This was discussed quite a while ago and I had mentioned my method of 'repair' for worn chrome on fork tubes using sandpaper. Well I finally got my finger out and had a chance to show you all. Today's patient is a Yamaha XVS650 Custom with leaking fork seals. Exhibit A: Worn out fork chrome. Hard to see, but he shiny section in the middle is where the seal runs. The lack of cross hatch creates extra stiction and can cause forks to leak. These tubes are in otherwise good condition, with no pits, dings or flaking where it matters. What I used to do the job. Brand new sheets. Cut into a thinner strip Video on exactly how you do it. I did the whole length of the fork except near the bottom where the colour changes and the lower bushing lives, because the upper sections develop rust spots that make it difficult to refit the forks. It should go without saying that you should replace the seals at a bare minimum when you have forks apart. In an ideal world, new bushings, circlips and dust seals too. For the oil seals, grease them inside and out with rubber grease. I also grease the dust seals but only on the inside of the seal lip as they have no circlip to retain them, if you add grease where they press into the fork bottom it is possible they will pop out. Close up of after it was done. It is extremely hard to get good photos of shiny surfaces compared the view you get in real life. These forks now get a new lease on life instead of being thrown out or waiting weeks for rechroming.
