'83 GL1100A rebuild

[Monkey Wrench Cycles]

Originally Posted by 1TallTXn

New seals, allotted 10.5oz of fresh oil.
I do have the onboard air system.
Shocks were aired up to only bottom of the onboard gauge. Something around 28psi if I remember correctly.
Held fine for about 150mi before it let go.

Hmmm. Weird. Did you lube the lips of the seals so they weren't riding dry on the rod?

[1TallTXn]

Yup. Same oil as went in the shock.

[Monkey Wrench Cycles]

Originally Posted by 1TallTXn

Yup. Same oil as went in the shock.

And it's leaking from said seal correct?

I'm trying to brainstorm as to why it started leaking.

[Monkey Wrench Cycles]

Did you check the bushing in there? It's number 8 on the diagram. Any wear/play in that and the seal will leak.

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmot...m2344#sch24040

[1TallTXn]

I haven't pulled the boot off too look at it. It's coming from behind the boot, so I can't see where else it would be coming from.

[1TallTXn]

Pulled the boot down this afternoon. I don't see anything wrong in there. A tiny bit of slack between the circlip and the spacer below the seal. Other than that, it looks good.

Any thoughts?

[1TallTXn]

Cleaned it all up yesterday evening in hopes that I'd just over filled it and it was just over flowing.
Well, there's a large puddle on the floor under the shock this morning, so it looks like I get to take the shock back off and see whats up.

[1TallTXn]

Got the shock off and apart. Thanks Mother Honda for bolting the all the luggage racks to the shock

There's some VERY small nicks in the inner edge of the seal. Not sure that would cause the leak, but integrity otherwise seems good.
Took about 25min under 60PSI to pop the seal out. Seems like it was holding to me.
I'll track down another seal and make sure that the inner shaft is flawless when I go back together with it.

Sadly, the delay on parts will keep it down for a good week. And in this weather too!

[1TallTXn]

Seal finally came in last Thursday.
Sunday I polished the shock tube up real good and put it back together.

So far, I've got ~60mi on it with no issues.

Now, about that hole in the muffler...

[1TallTXn]

Shocks leaking again.

No clue what's wrong with it this time.

[Monkey Wrench Cycles]

Originally Posted by 1TallTXn

Shocks leaking again.

No clue what's wrong with it this time.

I feel bad man. I didnt intentionally sell you bad shocks

[1TallTXn]

Originally Posted by Monkey Wrench Cycles

I feel bad man. I didnt intentionally sell you bad shocks

Oh, I don't fault you in the slightest!

There was no visible leakage on them when I got them from you.

I've no clue what's causing this.

May see if I can track down another OEM shock and see if that fixes it.

[Monkey Wrench Cycles]

Any luck on this? I actually had a friend with the same problem. He put half oil, half power steering stop leak in his and it stopped leaking. He had new seals as well and it still leaked till he did that.

[1TallTXn]

I haven't messed with that bike in over a month.
Been working in other bikes and generally staying too busy.

That's a good idea. I'll have to try that when I get some time.

[1TallTXn]

GL1200 decided to spit oil into the water and the 4Runner had a love affair with an Accord, so the GL1100 is back to the top of the stack. (VFR has parts ordered, but it's 2-3 weeks from complete)

I'll be swinging by a parts place on the way home today and get some power steering stop leak.

Any thoughts on fork oil (10 or 15wt) vs ATF in the shocks?

[Monkey Wrench Cycles]

Originally Posted by 1TallTXn

GL1200 decided to spit oil into the water and the 4Runner had a love affair with an Accord, so the GL1100 is back to the top of the stack. (VFR has parts ordered, but it's 2-3 weeks from complete)

I'll be swinging by a parts place on the way home today and get some power steering stop leak.

Any thoughts on fork oil (10 or 15wt) vs ATF in the shocks?

Dont think it matters. the stop leak is like sludge so anything else you put in there will mix with it.

[1TallTXn]

Originally Posted by Monkey Wrench Cycles

Dont think it matters. the stop leak is like sludge so anything else you put in there will mix with it.

Already have fork oil at home and in the other shock, so I think that's what I'll go with. Rode really well the few miles I was able to put on it before that shock chucked it's oil.

[Gilk51]

Originally Posted by 1TallTXn

shock chucked it's oil.

Hey! Let's watch the language, OK?

[1TallTXn]

Originally Posted by Gilk51

Hey! Let's watch the language, OK?

My bad, was going for the Shock value

[DaveC]

for my 8001st post, I would stay with the 30W that comes in the forks, use a synthetic, but any oil lighter than 30W well be to soft and bouncy. If you want them stiffer add a spacer (sockets work good)