A heat gun is your friend for getting out the old seals. Try not to pry too hard as it's pretty soft aluminum, I also keep a rag between the prying device and the fork. I prefer a tire spoon to a screwdriver for prying.

I neglected to mention:


For anyone doing this for the first time (like I am now), a 30mm Combination wrench is required to pull the fork caps off. You can use a socket but the handlebars would have to come off first.

If yours have been sitting as long as these have or I were to do it over again, I'd probably remove the handlebars, loosen the pinch bolts, and bust them loose with an impact.

I started taking the first fork apart today on the 71 AT1 125 and I've got a couple of questions:



The first fork that I pulled apart I noticed that there is no [Upper Spring Seat] as indicated in the manual. Is that seat supposed to be there?

I'm looking at the order of components in the illustration and it looks to me like the _{is installed below the [Cylinder Comp]. Here is how I found it installed:}



Somebody did that deliberately. How is that Sub Spring supposed to be installed?

The other thing that occurred to me is that I was expecting to have to dig these seals out. The seal just fell out when I disassembled the fork. Is there a retaining ring or snap-ring that secures that seal into place? Is the packing in the [Upper Cover] or [Dust Seal] what holds it in-place?

I have a sneaking suspicion that whomever took this apart last might have done it wrong. O_o I figured I should check before making that assumption. Addionally, there were no [Dust Seals] at all. It had only that accordion cover that showed collapsed, above.

Thanks in advance for reading this through.

I found the same setup in the other fork:




I cannot see what the spring is supposed to be doing in this position.


No Upper Spring Seat on either side. :(


I have one other mystery in that the now that the bottom bolt is removed, the inner and outer cylinders do not separate. What am I missing?

Those are "top out" springs... they cushion the rebound.

You need to unscrew the chrome seal holder collars from the lower tube.

Can you tell me if they are installed in the correct position?

Ok... I see in the parts breakdown image that the lower tube is threaded. Do you think that it's necessary that this is removed and taken apart? Is there anything else down in that portion of the fork that is [serviceable]?

To replace the fork seals the chrome nut needs to come off. Only use metal outer fork seals, since these forks have no retainer clip. Rubber outer body seals pop right out.

Could you explain that? I must be missing something.

Are these not the fork oil seals?




I think that a portion of the issue is that I'm working off of this:


Is that seal supposed to be installed [under] that cap?

Do you happen to have part number for these metal body seals. I've not seen a single one listed for an AT1.

Thanks!

Disregard on the part number. I found them and ordered a set.

Thanks for the tip!

I still don't understand the relationship between removing the chrome ring and changing the seal. :(

Ok...the fork seals that were in the fork nuts on your bike are rubber lined on the outside, and that's why they came out so easy for you (and are shown in your photo). Save yourself, get some OE Yamaha fork seals that will stay in place when you re-assemble the forks.

As well, the fork tube slider on the left in your photo, that slider has the chrome worn off (not unusual), and will not seal well even with new seals.