Got the forks rebuilt. Fork Guards and seal savers Yes or No.
M5
M5
Fork Guards and Seal Savers
- Thread starter M5-
- Start date
You will find that riding in snow causes a lot of water to get into the shocks. Make sure to change the oil often. A few hawk guys have wrecked shocks when the water inside froze up and broke internals. Anything that can prevent water inside the shocks would help if anyone knows what works?
In three years of snowbiking I have never seen water in my fork oil... Nor have I lost a fork seal during the winter.
Maybe snowhawks are made from inferior parts?
Maybe? Are Paioli bad shocks. I've not noticed any water or oil leaks on mine but others have. I don't see why it couldn't happen to other brand shocks. Just trying to help.
jmo
i think the fact that the hawk has an exhaust pipe that runs between the forks is the reason that they have more problems. the leg get a little warm causing the snow to form ice on the legs.
also most snowbike do have a fork guard on the front and that helps prevent direct snow blasting onto the seals.
Eric you can get some big truck shock boots like i put on mine, that seems to cure most of the problem on hawk..
i think the fact that the hawk has an exhaust pipe that runs between the forks is the reason that they have more problems. the leg get a little warm causing the snow to form ice on the legs.
also most snowbike do have a fork guard on the front and that helps prevent direct snow blasting onto the seals.
Eric you can get some big truck shock boots like i put on mine, that seems to cure most of the problem on hawk..
I have owned many bikes and all different brands over the past few years. I have not had any seal problems on any of them. Most of these bikes have been new so they have not seen the dirt. I would have to say if your bike has been in the dirt and your seals might be old then the cold weather might make them leak and then would need to be serviced.<O
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As far as seal safety goes I think running without the fork guards is better than with. The snow packs in them and the wiper seal is hitting into the packed snow in the guard. I have run them both ways and have not yet had this damage a seal but I do think it could happen. I am going to run all our demo bikes this year with no guards on them.<O</O
I do not think seal savers will help any thing in the snow they are mostly to keep dirt and grime from collecting on the wiper seal.<O</O
</OAs far as seal safety goes I think running without the fork guards is better than with. The snow packs in them and the wiper seal is hitting into the packed snow in the guard. I have run them both ways and have not yet had this damage a seal but I do think it could happen. I am going to run all our demo bikes this year with no guards on them.<O
</OI do not think seal savers will help any thing in the snow they are mostly to keep dirt and grime from collecting on the wiper seal.<O
</Onew style and size seal
Being dirt bikers that ride dirt seals are a maintenance thing. That being said have never seen water in my forks ever. There is also a new seal out the allows you to unstable a 47.5 mm seal on the 48mm tubes. The seal is superb not only in the dirt but the snow as well as it fits tighter and there is also no stiction. I can put you in touch with our dirt bike and snow bike suspension company if you want to solve the seal problems for both dirt and snow you may be experiencing. GP Racing Suspension in Lewiston Id.
Being dirt bikers that ride dirt seals are a maintenance thing. That being said have never seen water in my forks ever. There is also a new seal out the allows you to unstable a 47.5 mm seal on the 48mm tubes. The seal is superb not only in the dirt but the snow as well as it fits tighter and there is also no stiction. I can put you in touch with our dirt bike and snow bike suspension company if you want to solve the seal problems for both dirt and snow you may be experiencing. GP Racing Suspension in Lewiston Id.
I don’t think the bikes are having any problem. It was the Hawks. They must condensate from the hot and cold from the pipe and this makes moisture get in. It that sound correct Les.<O</O
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