Okay, '03 FJR, 31,000 miles, not a leak anywhere. Knowing it would be beneficial in the long run to have the fork oil changed (just as I do brake, clutch, engine and final drive fluids), I had the dealer disassemble and drain them, replace fork oil, reassemble and reinstall. I then go for a 1,000 mile weekend, then park the FJR for a week. I go out and notice a puddle under the left fork leg. Take it to the dealer and he informs me the slider has been scored which is likely causing the seal to fail. I go and look and there is very, very slight "groove" scratched/etched into the polished slider that you can barely see and barely feel with your thumbnail; almost more of a scuffing or scratch. He attributes the scoring to dirt or grit having got under the seal, a "common occurrance" on a bike of this age and use. He can replace the tube ($140), bushing and seals for me.
So, in my discussion with the dealer, I state my position thus: I ride and own this machine for four years and 31,000 miles. Everything is perfect, nothing leaks. I take it to you to have the forks serviced, ride it 1,000 miles and two weeks after your service the fork leaks. Now you tell me the slider is scored and that accounts for the leak. Question: did your tech during reassembly cause the problem? Did he allow grit to get into the bushing and/or seal and cause this? Remember, there was no leak when I brought it in. Or is it possible that this damage occurred during the 1,000 miles I rode the bike after I got it back from you, despite no damage here in the first 31,000 miles and four seasons? My view? Yes, it IS possible but most highly improbable; simply too coincidental.
No, no, the dealers says, the mechanic couldn't have done a faulty/dirty reassembly. Remember the age and use. This is just typical wear and tear and has no doubt been going on a long time.
My question: Okay, so you're saying this has been getting ready to fail due to long-term wear and tear. So why, when you had it fully disassembled, did you not notice this or advise me, but instead simply reassembled a unit you now tell me was failing/damaged at the time? I just don't buy that either.
He then gives me the classic - hey, I'll do whatever you want. I'll put a new seal in there with the rest of the parts as they are now and it might fail again.
I told him to take a bit of emery cloth to the polished surface and smooth it as much as possible, then reassemble it carefully, immaculately, first checking the bushing and any other surfaces for any grit or dirt. We'll see if it holds up. Of course, I'm now equally concerned about the other fork leg. What might they have done to that? It's not leaking yet, but...
In addition, I had them replace the stator cover and gasket because of earlier cosmetic damage to the cover's paint. Guess what? It now leaks, too, Had oil all over the side of the engine, the oil filter and my boot when I got back from a recent trip.
This Yamaha shop was always part of a local Toyota operation. The Toyota shop was impossible to deal with and exhibited very questionable service quality so I have always avoided them. Been having my major service work done at a shop in Billings - 240 miles away (this is Montana where EVERYTHING is a long ways away). Any way, the Toyota dealership was sold and the Yamaha motorsports business (bikes, sleds and ATVs) was spun off as a stand-alone. I thought I'd risk giving them my business and now it looks like a mistake and I'll be going well out of town again.
Any opinions on the tube being very slightly scored, how this could have happened, can it be refinished with emery, is this likely caused by a faulty/dirty reassembly? Or am I just a typical asshole customer who brings in a functioning piece of equipment for SERVICING (not REPAIR) and gets it back only to experience an immediate failure of said equipment, then wonders if the dealer played a role.
Come to think of it, I don't believe I've ever heard of anyone experiencing leaky fork seals or scored/damaged sliders from "natural" wear and tear on an FJR
I'd love to hear from the knowledgeable FJR owners out there.
So, in my discussion with the dealer, I state my position thus: I ride and own this machine for four years and 31,000 miles. Everything is perfect, nothing leaks. I take it to you to have the forks serviced, ride it 1,000 miles and two weeks after your service the fork leaks. Now you tell me the slider is scored and that accounts for the leak. Question: did your tech during reassembly cause the problem? Did he allow grit to get into the bushing and/or seal and cause this? Remember, there was no leak when I brought it in. Or is it possible that this damage occurred during the 1,000 miles I rode the bike after I got it back from you, despite no damage here in the first 31,000 miles and four seasons? My view? Yes, it IS possible but most highly improbable; simply too coincidental.
No, no, the dealers says, the mechanic couldn't have done a faulty/dirty reassembly. Remember the age and use. This is just typical wear and tear and has no doubt been going on a long time.
My question: Okay, so you're saying this has been getting ready to fail due to long-term wear and tear. So why, when you had it fully disassembled, did you not notice this or advise me, but instead simply reassembled a unit you now tell me was failing/damaged at the time? I just don't buy that either.
He then gives me the classic - hey, I'll do whatever you want. I'll put a new seal in there with the rest of the parts as they are now and it might fail again.
I told him to take a bit of emery cloth to the polished surface and smooth it as much as possible, then reassemble it carefully, immaculately, first checking the bushing and any other surfaces for any grit or dirt. We'll see if it holds up. Of course, I'm now equally concerned about the other fork leg. What might they have done to that? It's not leaking yet, but...
In addition, I had them replace the stator cover and gasket because of earlier cosmetic damage to the cover's paint. Guess what? It now leaks, too, Had oil all over the side of the engine, the oil filter and my boot when I got back from a recent trip.
This Yamaha shop was always part of a local Toyota operation. The Toyota shop was impossible to deal with and exhibited very questionable service quality so I have always avoided them. Been having my major service work done at a shop in Billings - 240 miles away (this is Montana where EVERYTHING is a long ways away). Any way, the Toyota dealership was sold and the Yamaha motorsports business (bikes, sleds and ATVs) was spun off as a stand-alone. I thought I'd risk giving them my business and now it looks like a mistake and I'll be going well out of town again.
Any opinions on the tube being very slightly scored, how this could have happened, can it be refinished with emery, is this likely caused by a faulty/dirty reassembly? Or am I just a typical asshole customer who brings in a functioning piece of equipment for SERVICING (not REPAIR) and gets it back only to experience an immediate failure of said equipment, then wonders if the dealer played a role.
Come to think of it, I don't believe I've ever heard of anyone experiencing leaky fork seals or scored/damaged sliders from "natural" wear and tear on an FJR
I'd love to hear from the knowledgeable FJR owners out there.