Fork bushings

[biggercb]

I have a 2003 yz450f...A couple years ago had the suspension revalved and resprung for my weight. Due to life circumstances..I have been to the Little Sahara dunes two weekends, and went to ride the desert outside New Mexico two weekends, and have been to the local mx track two seperate days.

I am not a big jumper at the dunes and I am not a fast guy on the track.

My fork seals were leaking and I took it into the local shop to be fixed and they told me my fork bushings were worn and needed replaced.

My question is: Is the sand that hard on forks? Is there something else going on to wear the bushings out so fast?

Thanks for the info!

[Wooded]

I ride a lot of sand and I haven't seen any abnormal wear from the sand I ride in. If anything sand is worse for embedding itself in the Teflon not wearing them down. We're talking really small stuff not a normal grain of sand.

I see most bushing wear come from bigger guys. Also your forks not being aligned, and not changing the oil frequently can also wear them out. Some shops just change them while there in there.

[crf450319]

Hey,

You can replace the fork seals without any specialized tools, although these make life much easier :

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TUSK-KYB-DUAL-CHAMBER-FORK-CAP-WRENCH-YZ250F-YZ450F-/330804626735?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d057e052f&vxp=mtr

and :

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTORCYCLE-FORK-SEAL-DRIVER-TOOL-48MM-KX-KTM-RMZ-YZ-/390396624505?forcev4exp=true&forceRpt=true

Part 1 :

Part 2 - skip from the beginning of this one until 3:20 if you don't want to take the inner cartridge apart :

It's not a hard job at all, and doesn't take a lot of time either. What shops around here charge to replace fork seals is ludicrous. I went from replacing my own fork seals, to changing the oil in the inner cartridge, to servicing my shock. I'm the go to guy for most of my buddy's now, which isn't always a good thing...

[grayracer513]

That video is not specific to the '03 fork. The vid is for a later twin chamber fork. The '03 is an open chamber, and changing the seals and bushings is a simpler process if you leave the cartridge in the bottom of the fork.

[crf450319]

Cartridge type fork seal change :

part 2 :

[biggercb]

Thanks! Sweet videos!