Fork Leaking from Axle Housing

[triggerhappy]

During the last trackday I noticed trace amounts of fluid on the front, right side of my bodywork - easy to see because it is white. After taking a long hard look I was somewhat stumped as it the oil was not coming from the obvious places. After removing the front wheel and axle I think I may have figured out where it is coming from, but I have never seen this before and cant find much info. This was only becoming visable after I came off of the track, does not seem to leak while parked. They are stock Showa forks with Ohlins cartridges in them, rebuilt last year and no issues up to last track day. The leak seems to be coming from here:


I noticed from looking at the part break down there is a bolt and gasket that goes in here. Could it just be this gasket? Can I just remove the fork, remove this bolt and replace the gasket?

I have never delt with this nor even heard of this happening so not sure how to attack it.

 

[mikbusa]

There should be a copper washer that seals the bottom of the fork. If you pulled the fork out, flipped it over, popped in a new one, should be good to go. Issue is now you are low on fluid, and even a little bit makes a difference.

 

[JohnnyP636]

During the last trackday I noticed trace amounts of fluid on the front, right side of my bodywork - easy to see because it is white. After taking a long hard look I was somewhat stumped as it the oil was not coming from the obvious places. After removing the front wheel and axle I think I may have figured out where it is coming from, but I have never seen this before and cant find much info. This was only becoming visable after I came off of the track, does not seem to leak while parked. They are stock Showa forks with Ohlins cartridges in them, rebuilt last year and no issues up to last track day. The leak seems to be coming from here:


I noticed from looking at the part break down there is a bolt and gasket that goes in here. Could it just be this gasket? Can I just remove the fork, remove this bolt and replace the gasket?

I have never delt with this nor even heard of this happening so not sure how to attack it.

There is a copper sealing washer with a banjo type bolt down there, pretty much no one ever orders new washers when doing new fork work...

They are like brake banjo bolt sealing washers, most times you can get away re-using them a few times, other times you leak. And they really should never be reused anyways

Or you could just be loose, and a simple tightening of the bolt will stop your leak...

 

[Brian P]

Normally there is a copper sealing washer between that bottom bolt and the housing. I betcha that the washer was either damaged during installation, or there is a piece of dirt stopping it from sealing, or someone forgot to install the sealing washer or didn't tighten the bolt properly, or something of that sort.

The problem you will have is that when you remove that bolt (which normally requires air-impact because the cartridge will want to spin inside the fork) you will lose some fork oil. I'd do it with the fork off the bike and upside down, and have a new copper washer ready to pop in there real quick.

 

[triggerhappy]

Thanks for the quick replies gents. I will pop in and grab the washer this eve and see if I can get that bolt out. I dont have a air-impact wrench which I didnt think would have been an issue, but glad I aware of it now.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to replace the oil but it looks likes I will - if any more comes out when I remove the bolt I will not mount it back up and hope for the best.... and since I have no idea what oil was used in the rebuid I am guessing it would be best practice to have the other fork drained and replaced at the same time.

I was using Windmill Motorsports while out in Ottawa, and obviously know of Sherrard, but any suggestions on where I could drop the forks off in the GTA and get a relatively quick turn around? Got a couple days next week booked.