Fork stanchion repair

[drix]

Hi guys

My second TRX came with a set of Thundercat forks fitted and after blowing two seals in very little time, I took a closer look to the stanchion and here is what I found:



Is a home repair possible here (if so, how/which techniques?) or should I go down a rechroming/professional repair or source another set of forks?

Cheers
Adrien

[Snod Blatter]

I know this doesn't answer your question (sorry!) but I wouldn't expect that to give any trouble at all. Are you using NOK seals or rubbish from somewhere else?

On topic: Some people have filled little nicks with superglue or epoxy such as Araldite. It's a definite bodge though, can't expect it to last a long time.

[drix]

Haven't used OEM seals here.

It's got a slight sharp edge to it and is more or less where the seal sits so it is an issue, I'm guessing a screwdriver/hammer was used in the past to fit the seal in it's place but must've slipped..

[Snod Blatter]

Right, I understand the picture a bit better now. I don't really know what you could do about that, the normal bodges are for filling in pits not repairing damage like that.

You could get a replacement stanchion, Wemoto seem to be selling them for £112.50. No idea how much rechroming is, bet it's about the same though!

[highlander]

You can get a better price (~£140 for both) if you are happy to strip and rebuild yourself, send stripped stanchions to people such as:

http://www.dynasurf.co.uk/motorcycle-forks

http://www.brooksuspension.co.uk/motorc ... -legs.html

[drix]

Rechroming sounds like the better/trouble free option and can take of the stripping/rebuild myself. Sanding the sharp edge down would still leave me with a small gap and epoxy/loctite filling sounds like a real bodge.

The stanchion is upside down on the photo btw

[dicky]

The stanchion is upside down on the photo btw

If it was right way up I'd believe the bit about slipping with a screwdriver while driving in the seals.
Being upside down makes me think that the fork has hit something, rather than something has hit the fork.
If you've got the fork pulled apart you might want to check if the stanchions are still straight.

[Mincehead]

Hi guys

My second TRX came with a set of Thundercat forks fitted and after blowing two seals in very little time, I took a closer look to the stanchion and here is what I found:



Is a home repair possible here (if so, how/which techniques?) or should I go down a rechroming/professional repair or source another set of forks?

Cheers
Adrien

Dress the stanchion with an oil stone, then blend it in with fine grade wet and dry. If there`s an area `under diameter` Dremel it a little deeper, leave the area rough and fill with a good car body filler. After it`s cured dress it down again to stanchion diameter and it`ll last quite a while, (I know folk who run gaiters over filled stanchions that have been done years) giving you time to find another stanchion or organise re-chroming and grinding of the original .

[dandywarhol]

Dress it and fill with Araldite epoxy resin. When fully cured, smooth down with 800/1000 grit wet or dry paper until you can't feel it with your nail. Done loads of trials bike forks that way and they get a harder time than a road bike.

[drix]

I decided to avoid any filling for now and gently smoothed the scratch instead with some 1200 grit wet & dry. It's been holding up fine for 150miles so far and the upper part of the stanchion has remained oil free... Let's see how it goes on the longer run.