I need to replace the fork seals on my '99 FXDX. Has anyone done this themselves? I have the service manual, and it looks pretty simple. I've replaced dirt bike fork seals with no problem. Also, if you have done them, do you just replace the seals or do you get the whole fork leg rebuild kit?

 

Easy thing to do, get the rebuild kits for each leg; watch some Youtube vids and you can knock it right out.

 

I agree. I'd get a long 6mm non ball end hex bit for the bolts above the axle. I usually break them loose before I take the top cap off.

 

If you've done dirt bikes, you can do yours. As said above, get the kits and fresh fluid.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I figured it was pretty easy. I'm gonna order the rebuild kit this week. Hopefully the parts get here pretty quick.

 

Get the kit. You can make a fork seal installer out of pcv that works well. Or if you check Amazon you could buy the tool. When you take the damper bolt out make sure you use an impact so the damper doesn't spin

 

Take the damper bolt out before you take the fender off the bike, it keeps things from spinning. Impact gun is also a good idea, those bolts are in there tight. If you don't have one, a long allen socket is mandatory, strip those bolt heads and you are in for a long battle.

 

same-same only a little more heavier duty

I worked on small airplanes in a past life and I rebuilt the 39 mm front tubes on my 2001 FXD without any real issues except digging up a big socket. I did a total rebuild using OEM parts and serviced with 10W oil and new slider tube caps and a 3/4 inch pre-load. The only difficult part was getting those slider caps back on with that pre-load. That was a booger.

When I found out that MoCo does not sell rebuild kits for the front tubes and putting all the parts together in one order was expensive, I had gone to a local metric dealer to get the fork oil who swore to me that the Showa front tubes used on metrics was the same and kits he sold were the parts I needed. It wasn't and they they didn't work. They didn't seem to fit right from the get-go, and I just seemed to have fight it too hard to get it all back together. My real clue came when they both blew out about 5 miles into the second test run. I pulled it all back out and built my own kit using the expensive HD parts and it all went back together again smooth and easy and I have not had a problem since.

 

+ 1 on the impact

 

I will add this:

Lately, I haven't had good luck with James Gaskets fork seals. They leak, I use OEM.