Paper washer in front forks

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

edward

Joined
Jan 3, 2013
Messages
91
Country flag
How important is the paper washer between the top hat bush and the oil seal in the front forks? The guy I bought the seals from in our local bike shop reckons no one bothers to put them in anymore.
 
LOL to knee slapping question that you may well be the first to actually find out for the rest of us to actually accept as possible to add to expanding deleted reason list.
 
Edward,

I find that these paper washers are needed to stop leaks. They may look cheep but the paper is effective.
Cheers,
Thomas
CNN
 
Paper washer is the first line of defence against oil ,the seal lower edge seats on the paper to prevent oil passing between the upper bush and the seal edge.
But as the seal as a good fit in the slider bore,oil will weep past where the paper "would seal" BUT end is migration there..its just belt and brace's.
If someome as gouged the slider seal bore, the paper will help.
 
I have been wondering about that paper gasket myself. According to the Norton 850 Mark II/IIA Supersession Part List, that paper washer is not listed. However, the oil seal Part No. is 065483. Looking at the earlier Commando part number for the oil seal it is NM.17713. According to the Norton/Triumph Supersession and Amended Part Number List, that oil seal part number is listed as 06-7687. That leads me to believe that the new oil seal part number has something built in the oil seal that takes the place of the paper gasket. Once again I checked the Andover Norton website and they said that the NM.17713 oil seal part number translates to the 065483 number. So to answer your question, I have no idea if there is a mistake in the Parts Supersession list in that they forgot to list the paper gasket or what. I would be inclined to put the paper gasket in anyway and not worry about it.
 
PeterJoe said:
That leads me to believe that the new oil seal part number has something built in the oil seal that takes the place of the paper gasket.
Click to expand...

Bingo :!: PeterJoe you are right, there are two types of original AN fork seals: one with a sharp metal edge at the bottom (this is the one to use with the paper) and one with a rubberised bottom (no paper needed) :idea:
 
I believe it is there to protect the oil seal from being damaged from tightening the top nut.
 
PeterJoe said:
According to the Norton 850 Mark II/IIA Supersession Part List, that paper washer is not listed. However, the oil seal Part No. is 065483.

According to the Norton/Triumph Supersession and Amended Part Number List, that oil seal part number is listed as 06-7687.

Once again I checked the Andover Norton website and they said that the NM.17713 oil seal part number translates to the 065483 number. So to answer your question, I have no idea if there is a mistake in the Parts Supersession list in that they forgot to list the paper gasket or what.
Click to expand...

The paper gasket is listed for 850 MkIII, along with oil seal 065483.

http://www.nortonmotors.de/ANIL/Norton% ... &Plate=021

Item: FT. FORK OIL SEAL NM17713
Part Number: 065483
Price: £2.35

Item: PAPER WASHER NMT 1049
Part Number: 067520
Price: £0.25

---------------------------------
GENERIC NORTON PART

This item is not related to a specific model of bike
PART NUMBER: 067687

DESCRIPTION: (USE 065483) NM17713
Click to expand...
 
doc » Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:17 pm
I believe it is there to protect the oil seal from being damaged from tightening the top nut.
Click to expand...

Now that is the one and only explanation I can accept, so mystery finally solved, at least for me.
Those very same thin paper rings were supplied with the now unavailable RGM fork brace that has eccentric bushes to fine tune alignment to stanchions spacing so acted as shims to seat the actual seal retaining nut on its correct free position. They only last for a couple of undoing so found i could make more by using a ball point pen to trace em out until the paper cut through.
 
The seal and bushing kit I ordered doesn't have this gasket. It has the seals with the thin metal ridge on the bottom. I am wondering whether to install without, make some out of the .03 gasket paper I have, or just use an index card.
Brendan
 
I am wondering whether to install without, make some out of the .03 gasket paper I have, or just use an index card.
Brendan
Click to expand...

LOL good one Brendant but its your call so surprise us and tell us if ya can tell.
Now which grade or weight of paper would be the best?
 
Well I have done enough searching and looking at the parts that I won't sweat the lack of a gasket. I am now more concerned by lack of the 39 cent fibre washer on the bottom of the damper rods. Off to the hardware plumbing section to see what I can find.
Brendan
 
Brendan S said:
The seal and bushing kit I ordered doesn't have this gasket. It has the seals with the thin metal ridge on the bottom. I am wondering whether to install without, make some out of the .03 gasket paper I have, or just use an index card.
Brendan
Click to expand...

Are you using the index cards with lines one them, or the plain kind? If you use the ones with lines, does the side with the lines face up or down?
 
Brendan S said:
Well I have done enough searching and looking at the parts that I won't sweat the lack of a gasket. I am now more concerned by lack of the 39 cent fibre washer on the bottom of the damper rods. Off to the hardware plumbing section to see what I can find.
Brendan
Click to expand...
I have successfully used a nylon washer before. Some trimming was need to fit snugly to the bottom of the damper. Various thicknesses are readily found in the nut and bolt section of the hardware store.

As far as the paper washer is concerned, an index card seems waaaayyy too thick compared to the oem item.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top