Removing Circlip on fork seals

Shajota

Shajota

Hero member
Location
Whitsundays Qld
I am trying to get fork seals out (marzocchi) but am having trouble getting the circlip out. It looks like the ends of the circlips have been broken off so you can't use circlip pliers. Both are the same. I presume I just have to lever out but can't get it to budge and I don't want to harm the slider. Any suggestions?
Thanks
 
I've got a variety of fine probes, one of which is an off-set hook kind of shape.. bit like a dental unit. End goes in and under, a twist and you're done. Should be a little space to get under the clip..HTH

8)
 
Peter, it's (hopefully) unlikely that somebody would have broken off BOTH ends of both circlips but reused them anyway. But you never know.
What's more likely is that you have a type of circlip that only has 2 cutouts for a flat screwdriver blade, on the outside of each end of the circlip. Actually quite common for fork seals. Clean off as much rust and grime as you can and have a good look. The good news is if that's what you've got, you just stick in a screwdriver on one side (in the cutout) and twist; if it starts to come out of the groove, use another small flatbladed screwdriver to slip in under the partially released circlip and hold it out of the groove. Once one end of the circlip is out of the groove you should be able to gently pry the rest out very easily.
And if you do damage the circlip getting it out, you should be able to get a couple with little holes from your friendly bearing supplier to replace the originals.

Ken
 
Thanks Ian / Ken
I had presumed I had to pry out but they wouldn't come and buggered if I wanted to harm the slider, so thought it wise to ask here first.
Had a good look and realised one end is cut to get a pry behind, so used a small probe and Bobs your uncle......
 
That's the way they come (without eye holes for circlip pliers). The circlips on my Marzocchis have the ends cut on an angle. You can get a small flat blade screwdriver under the angled end and prize it out of the groove like Ken says. Once you have it started, work around with a couple of small screwdrivers, a bit like you do with tyre levers.

Be careful getting the seal out, it's easy to break a chunk out of the lip of the fork slider if you're using a screwdriver to lever it out.  If you have to lever it out, put a little chock under your screwdriver to bear on the near side of the seal and it should just flip out.

Cheers,
Cam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top