CB550 fork oil seals from AllBalls (kit 55-108)

[Erny]

Does anybody have experience with oil seals form AllBalls?
It is kit 55-108 : https://www.allballsracing.com/55-108.html

I'm looking for seals that has lowest possible friction to maximise sensitivity of fork. Anyone who has them? Experience?

Note:
I have low sensitivity from fork on my CB750K7 (seals are the same as on 550), I'm suffering from seals having too much friction and as consequence, fork does not react on small road irregularities, I feel all of them on handlebars.
Also Hondaman confirmed this issue and recommend to search for low friction seals. Unfortunately I was unable to fing any with silicon...

[Bryanj]

They just look like same seals sold everywhere

[Erny]

I know.... that's why I wanted if someone has experience with them, how they perform in therm of friction / sensitivity on small bumps

[K2-K6]

Have you condsidered something like this oil to help you?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/MOTUL-Fork-Oil-Factory-Line-1-L-2-5w-Very-Light/1305453187?iid=173785606444

Many of the newer road bikes use Teflon bushes to help with fork stiction as you describe,  but that's only initial (from static to moving)  effort.  Once they are sliding the oil via the damper controls the pace more directly.

[K2-K6]

Or this one

https://www.louis-moto.co.uk/artikel/wilbers-fork-oil-zero-friction/60927990?list=3b58a80b03a9f50490246b86f846ffe2

I haven't tried it,  and would guess it could be silicone based.  But they are obviously looking at this area of fork performance,  could give you help.

[Bryanj]

You are never going to overcome initial sticktion whatever seals you fit

[Moorey]

You must have very good roads for it to be of concern. Our roads are that bad now the forks never get chance to stop moving for the seals to stick. 

[Erny]

You must have very good roads for it to be of concern. Our roads are that bad now the forks never get chance to stop moving for the seals to stick. 

Wish this to be truth! But certainly it is not...

honestly, I'm suffereing a lot from this "initial" sticktion on my K7 750.
I did test last summer - as I have no rubber boots on my K7 750 but only dust caps, I put plastic ty-rap (cable tie) on my fork, started to ride, when reached speed apprx 50mph, by hand I moved it down to touch dust cap. Then during riding, during I did approx 5km(!) I was checking its position - I did not move a mm!!!
Of course during this ride I felt all small bumps & irrgularities in handlebars...

maybe this is somethig specific to my K7 (no idea what kind brand of seals there are), oil has correct volume, 10W spec.

So as I'm preparing to rebuild forks on my CB550K1 I want to use seals with lowest friction to minimise this effect.

[Erny]

You are never going to overcome initial sticktion whatever seals you fit

Well reading what Hondaman says in his book and also on us sohc forum, this issue is known and possible to eliminate:

"#7. Use teflon-mixed oil in the front forks. Get teflon-coated seals that are slighty shorter in length (1/4" instead of the stock 5/16" to 3/8" thick stock units). These will "float" up and down slightly between the top of the fork retainer and the upper C-clip, which makes them seal better and respond to minor road irregularities MUCH better. Install the optional steel washer ABOVE the seal (good kits include these washers). Drill and tap the fork caps and install threaded Shraeder-type air valves (found at tires stores, used on mags), one in each fork. Run about 5-10 PSI pressure if riding single, 15-20 if carrying heavy loads."

whole text is here: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,7401.msg67258.html#msg67258

Note: I found this info on forum after I started to investigate my issue, not wise versa...

Unfortunately I did not have possibility to test how forks on CB550K1 behaves vs CB750K7, but suspect it is the same.

[matthewmosse]

Seems odd, I know on my cb550/4 and the 500/4 the forks were always spot on, despite neglect and abuse. On the 500 that meant 6" pre load spacers and a sidecar. I know those forks moved very responsively  all the time having ridden in the chair where you become very aware just how much the forks move around as it's right on level with your eyes - quite alarming!