Fork stanchions worn/replace

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freefly103

freefly103

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Leaking fork seal on the left side. Decided to strip and have a look.

The stanchions are one of the few items that came with the bike that haven’t been replaced.

Reflection makes it difficult to see, but they don’t look great. Fair amount of wear has removed the finish. Also, the left fork slider had a lot of dirt in it at the bottom. A sign that the stanchion is letting dirt in past the fork seal.

Thinking that they need to be replaced with a new pair.
 

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Andover sells stanchions for GBP60 each.

RGM 's are GBP70 for a pair.

Seems like a big difference for the same item.
 
I have seen other stanchions beside AN stanchions and the quality difference was plain to see.
AN tubes are $330 a pair down this way and you get what you pay for but the chinatubes will still hold the front end up and and leave money for a month of takeaway.

In saying that, the original 850 stanchions were in surprisingly good condition for their age, next to no wear, no rust so only time will tell how the modern counterparts go.

If someone was 60 years old and doing minimal mileage, a more economical stanchion would not be a bad decision unless it started to wear and you ended up buying two sets that cost more than quality set.
The material spec would have some bearing as would quality hard chrome and most likely Churchill grinding.
The tubes I compared, the cheaper although OK looked cheaper to the eye, which would last longer who would know.

There is a good reason to clean the forks at an oil change, not all wear is stiction but the muck inside the fork.
 
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Those legs in the pics don't look too bad. Usually unless there's a ding that cuts the seal or the chrome plating is worn through from upper bushing friction, a little polishing is all they need.

If you look at hard-chromed inner tubes on heavy equipment hydraulic cylinders, the plating is satin finish, likely to better lap to the seal and retain a film of lubricant.
 
My originals didn't look all that bad, but when running my hands over them I could feel very small nicks in the chrome from gravel and such which resulted in new seals beginning to leak within a short period. Tried to smooth them out with very fine emery & crocus to a point which they were no longer felt. The leaking persisted until the stanchions were replaced with some which look to be good( 100USD pair). Time shall tell about the serpents in the wishing well though.
 
Seals are fairly new, and bike has less than a couple of thousand miles since they were installed.

The left side leaks fairly noticeably.

I've ordered the AN stanchions.
 
freefly103 said:
I've ordered the AN stanchions.
Click to expand...

Well played.
These are a set I can only assume I got by mistake but to long ago to trace ( I only buy AN)

For a budget build they would probably be fine until they started to play up due to not being round or uniform or perhaps they need 'running in.
If you get a good bush and slide it up and down the stanchion it catches and leaves tell tale spots.
The last AN tubes I used had excellent clearance bush to tube and after a normal set up, no mechanical stiction, the stock type seals changed that but they were replaced for next to none.


Fork stanchions worn/replace
 
Last year I got a set from AN, the tubes OD's measured at the factory lower limit, I used them anyways,Ashley said they would measure the tubes they have to ensure a person would get tubes speced to the upper limit(if they had such tubes), but I just used the ones I got.
 
I’m ashamed to admit that the gaiters on my /5 bought me an extra year of leaky fork seals. Out of sight, out of mind.
 
How about me?... I'd gotten my oilite bushings & new stanchions, which were perfect fit, and didn't check anything else..... I don't toss the mic's on things unless questions arise... I'm not ashamed though.
Gaiters are the motorcycle equivalent of sliced bread too. Gonna stick some on the wing before it goes back on the road.
 
To avoid wear - use non metallic bushings (not just coated metallic bushings). And gaiters of course.
 
marshg246 said:
Can you tell the story of those wheels. I generally like everything stock, but I sure like those wheels!
Click to expand...
Here goes; Wife and I toured years ago, built OEM wheels with Bucananan's stainless spokes, kept breaking rear ones,they could care less, found the new Lesters , spent a week mounting them, no more problems and have tubeless tires to boot ( two CB750 front 19" Lester's modified to fit)
 
jimbo said:
Here goes; Wife and I toured years ago, built OEM wheels with Bucananan's stainless spokes, kept breaking rear ones,they could care less, found the new Lesters , spent a week mounting them, no more problems and have tubeless tires to boot ( two CB750 front 19" Lester's modified to fit)
Click to expand...
I was afraid you would say Lesters - best I can tell they are no longer available. The very late Triumph T140Ds used them (I think). Never thought to look for Jap bikes to have them. Thanks!
 
it took a lot to get them to work and I lost my cush drive, that causes stress on the trans. But if you don't hammer it too much its OK.
 
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