help please fork seal gone on my xevo 125

[JRS]

hi guys have a 2008 xevo 125cc just bought it about 1 month ago with only 998 miles on her lady owner from new and bike is as new apart from the top part of the fork legs. dont get me wrong its not bad pitting but slight pitting. i noticed now that the left hand seal has started to leak. someone told me if a bike has been sitting about along time the seals do dry up and this might be why it has starting to leak. might not have anything to do with the pitting right at the top of the fork leg. what you  guys think is this possible. also can someone please talk me through fitting the new seal . i do know how to take the fork leg from bike but how and what bits of the fork leg do i take apart to renew the seal also how to put the new oil in. any help would be very much appreciated guys as i do need a mot very soon on this bike first mot as i am over in belfast thanks guys for any help given ps i dont have any workshop manuel for this bike

[Mr.Chips]

Until the experts arrive, have a good look using the Search box (from the Home Page).

I'm certain there's loads of appropriate information there; it's a subject that appears quite regularly.

 

[Dave Milnes]

Manuals are in the help section and the same forks are used on all pre-evo X9 models as well as Xevo and X7.
Before you remove the leg, crack loose the drain bolt at the bottom with a well fitting allen key but keep it nipped.
Remove the leg and remove the oil seal dust cover then under that you will see the circlip and a washer. Remove these then you have two options. Either try to extract the seal using a pair of self tapping screws screwed into the seal then used as hooks to lever the seals out with or simply hack away until you have removed all remnants of the seal. No oil should be lost if you keep the leg upright.
If this doesn't work or you really want to drain and refill with new oil, then remove the bottom drain bolt completely and drain the oil, then having removed the circlip and washer above the seal, yank the chrome tube upward hard and it will pop out bringing the seal with it and the spring cage too. The rest of the oil will fly everywhere! There may be a spacer which fits in the bottom of the outer leg (not sure about this on the 125) so tip it out noting which way up it goes.
Refit the tube into the leg and nip up the bottom bolt, then fill with fresh oil down the gap where the seal goes and finally slide the new seal down the tube and drift home with a length of tubing or tap evenly all around until you can fit the washer and circlip, refit the dust shield and with the strut on the floor press down and pump it a few times then fit the leg to the bike. Finally tighten the lower drain bolt.
I think the gist of this is correct although I have only done 500Evo and Nexus, but the 125 is very similar.

[poldark]

If you want to rule out the pitted forks as the source of your issue, put a cable tie on the bottom of the stanchion (where the seal is).  Then after a ride you'll see the max range of travel by the new cable tie position.  That will confirm if under load the travel gets to the pitted area or not.
Good luck

[JRS]

thanks dave  for the detailed reply very useful and doesnt seem that hard to change reading what you said, also thanks to mr chips and poldark i will try the cable tie tip next time out thanks lads as allways

[JRS]

hi guys tried the cable tie tip on forks there and the tie didnt go anywhere near the pitted section when out and about on her so i guess its all good to say the pitting at the top of leg didnt do my seal in . as i said i bought this bike with 1000 miles on her 2008 model mint bike apart from the pitting at top of forks. bike  was lying up for quite some time maybe the seal just dried up sitting around i dont know. well my next question is how much oil do i put in the fork leg also how would i measure it might be a stupid question to ask. also there is only 1 of the seals shot would i replace both seals or just the one thats leeking as i had to buy a pair  of seals thanks guys for replys

[Dave Milnes]

Do the pair, you might as well as the work involved in removing one or both is almost the same.
Oil capacity is 90cc or 90ml in each leg so only a small bottle of 'light' or 20W is needed.
When done apply a light smear of grease to the chrome tubes. This will stop corrosion forming on the upper un-swept parts.
You can clean off any rust spots with a piece of very fine (1000) wet and dry paper used wet.

[JRS]

thanks dave

[JRS]

well guys just got round today for doing my forks and already i am stuck. i took the wheel of took the plastic mudguard of loosened the 2 clamp bolts at top of fork leg i even removed the  clamp bolts and opened the top clamp apart a bit with a strong screwdriver with rubber hammer . so i tried pulling the leg down by twisting it side to side but it doesnt want to play at all. i felt at the top of the leg for any circlips but couldnt feel any. even if there is a circlip there hi can i get at it to remove . do i need to remove front plastics

[Dave Milnes]

Piaggio use two methods of retaining the legs in the yoke clamps.
The first and most common used on the X9 models is a thin wire circlip which sits in a shallow groove around the top lip of the chrome tube. To release it you slacken the clamps and wedge them open slightly then push the tube upward about 2 or 3 mm and then you will feel the circlip with your fingertips. Find the gap at the ends and gently flip it out of it's groove making sure you see where it rolls off to when it lands!
The second method as used on the Nexus is where the top cap has to be removed first as it is slightly larger than the tube. If you can feel a hexagonal recess in the top of the cap, it's one of these. There is a slight spring loading against the cap so keep some pressure acting down on it as you unscrew it.
On refitting either type, push the tube up and nip the clamp until you have fitted the clip or cap then release it again until the tube drops home and settles into it's normal position in the yoke, then tighten both clamp bolts. Make sure the circlip doesn't partially come out of it's groove and get wedged and all bent.

[JRS]

dave just found it the hexagonal recess method i have on the top of my fork leg. problem is now i dont have any tool to fit on this part to remove it. do u know what size or where i can buy one dave thanks .

[Dave Milnes]

Try a plumbers radiator valve hex spanner, I seem to remember one fitted my Nexus forks.

[JRS]

dave just ordered this from ebay hope it fits ok as i tried a head of a bolt i had in my tool box in the top of the forks and it was a tight fit took measurement of bolt head came in at 17mm so found this item on ebay  

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390432813178?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

when this part comes do i loosen the top nut first with this item then loosen the 2 clamp bolts so that the fork tube doesnt turn while taking of  the top nut 

[Dave Milnes]

Loosen the clamps and push the tube up slightly then nip up again until you have removed the cap. There is a spring pressure against the cap but it only lifts the cap an inch or so so, so it is fairly easy to press down and start to screw the cap back on with your fingers when re-fitting. Reverse the procedure for tightening the cap which has an o-ring to seal the oil so no need to ge too carried away with the torquing up!

[JRS]

thanks as allways dave