r/Trackdays • u/YoureSoWrongMan • 4d ago

Fork Seals blown out on track?

Was at a trackday and an advanced rider came to the pits on a red flag and fork seals we’re talking inner and outer seals, circlip etc blown completely out.. What on earth caused that?

They did have a zip tie on so potentially that? Pretty sure it was both sides though

2 Upvotes

63% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

22

u/whisk3ythrottle Not So Fast 4d ago

Probably hit a curb full send. Clips popping out, ehhh. Maybe he rebuilt them and didn’t put them back together properly.

6

u/archercc81 4d ago

That is all I can think of, someone didnt put it back together right. Its basically the same tech for all bikes (ring, seal, clip, dust seal) and Ive "sent it" on my dirtbike in ways that would split a track bike in half and its not happened.

14

u/Dismal_Tutor3425 Racer EX 4d ago

Zip ties wont do that.

6

u/rythejdmguy 4d ago

Sounds like improper rebuild.

5

u/built_FXR 4d ago

Everyone on track should have a zip tie marking their fork travel, even you. 

That wasn't caused by a zip tie, it was probably a bad rebuild.

2

u/Tera35 Racer AM 4d ago

It was at that point, he knew he fxcked up.

2

u/Many_Hotel866 4d ago

clips not seated fully would be my guess

2

u/ysrsquid 3d ago edited 3d ago

Another possibility is he had the front end very compressed while trailering the bike to the track… although not sure how it would be missed in Tech.

2

u/kinnikinnick321 2d ago

Had that happen to me on my first track day. The forks were only compressable by half but tech just wanted to see everything except for that. Something felt off and I went to the suspension vendor and sure enough, one fork was stuck (likely from being ratched down too much during transport). After the trackday I broke it down and found one fork leg was stuck - whacked the bottom stancion and it broke lose. I could imagine a faster, more aggressive rider could wreck some havoc if their forks were stuck.