The BSA A7-A10 Forum

Technical (Descriptive Topic Titles - Stay on Topic) => Frame => Topic started by: shabashow on 13.02. 2018 16:38

Title: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: shabashow on 13.02. 2018 16:38
Hi folks,
While I've got my forks off the bike to upgrade my steering head to tapered roller bearings I noticed that some oil was leaking from one of the oil seals, so I'll dismantle them further to put in new seals. The chrome oil seal holder has been rubbing against the shroud and starting to wear through to the base metal. As well as that , I'll probably make a hash of unscrewing them from the bottom bits, so I'll most likely need to replace them. I see that there are chrome ones and stainless ones available.

Any advantage to the stainless ones? They're a bit more pricey than the chrome ones, but will they be more resistant to wear from the shrouds?

While I'm on, do you guys (and any gals out there) have any tips on getting the shrouds 'straight' so they don't rub? One's rubbed the seal holder, as I've described, the other rubs the mudguard.

thanks,

John
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: beezermacc on 13.02. 2018 18:30
Chrome v stainless? With stainless you won't get rust after they've rubbed a bit. Also the salt won't do stainless much harm. If you don't take your bike out in the wet you may be OK with chrome. In the end you have to judge whether it's worth paying the extra for stainless. Regarding the fit of the shrouds. I wrap a few layers of masking tape around the fork seal holders so that they become a snug fit inside the shrouds, then tighten the shrouds. If you enlarge the holes where the shrouds are bolted through the bottom yoke you get a bit of wriggle room to centralise the shrouds on the seal holders.
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: muskrat on 13.02. 2018 19:29
Stainless for mine.
Use the proper fork seal holder tool to remove and replace the seal holders. Bottom of this page https://tinyurl.com/y79p4mxk
The design flaw with the seal holder/forks is that water finds its way in and is trapped atop of the seals. It dosen't take long for the stanchions and seal holders to start rusting. Beezermacc's method of masking tape will help slow it down.
Cheers 
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: KiwiGF on 13.02. 2018 23:26
Hi folks,
While I've got my forks off the bike to upgrade my steering head to tapered roller bearings I noticed that some oil was leaking from one of the oil seals, so I'll dismantle them further to put in new seals. The chrome oil seal holder has been rubbing against the shroud and starting to wear through to the base metal. As well as that , I'll probably make a hash of unscrewing them from the bottom bits, so I'll most likely need to replace them. I see that there are chrome ones and stainless ones available.

Any advantage to the stainless ones? They're a bit more pricey than the chrome ones, but will they be more resistant to wear from the shrouds?

While I'm on, do you guys (and any gals out there) have any tips on getting the shrouds 'straight' so they don't rub? One's rubbed the seal holder, as I've described, the other rubs the mudguard.

thanks,

John

I bought chrome ones from draganfly, a few years back admittedly, a large piece of chrome peeled off within a year....I’d fit stainless if I were you.....
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: Billybream on 14.02. 2018 05:09
I really struggled to find decent chrome ones, the quality of the plating was poor, so go stainless, the finish on mine gives an appearance of chrome with no worries regarding corrosion.
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: shabashow on 14.02. 2018 10:35
Thanks for all the advice and masking tape trick, looks like stainless is the way to go. Better raid that piggy bank!
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: Butch (cb) on 14.02. 2018 12:08
Yeah - the chrome versions on mine are about 10 years old and just getting mangy enough I'm thinking of replacing. Gonna go stainless I reckon.
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: BSARGS650 on 14.02. 2018 12:26
Mmmm..Got to be stainless steel, fit and forget.  Chrome plating is not the quality it was years ago....
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: BritTwit on 14.02. 2018 14:09
Be warned if you go aftermarket chrome.  If from India, not only is the chrome bad, the threads are atrocious.  I had to work them with valve lapping paste in order to get them to seat.  Same with fork bushings.  Add an extra hour for honing a set to fit properly.
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: Rex on 14.02. 2018 15:37
Yep, got that T-shirt!
The chrome on a Triumph set I bought peeled off like sunburnt skin...and that was while I was screwing them on by hand!
So, anyone recommend a source for a pair of stainless jobs?
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: Billybream on 14.02. 2018 18:47
Barleycorn make them in s/steel and they are not much more expensive than the chrome versions with good quality form and fit
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: Tomcat on 15.02. 2018 09:27
Beezermacc has them too https://sites.google.com/site/priorymagnetos/front-forks---cowl-type
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: duTch on 15.02. 2018 09:50

 
Quote
Beezermacc has them too https://sites.google.com/site/priorymagnetos/front-forks---cowl-type

 Is beezermacc currently trading at the moment though- last word I saw he's in hiatus ?
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: Rex on 15.02. 2018 13:20
Port au Prince or somewhere further out? *eek*
Title: Re: Chrome vs Stainless fork oil seal holder
Post by: morris on 15.02. 2018 21:39

 
Quote
Beezermacc has them too https://sites.google.com/site/priorymagnetos/front-forks---cowl-type

 Is beezermacc currently trading at the moment though- last word I saw he's in hiatus ?

Yep. Back in business. Just received a box of parts I ordered from him last week.