ride and how clean the fork tubes are. I have had them go in as little as 5,000 miles, and others last 40K plus. It you get a ding in the tube, nothing will stop it from wrecking seals unless that is fixed.

Like @Brammers said MOST of the time it's dirt under the seal and cleaning it will solve. I'd try that first.

 

[Cláudio Nogueira]

Thank you both for your feedback. Good to know that if no damage or dirt ingress, they can last long.
I'm aware of the importance to keep stanchions clean, I know that from my decades of moutainbiking maintenance.
I'm always cleaning them with silicon spray and pumping the forks, to make dirt loose from outer dust seal, and ensure that no hardened bugs stay in the sliding area. But, let's see. Hope they last long.

And about the oil servicing? Any good pratice recommended? If I waint for a 30 or 40 Kmiles to do the rebuild together with the failing seals, It might be to much for the oil, right? Wouldn´t it get to much contamination from wearing internals?
In mountainbike forks, after the first maintenance, the forks get very smooth, because of braking in period and because of redoing the intenal lubrication and the contaminated oil change. But in MTBs, this is an easy 2h taks. Not here ;-(

 

[Brammers]

I change my fork oil every 3 or 4 years, probably overkill as I don't do the miles any more.

J

 

[enshiu]

82000mls I have replaced my seals. I had to replace the holding bolt for the suspension itself so it has been replaced at some point.