Fork Seal Driver

It's not just the vehicle test centre who get annoyed at leaky fork seals. NEWS has found a handy tool that makes changing the seal rings easier.

"Changing the shaft seals on standard forks is bad enough, but upside-down forks are a real test of patience. So it's a good thing that you can at least save time when fitting the fork seals.
First attempt: Knock the seal ring into place in true DIY fashion. Using a suitably shaped piece of hardwood and a rubber hammer, the new ring is tapped bit by bit into its seat. Of course, you must avoid damaging either the coating of the slider or the fork seal itself with your hammering. Several attempts and a quarter of an hour later, the seal is finally seated properly - and looking quite battered.
For the second fork tube, the shaft seal tool sold by Louis for EUR19.95 comes into its own. The two-piece metal tool is placed on the slider and pushed together. Now two or three blows with the driver are all that is needed to shift the fork seal into place. The whole job takes less than a minute. Verdict: If you overhaul your own forks, you'll love this tool, available in 37, 41 and 43 mm diameters."