getting forks back together

[Clifford]

Okay friends,

I finally got the forks apart. replaced the seals and am now sliding the forks back together. I can get the bottom end of the slide into the new seal, but it stops part way through. Do I force it? It looks like the slider is getting stuck at the ring below the fork seal. Am i doing this in the wrong order? (slider being the thinner tube, not the fat one)

[sv650]

Are the seals in the right way up? The larger end (with the size formed in it) should be up. You should not have to use too much force to get the fork reassembled, (don't hammer it) but you may require some gentle pressure.

SV

[Clifford]

yep!

Fork seals are in correctly. Looks like I have to assemble the two tubes together first and then install the fork seal over the chrome tube. There is a ring that sits below the oil seal, which when separating the two tubes actually catches the fork seal and removes it from the larger tube.
Anybody have other suggestions?

[mark m]

Fork seals are in correctly. Looks like I have to assemble the two tubes together first and then install the fork seal over the chrome tube.

That is how I've done it. Use the old seal over top of the new one, so you can use a punch to seat the seal by working around the circumference a bit at a time. You may have to whack it pretty solidly to fully seat it. I had one that certainly took some effort. You will know when it is seated, because the top washer and snap ring will fit in easily. If the seal is not seated solidly, the snap ring will not go.

Mark