Hello All.

I need to replace the fork seals on my very nearly finished dt250 so I watched a few videos on YouTube and thought 'piece of cake'. Oh dear, bad mistake. I'm having a mare getting them out. The videos show the guy sliding the inner piece like a slide hammer and they just pop out. My bike doesn't seem to have the same end and the innards just slid out leaving the seals in place! Can anyone recommend a method of removing them? Preferably with no expensive tools. I tried prying them out with a screwdriver which just bent and then tried the same with heating up the fork and still no movement. Any help will be greatly received and thanks in advance....

Have you removed the circlip that sits above the seal?

Yep, circlip gone.

If you are going to do these yourself I guess you have the fork disassembled and the slider out. Heat is the only way if the seals are set solid. You could try a heat gun (paint stripper type) making sure that all of the seal is heated. A lot of people swear by putting the end in hot cooking oil as this heats evenly. Obviously hot oil can be very dangerous so be careful. Heat cooking oil in a pan. When sizzling put the seal end of the lower fork into the oil for a short while. Remove and then try and prise the seal out. Alternatively drill 2 small holes in the seal at 180 degrees apart and screw self tapping screws into the holes. Use the oil method and then pull or lever on the self tappers or try and get the seal to circulate in the fork lower. Remember that the fork end will be mighty hot once immersed in bit oil and the oil will not be any good for cooking chips once you have dunked the fork into it.

I would just get a real pry bar that can take the force without bending a nice 3 foot bar and then you will have the leverage and they will pop out,just put some hard wood under so you dont mark up the fork leg

It sounds like the fork bottom bush might have come off while removing the fork tube . If levering is your only option just try not to damage the seal seat . use something wide and blunt like a small tyre lever rather than a screwdriver . Should pop out ok . Dont forget to look for your bottom bush (if it still exists , or wasn't refitted sometime , you never know ) . I like the hot oil method , but me Ma'd batter me with her pan .