Front Fork Gasket

Hi,

My bike was sitting in the Garage for a week or so when I noticed a puddle of oil under the front fork. I found that the oil was leaking from the Allen bolt at the bottom of the fork. Once I took the fork apart, I found that the manual specified gasket for this bolt was missing. It appeared that the previous owner had used a liquid gasket material.

The manual only states this is a gasket, but I don't know what kind of gasket. I tried to take out the bolt on the other fork only to find that it had been stripped to the point that a Allen wrench won't take it out.

I bought a copper brake line washer and was planning on using that as a gasket as a last resort, but I'm not sure if it will work. Can someone tell me what type of gasket this is supposed to be and maybe some idea where I could find one if this isn't a readily available thing? The bike is an 82 KZ1000 M2 CSR.

Thanks,

are they air forks?
if your anywhere near ks i have 2 sets i dont want
csr750 and a spectre 1100

They are air forks (if they are stock), but I don't remember if they were copper washers or paper when I did the forks on my brother's 82 KZ1000 CSR, but I suspect that either one will work.

On my 1977/78 KZ1000A front ends, it is a copper gasket (= copper washer). I first noticed oil from my forks dripping from the lower fork bolt area and thought the same thing as you but it turned out to be from blown fork seals. Oil shouldn't leak from the lower fork bolt, even if you are missing the gasket. Since you have the forks apart, replace the fork seals.

Post edited by: Mcdroid, at: 2006/10/01 06:53

Post edited by: Mcdroid, at: 2006/10/01 06:54

Thanks everyone. Looks like new seals are in the plan and the copper washer (gasket) is the thing to do.

Thanks for the offer btchalice, but I'm in Mass.

Wes

del

JMKZHI:

Since it doesn't specifiy in the manual, how about ThreeBond 1104 liquid gasket? Probably any cheap liquid gasket would do, though. And those copper washers are re-usable...just anneal them (heat to redhot, then immediately drop into cool water: makes 'em swell up and regain much of their former shape)

del

Interesting. My manual only states to "Apply a locking agent such as Loctit Lock N' Seal to the threads of the bottom Allen bolt before installing it with its washer". So I'm assuming the washer/gasket (manual calls it different things on different pages) should be sufficient on my bike.

This is what I did, though I haven't installed or oiled them yet. Waiting on new seals.