If your bike is leaking oil around the front wheels, the fork seals are likely the culprit.
Once that happens, the only fix is to replace the seals.
In most cases, that will also mean replacing the fork oil, the dust seals, the fork seal driver, and the fork spring compressor at the same time – to prevent having to take the forks off in the near future.
Here, the average cost of replacing fork seals is about $250. That ranges from $50-$200 for a DIY job to over $500 if you go to a dealership. In most cases, the largest part of the job is the labor of getting the forks off, which can cost $250 on its own.
The table below shows a quick price comparison of fork seal replacement cost estimates from reputable suppliers:
Supplier | Fork Seals | Cost of Labor |
---|---|---|
Dealership | $25-$258 | $285-$580 |
Motorcycle Specialist | $17-$220 | $70-$300 |
Mechanic | $10-$200 | $90-$300 |
Walmart | $6.96-$73 | NA |
Amazon | $3.99-$109 | NA |
AutoZone | $7.99+ | NA |
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How Much Does Fork Seal Replacement Cost?*
Eventually, the cost of your fork seal replacement will depend on the amount of work to take the forks off the bike. In addition, you might pay anywhere from a few dollars to over $50 for the seals.
You’ll also need new fluid and likely other parts as well like new dust seals, which can add to the cost.
The following chart details the costs to replace fork seals on popular motorbikes.
Bike | Fork Seal Cost | Cost of Labor |
---|---|---|
Honda Shadow | $13.99-$69.99 | $150-$350 |
Yamaha R6 | $18-$90 | $60-$340 |
Honda CBR 1000RR | $16-$65 | $50-$395 |
Suzuki GSX R 1000 | $12-$65 | $70-$595 |
Yamaha R1 | $10-$68 | $75-$341 |
Ducati Diavel | $14-$171 | $95-$441 |
Harley Davidson Fat Bob | $25-$95 | $300-$594 |
Kawasaki Ninja ZX -6R | $14-$148 | $70-$268 |
Suzuki GSX | $12-$45 | $95-$522 |
Honda CBR 600 RR | $11-$61 | $139-$504 |
*Prices are estimates and were correct at the time of writing (January 2023). Cost estimates may have changed since, our figures should be used as a starting point for your own research.
Fork Seal Replacement Pricing Factors
In most cases, the most important cost factor in replacing fork seals is the cost of labor. Here, you can pay several hundred dollars for the job, especially if the dealer has to take the forks off.
However, there are other considerations as well.
Make and Model of Bike
The make and model of the bike will impact costs in two ways.
The first is that different bikes are built differently. If you’re taking off the forks, you’ll have to dismantle the covers and parts around the forks.
On some bikes, that can be a lot of paneling. On others, there’s nothing at all. So, breaking down a Harley Fat Boy normally means removing covers and the job will likely take at least 2 hours.
However, on your average dirt bike, removing the forks will take an hour at most.
Cost of Labor
Most motorcycle repair shops will charge anywhere from $50-$100 per hour of work. On average, you’ll receive a quote for about 3 hours for a motorbike with forks on.
If the forks are off, replacing the seals will normally be their minimum amount of work – usually about an hour.
Of course, you can find cheaper labor. However, dealerships will consistently charge $200-$400 for the job.
Most mechanics or low-end motorbike repair shops will charge around $100. And, average rates at motorcycle shops will be about $180-$200 for labor.
Forks On or Off
If you take the forks off yourself, you can often greatly save on labor. However, that will involve most of the work of the job.
If you get that far, most people prefer to simply change the seals themselves. However, if you don’t know what you’re doing and want to ensure the job is done right, you can always take your forks in and have the seals replaced there.
Type of Part
Fork seals normally start out at around $10 for a pair. However, costs can vary a great deal.
For example, if you want Ducati original equipment seals, you’re normally looking at about $170 for the kit. Of course, you don’t have to buy the original equipment options but they do cost more.
For most brands, like Honda, Suzuki, and Kawasaki, OEM seals will cost around $65 for the seals, or an average of $40-$50 more than aftermarket options.
There are also advantages to buying original equipment manufacturer parts, in that you know they are made for your bike. The original quality will normally be preferred.
However, if you’re not sure, you can always ask your mechanic what they prefer or recommend.
The older your bike, the less likely it is that you care anyway. For example, unless the parts are made of low-quality rubber, they should fit well.
If you’re planning on a resale, you might also want to ensure you stick to the original factory parts.
Extra Parts
It’s uncommon to take the bike forks off and not replace other parts. Here, the dust seals are the largest concern.
In fact, the most common reason for fork seals leaking is faulty dust seals. These parts cost a few dollars and usually about $10 for the pair.
However, the fork seal driver will normally cost around $80-$120. You don’t have to replace this, but doing so can prevent you from having to take the forks off again sooner.
You can try inspecting your driver or asking for recommendations if you’re not sure. In addition, the fork seal springs may require replacement. However, these parts usually cost less than $30.
This means that if you replace everything, you probably have to spend $100-$200 in parts or up to $250 if you buy everything from the original equipment manufacturer.
Of course, it won’t greatly add to labor costs to have everything done at once, so you’ll likely only pay slightly more in labor costs.
For example, if you want to replace the fork seals, you have to take the dust seals and fork seal springs out anyway. Replacing them with new ones won’t add to total costs except for the additional $20-$50 in parts.
4 Signs Of Bad Fork Seals
If your fork seals are going out, you’ll probably notice the leakage.
However, there are other signs that are more serious than leakage, and that usually means something is seriously wrong.
1. Leakage
If your fork seals are leaking, it’s a good sign that they are going out. Here, you’ll notice oil around the dust seal at the bottom of the forks.
That could be some slight oozing or buildup. It could also be a constant and steady drip. The more oil there is, the more seriously you should take the issue.
However, it’s important to note that some leakage is normal. Your dust seals will likely never be oil free. On the other hand, you should be able to stop leakage by cleaning around the dust seals.
Here, most leaks are caused by dust buildup, debris, or something getting into the dust seal.
You might also want to inspect the dust seal to ensure it isn’t cracked, torn, or perforated. If so, it could be causing the leak.
However, if cleaning the seal doesn’t fix the issue, you probably have to replace the fork seals.
2. Bad Brakes
If your fork seals are leaking badly enough, they will drip oil onto the front wheel and onto your main brake caliper. In most bikes, the fork seals are situated just above the caliper.
This means that when you try to stop, the brakes are actually lubricated. Most motorbikes and dirt bikes use the front wheel for most of the stopping force of the bike.
If your brakes are slow to stop or even slip, it’s a good time to inspect the brakes for wear and tear, and signs of oil.
3. Poor Shock Absorption
The bike forks function in the same way as the shocks in your car. They absorb shock using the springs and the fluid. If the fluid is low, the spring is on its own.
Here, the oil functions to prevent the spring from oscillating after you go over a bump. It stabilizes your die and absorbs shock.
If the fluid is low, you’ll notice your bike is more difficult to handle when going over bumps and that it responds more poorly to shock and bumps. If that’s happening, it’s a good time to check the fluid in the forks.
4. Unbalanced Bike
If just one fork seal goes bad, you’ll have poor handling because of imbalanced shock absorption. That can make your bike extremely difficult to handle when you go over bumps because only half the fork is properly absorbing shock.
You’ll also notice issues while corning, although issues will likely be worse in the direction of the bad seal.
How Do You Replace Fork Seals? (Video)
Replacing fork seals is something you may be able to do yourself. However, you have to have a jack or lift to hold your bike, as you’ll have to take the forks off.
In addition, some vehicles will require a fork pull or wrench to remove the forks. If you know what you’re doing, this job will likely take about one to two hours. If you don’t, you can expect it to take longer.
Things you’ll need:
- Torque wrench
- Screwdriver set
- Ratchet set
- Wrench set
- Fork seal and grease
- Fork fluid (5w is most common but check your manual)
- Drain pan
- Suspension/shock cleaner
Process:
- Check the rebound clicker setting by turning the clicker with a flathead screwdriver until it stops. Write down the number of clicks. Use this setting when putting your bike back together.
- Remove parts that are in the way. For example, the fenders and paneling.
- Loosen the brake calipers by undoing the bolt.
- Support your bike on a hoist or bike hack if you haven’t already, so that the front end is off the ground.
- Remove the brake calipers.
- Loosen the front axle.
- Remove the front wheel.
- Remove the brake hose clamps if they are in the way.
- Loosen the fork cap on top of each leg by loosening them. If you have pressurized seals, you’ll have to bleed the air first. Check your bike’s repair manual.
- Loosen the clamp on the fork legs. This is normally controlled by two bolts on a triple clamp. This may be hidden under electronics and dashboard elements on top of the bike. In this case, you’ll have to remove those parts. Some also use pinch bolts.
- In some bikes, you’ll have to remove the screw running through the dampener rod/the hidden bolt underneath the axle lug. Use two hands to loosen the rebound nut and then remove the rebound bolt and internal adjusting rod.
- Use a vice to hold the fork cap and twist it off. Keep in mind that this can damage the chrome, so you may want to place a cloth in between to prevent scratches.
- Remove the fork cap.
- Use a drain pan to drain the oil by extending the fork down and letting the oil out.
- Then, use a flat screwdriver to pry the dust seals off, a rubber seal and metal rings are common.
- Remove the inner seal. Make sure you note how the parts were assembled or take a photo first.
- Inspect the tube and the seals for damage.
- Replace the seals using grease.
Put everything back together in reverse order, taking care to ensure that clips are set into grooves, and that you slowly release tension when replacing the damping rod and adjuster rods.
In some bikes, you’ll also have to pull the forks apart before you replace the seals.
FAQs
If you still have questions about replacing your fork seals, these answers should help.
Can you ride a motorbike with leaking fork seals?
It might be dangerous to ride a motorbike with leaking fork seals. However, it will only get dangerous if the fluid is low.
So, providing you keep the fluid topped up, it shouldn’t be an issue. However, if the leak is bad, it can cause other problems.
For example, you might forget to keep it topped up. In addition, it could leak onto your brake calipers and cause problems with braking.
Can I use a sealant instead of replacing fork seals?
There are several products sold to stop fork seals from leaking. However, none of these will do a job that you couldn’t do by cleaning the forks and the dust seals unless they are clogging holes in the inner seals.
This means that they can be temporary solutions to leaks. However, if you’re filling burs or holes in your seals with a chemical fix, it will wear off and the problem will come back.
What happens if fork seals are bad?
Bad fork seals leak, which reduces the shock absorption for your bike. That can make handling more difficult.
In addition, it can affect braking. Fork seals function just like vehicle shocks, so bad seals normally mean you’ll have a bumpier ride.
How often do you have to replace fork seals?
Most fork seals are intended to be replaced about every 2 years. However, some will last significantly longer.
Here, it’s important to consider the environment you ride in, how much dust there is, and how well you take care of the dust seals.
What’s Next?
Motorbikes and dirt bikes sometimes need new fork seals. When that happens, you can expect costs to range anywhere from $50 to $600. However, on average, you can expect the job to cost around $250. At the same time, you can choose to replace other parts, which can greatly increase the total cost. And, if you go to the dealership, it’s unlikely that you can have the work done for less than $300.
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