Front forks...

My front forks have seized up (again), the last time they were full of
water and muck and required cleaning out and regreasing.

They are Suntour XC (spring based forks) and are fairly easy to clean
but it is a pain. What can I do to prevent water and muck getting in
there, the rubber dust caps don't see to do anything at all....

http://www.jensonusa.com/search/?s=f...&btnSearch.y=4
--
DTW .../\.../\.../\...



"Moo" wrote in message
...
My front forks have seized up (again), the last time they were full of
water and muck and required cleaning out and regreasing.

They are Suntour XC (spring based forks) and are fairly easy to clean but
it is a pain. What can I do to prevent water and muck getting in there,
the rubber dust caps don't see to do anything at all....

On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 13:30:24 -0800, Moo
wrote:

My front forks have seized up (again), the last time they were full of
water and muck and required cleaning out and regreasing.

They are Suntour XC (spring based forks) and are fairly easy to clean
but it is a pain. What can I do to prevent water and muck getting in
there, the rubber dust caps don't see to do anything at all....


If you can figure out cross compatibility:
http://enduroforkseals.com/
--
Slack

Slack wrote:
On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 13:30:24 -0800, Moo
wrote:

My front forks have seized up (again), the last time they were full of
water and muck and required cleaning out and regreasing.

They are Suntour XC (spring based forks) and are fairly easy to clean
but it is a pain. What can I do to prevent water and muck getting in
there, the rubber dust caps don't see to do anything at all....


If you can figure out cross compatibility:
http://enduroforkseals.com/
--Slack

Thanks for the replies, was hoping to do something for free... haven't
got much money

Would a healthy glob of vaseline/thick grease round the top of the fork
do the job, even if just for one ride?

On Feb 21, 4:30 pm, Moo
wrote:
My front forks have seized up (again), the last time they were full of
water and muck and required cleaning out and regreasing.

They are Suntour XC (spring based forks) and are fairly easy to clean
but it is a pain. What can I do to prevent water and muck getting in
there, the rubber dust caps don't see to do anything at all....

Might want to add this question to rec.bicycles.tech.

Not sure about the vaseline. I get what you're thinking, though that
sticky stuff is going to hold on to mud and crud and will likely wind
up feeding it down into the fork legs. However, as your seals are
obviously already shot, probably wouldn't hurt much.

If you're just looking to keep water out, you can cut up some plastic
bags and tape the ends to the fork stantion and the crown. It's won't
get your bike on Mr. Blackwell's list, but it might be a functional
freebie. You can also stop by the grimiest, most disorganized shop in
the nabe and ask them if they have any accordion-style fork-boots to
part with. Though you'd likely need to pull the legs out of the crown,
which probably isn't an option. I'm also assuming that it doesn't
already have boots on it.

Good news is that if it seizes you've got yourself a rigid fork, which
ain't all bad.

/s

/s

Scott Gordo wrote:
On Feb 21, 4:30 pm, Moo
wrote:
My front forks have seized up (again), the last time they were full of
water and muck and required cleaning out and regreasing.

They are Suntour XC (spring based forks) and are fairly easy to clean
but it is a pain. What can I do to prevent water and muck getting in
there, the rubber dust caps don't see to do anything at all....

Might want to add this question to rec.bicycles.tech.

Not sure about the vaseline. I get what you're thinking, though that
sticky stuff is going to hold on to mud and crud and will likely wind
up feeding it down into the fork legs. However, as your seals are
obviously already shot, probably wouldn't hurt much.

If you're just looking to keep water out, you can cut up some plastic
bags and tape the ends to the fork stantion and the crown. It's won't
get your bike on Mr. Blackwell's list, but it might be a functional
freebie. You can also stop by the grimiest, most disorganized shop in
the nabe and ask them if they have any accordion-style fork-boots to
part with. Though you'd likely need to pull the legs out of the crown,
which probably isn't an option. I'm also assuming that it doesn't
already have boots on it.

Good news is that if it seizes you've got yourself a rigid fork, which
ain't all bad.

/s

/s

Thanks for your reply, I had a look for some fork boots on ebay but I
could only find some for motorbikes or those lizard skin ones which I
don't like the look of.

You could get creative with an old inner tube and radiator hose clamps.

DTW

On Feb 22, 9:12 pm, "D T W .../\\..." wrote:
You could get creative with an old inner tube and radiator hose clamps.

DTW

Ah... innertube! I think that's it. Zip ties might do the trick.
Though they're not nearly as cool looking as hose clamps.

One thing about any of these methods, Moo -- any water and etc. that
does manage to get in there is going to stay in there.

/s

On Feb 21, 4:30 pm, Moo
wrote:
My front forks have seized up (again), the last time they were full of
water and muck and required cleaning out and regreasing.

They are Suntour XC (spring based forks) and are fairly easy to clean
but it is a pain. What can I do to prevent water and muck getting in
there, the rubber dust caps don't see to do anything at all....

What wrong with Lizard Skins. Or you could useu an inner tube and Zip
Ties.

On Feb 22, 4:30 am, Moo
wrote:
My front forks have seized up (again), the last time they were full of
water and muck and required cleaning out and regreasing.

They are Suntour XC (spring based forks) and are fairly easy to clean
but it is a pain. What can I do to prevent water and muck getting in
there, the rubber dust caps don't see to do anything at all....


Do you leave your bike in a cold garage at night, or outside?
Maybe next to a clothes dryer vent?
The water might be from condensation inside the tubes as the heat up
and cool off?