Harley Fork Seal Leak Fix

Another Vice

Mike shows us how not to pick up another vice. He uses the motorcycle as the vice to remove the tubes. He says to make sure everything is clean and free of debris. He’ll remove the fork cap bolt and review the O-ring. It’s split and needs replacement. He loosens the pinch bolt clamp and lowers the tube, and then snugs the pinch bolt. He advises to take care on placement. Then he loosens the fork tube plug. He’ll loosen the pinch bolts and bring the fork to the bench to address the fork seal leak.

To the Bench

Mike has the fork tube on the bench to fix the fork seal leak. The oil has been drained; it is a conventional fork, not a cartridge-style fork. He grabs some safety glasses and removes the circlip—he explains that you do not want to damage the chrome. The lower fork screw is 6mm and he says that you need to be careful not to strip it. He drains the rest of the fluid and pulls it apart. Mark says to work clean and keep your parts in order.

Remove Old

Mark shows how to remove the old fork seal and washer and review the fork bushing on its top and bottom. If either have wear, they will need to be replaced, which Mike says shouldn’t be a problem as they’re cheap. He says to make sure your fork tube does not have wear or burrs. He shares how he runs a Scotch Brite pad along the tube to remove sharp edges and debris.

Install New

Mike then demonstrates how to pre-lube the parts and install the lower bushing, top, washer, and slider to drive the bushing into the slider. With the lower stop in place, Mike slips on the slider and the new crush washer on the 6mm screw. Mike will then seat the bushing with the fork seal driver. He will lube the fork seal and tape off the edge of the tube to make sure it does not damage the new seal. With that in place, he installs the new seal and drives it in place. He then installs a new retainer clip and makes sure it sits in place. He’ll install new fluid and it will be ready to install on the motorcycle.