Wondered what you all thought....ill try not to jump around if i can but i may. First and foremost i very rarely take stuff to garages as i run a pretty tight budget (wife only part time and 3 kids says most of it) so, i tend to do work myself, if i can... For a while ive been having problems with front end feeling on my RSV4 factory (Ohlins forks). I rebuilt the forks myself and put Silkolene fork oil in there. Forks were fine (no leaking, working properly) but still couldnt get the feeling right. Doubting myself i put them in for a rebuild. Rebuild cost 150 plus the vat back in Feb. Since then its been used literally half a dozen times to turn the engine over and commute to work (10 miles each way). So, still not feeling right i got a second opinion from MH racing. Took it to him for a suspension setup which he did, and cured the handling problem. Much better. Case closed i hear you say. Yesterday went out for a final blast before the TT re the above statement about the handling. Got off the bike back at home, wheeled it into the garage and thought "ill give it a clean later"...get all the flies off and all that.... Go into the garage to start cleaning and one of the fork seals had blown...alot...(LH side as your on the bike) now jumping back a bit last week i noticed a tiny bit of oil on the left hand seal. Ive got one of those "fork buddy" bits of plastics and skimmed that round....seems to have cured it but, the week before talking to MH racing i mentioned it and thought "just in case ill buy a seal) Jump back to last night i end up stripping the left hand fork down and replace the seal....gets better.... first and foremost the seal i take out is nothing like the seal (an ohlins part) from MH....second and more concerning, theres a washer that sits behind the seal which....is not there... so i rebuild the fork (without the washer - i had no choice - TT on thursday night) and ride to work this morning. Everythings ok but ill need to strip down again to put the washer back in. At this point im guessing the other side is the same. So, to that end im back up to MH tonight to collect another seal and some oil....which leads me to my next point....the oil i pour out is a solid grey colour....when i dropped the forks off back in feb i gave them 2 bottles of Ohlins oil (not cheap) they didnt give me any back but, at that point i was just happy to have some working (so say) forks. The oil that i poured out i dont think resembles 6 or so short trips to work and back... The only problem i have now is, do i take it to the TT as is (assuming i do the work im going to do tonight) Mark at MH only has one washer (im assuming before i take the other apart its gonna be missing). I should have just trusted my own judgement....im in the hole about 300 quid for something that should have been done right the first time...i didnt want to be fucking around this soon with something thats pretty critical a few days before, what could be said, the highlight of my year...ill up load pics in a bit of the seal differences and the oil colour... Id just like to add that im assuming that if i went back to complain the old "you could have done 20 track days etc etc/thrashed the shit out of it" so were not liable....type stance...
like yourself, i hate paying for things i can do myself, but if you have genuine concerns, and evidence to support it, then i would always in the first instance go back to the garage to give them a change to address the issue, and/or learn from it, as mistakes do happen. but if they mug you off, and your evidence tells a different story, then it will mean no more future custom from you i guess
The Ohlins fork seal for my 1098R was updated about a year ish ago. The new design seal has a visible wire coil around the circumference so I’m guessing your picture shows the older seal on the right ? The oil you took out looks like it’s been to the moon and back. Sad to say, on the evidence provided, I think you have had poor service. Andy
Was this an eBay rebuild job? From pictures and description, sounds like old oil put back in and old seals. Another thought: they are your forks and not mixed up with someone else’s being done at same time?
Have you got pics of your mileage readings between the rebuilds Any way I think it’s shoddy workmanship and needs taking back and complaining about
I would certainly agree on the oil that it does not look like a recent change but more suff that needs to be changed/ You've quite rightly taken pictures and presume kept all the bits. In the way you've explained it, quite to the point and informative, I would stay with that line and put it to whoever you feel should be addressing something that clearly was not their best work.
Yeah - im a pretty easy going bloke but giving the benefit of the doubt someone might have rebuilt it that thought they knew what they were doing but didnt....naming and shaming: thats bridge burning territory. @Ducbird - no i havent - but then i didnt expect to be in this situation. @Nathanhu - yeah i would go back but time is the problem (leaving for the TT thursday night so ive gotta get something done) - the only thing i thought about doing was videoing the whole strip down of the other fork... @Android853sp - the new seal on the first pic is the right hand one - the "dry" seal....Mark at mh said that - the seal had been redesigned but ages ago...the one on the right is what i remember as ive replaced them before...
Yep - got the old seal....doesnt "feel" like the same type of rubber that the ohlins one is made out of....
I would go back and describe what you have found without directly accusing them and see what they say From what you describe they are not very good and a pound to a pinch of salt they will deny all knowledge To get any further will cost you more money It would be time to chalk it up to experience and then make sure you highlight their details in this thread. If anybody googles them to find reviews at least they would see your post If they say sorry and offer to do them again for free would you really want them too?
Well, yeah - i wouldnt go back now - period, and i wouldnt let them near my bike.... But at the same time i kinda want to make my point. This is the first time ive ever got them to do any work. Ill be going (hopefully) to mh racing tonight to get the seal, washer, and, maybe 2 washers (he's going to have a dig around to see if he can find another one!)
Id be well pissed as well ... oil does not get that dirty that quick its clear corners have been cut and so called specialists are still taking advantage and shafting the people who keep there doors open ... Not plugging here but ive been using BSD lately and they do what they say ...
Yeah - the more the kicker is, i handed the forks over with 2 bottles of ohlins oil and didnt get any back!!
I know but, ive heard from another bike shop close by that he's got a temper on him......but the problem is, is thats just rumour that ive heard from someone else...
it would help a lot of people who otherwise would be trusting this person to work on their bikes too?
Ok - back in the garage - been to mh - picked up some new seals, the spacers and some oil. First and foremost the spacers are in there (the residual oil was holding the spacers) so - on my count I got that wrong....(just got the LH fork apart now)
So.. there's some fresh ohlins oil on the right...the left has done 6x 10 mile journeys (Approximately)...opinions..?
All back together with fresh oil and new seals (ohlins ones) the other fork had the same seal as the other one in that it was the wrong one....cant help thinking if the right seals were used then I wouldn't be here now but, having said that I wouldn't have spotted the knackered oil...
