What do you guys use to pull the seal open to add some oil into them? Do you pull off the metal retainer/hoop that’s over the seal or just use something that won’t scratch the stancion to make some space?

just normally wipe mine down and use Juicy Lubes for juice on them. Seems to be doing fine. I pop the metal rings off occasionally to give them a clean, probably more when doing a lower service really.

I don’t lift seals after scratching a stanchion years ago following the manufacturer’s advice years ago.

Now, bikes are stored hung up by the front wheel so too bushing is always wet and after a ride, I wipe the stanchions clean with kitchen towel, use a bit of finish line stancion lube and cycle the fork. Repeat until no mucky ring is visible.

Brunox from somewhere like CRC 😀

Err..lifting the seals…who told you that was a good idea. Don’t do anything to it that’s going to make the seal behave less like a seal IE open it up.

D.

Unless your fork is one where that is part of the design (newer fox will lift out and slide up the stanchion and you can do a thing with electrical tape that I saw and thought was neat but all mine are RS so i promptly forgot it), just put fork oil/teflon lube around the seal, cycle the fork, wipe with kitchen paper, repeat until kitchen paper comes away clean.

I might remove the seal when doing a lowers service but as above, every time you do you risk reducing its effectiveness/damaging it. I try to keep my oil changes and preventative work frequent enough for that not to be necessary.

This seal is lubed 🙂

Think you’ll have the answer from above…apart from the pic 😀 But I’d only lift the seals to replace them or if you’re damn careful, to go OCD on the cleaning 🙂 Either way the lowers would ‘normally’ have to be off first. If you want the seals off and the lowers are removed first, then a Pedros DH tyre lever can work, but I have more success with a 17mm ring spanner – Like I said though, you are likely to damage them doing this. The circular spring thing will roll up and onto the stanchion if done carefully, just make sure you put it back when done.

Personally I would not remove the wiper seal unless replacing, as you can remove the foam ring under it quite easily with a small screwdriver or toothpick (or something similar). Lube that up like a porn star and pop it back in after wiping around the wiper seal in situ – Then back together and vwalla 🙂

Don’t be too afraid of doing a lower leg service yourself either mate – YouTube is your friend, hope it helps.

I wipe my stanchions with 15wt Rock oil (same as what’s in ’em) after each ride. I wouldn’t go at the seal with the lowers still on, separate the fork if you’re going to poke around in there and you can lever the seals out with a socket if you need to re-lube your foam rings/wipe crud from the lip seal.

The SRAM videos are great (assuming you have RS forks):

You gotta love Herc Castro 😆