Pivot works fork products?

Blackjack31
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Blackjack31
Curious on how y’all feel about pivot works fork seals and bushings. I’ve heard mixed reviews. (Yz250). Some say they are garbage and go oem but others say oem seals are just as bad as pivot works and to go skf. Some say pivot work products work well. I am rebuilding my front forks and have a whole pivot works kit but I don’t want to put the bushings in if they are gonna cause any major damage.
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Blackjack31
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Blackjack31 11/22/2019 12:21pm
11/22/2019 12:21pm
Also, with pivot works lifetime replacement, it’s hard not to go with them. Yeah, a fork seal may leak every 10 hours and it’s annoying, but they will send you a new one free. I’m really just concerned with, are the bushings so bad that they are going to do any costly damage. Are they going to move around and wear out my coating on the inside? I’m not worried about them only lasting 10 hours or whatever.
slipdog
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slipdog 11/22/2019 4:25pm
11/22/2019 4:25pm
They are absolute garbage. Leaking frequently isn’t their biggest problem, I can tell a customers forks have pivot works parts before I take them apart just from the sitction alone.
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Blackjack31
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Blackjack31 11/22/2019 7:49pm
11/22/2019 7:49pm
slipdog wrote:
They are absolute garbage. Leaking frequently isn’t their biggest problem, I can tell a customers forks have pivot works parts before I take them apart just...
They are absolute garbage. Leaking frequently isn’t their biggest problem, I can tell a customers forks have pivot works parts before I take them apart just from the sitction alone.
What do you recommend? Skf? Are the bushings any good? I just hate to have this brand new kit and not use it. Could I use the bushing and buy the skf seals? Cause I have heard and I’ve noticed that the pivot works seals are not the best quality.
AHarmon237
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AHarmon237 11/22/2019 7:55pm
11/22/2019 7:55pm
OEM internals with SKF seals. Spend the extra $ on good oil and you’ll be satisfied
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kb228
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kb228 11/22/2019 8:36pm
11/22/2019 8:36pm
Theyre not good. Learned the hard way on my own bike. Replaced at least 4 sets thinking i made an error.
slipdog
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slipdog 11/23/2019 8:13am
11/23/2019 8:13am
slipdog wrote:
They are absolute garbage. Leaking frequently isn’t their biggest problem, I can tell a customers forks have pivot works parts before I take them apart just...
They are absolute garbage. Leaking frequently isn’t their biggest problem, I can tell a customers forks have pivot works parts before I take them apart just from the sitction alone.
Blackjack31 wrote:
What do you recommend? Skf? Are the bushings any good? I just hate to have this brand new kit and not use it. Could I use...
What do you recommend? Skf? Are the bushings any good? I just hate to have this brand new kit and not use it. Could I use the bushing and buy the skf seals? Cause I have heard and I’ve noticed that the pivot works seals are not the best quality.
I only use Japanese OEM bushings and seals and stock a small quantity of SKF seal kits for those that insist on them. The bushings that come from the U.S. SKF importer seem to not be the same quality as the OEM bushings, but I have no real proof other than holding each in my hand and the OEM seems like a better built bushing. I don't believe the bushings are produced by SKF, they are just sold by them to go with their seal kits. My experience is the SKF seals have a small stiction advantage over NOK(OEM) seals but seem to weep more often and are much more expensive.

I built a set of YZ forks to go on my current gen CRF450 a few weeks ago to test the flex compared to the stock 49mm Showa forks and used OEM bushings with an SKF seal kit and the left side is already weeping oil after 2 rides, for what it's worth.

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dmm698
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dmm698 11/23/2019 8:49am
11/23/2019 8:49am
I’m with slip dog.

The SKF offer a hair less friction at the cost of Less clamp load on the tube. People rave about them but I’ve had the same experience every time I’ve tried using them as slip dog.

I have seen more pivot works junk bushings that don’t fit the tube properly and constantly slide out of place when installing upper tube into lower.

Spend the money and do it right.
Blackjack31
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Blackjack31 11/23/2019 1:27pm
11/23/2019 1:27pm
I’ll be ordering stock bushings tonight. I’m going to run the pivot work seals until the start leaking.
Blackjack31
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Blackjack31 11/23/2019 1:39pm
11/23/2019 1:39pm
Also, what kind of fluid do y’all use? My suspension was last serviced by a suspension guy. The inner chamber oil looked pretty good but the outside was very dirt and thick. I’m going to use belray 5 wt in the putter chamber and the kyb stuff on the inside. I’ve used maxima before in the outside but it seems to break down pretty quick. Hoping belray will be better. I’ve never tried it. I have about 30 hours on my suspension since the last time the oil was changed
m21racing
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m21racing 11/24/2019 9:16am
11/24/2019 9:16am
Gonna try the new skf design soon, but oem is good enough. Hard to beat the Yamaha seal kit with bushings. Its best bang for the buck imo.
Bearuno
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Bearuno 11/24/2019 7:07pm
11/24/2019 7:07pm
slipdog wrote:
I only use Japanese OEM bushings and seals and stock a small quantity of SKF seal kits for those that insist on them. The bushings that...
I only use Japanese OEM bushings and seals and stock a small quantity of SKF seal kits for those that insist on them. The bushings that come from the U.S. SKF importer seem to not be the same quality as the OEM bushings, but I have no real proof other than holding each in my hand and the OEM seems like a better built bushing. I don't believe the bushings are produced by SKF, they are just sold by them to go with their seal kits. My experience is the SKF seals have a small stiction advantage over NOK(OEM) seals but seem to weep more often and are much more expensive.

I built a set of YZ forks to go on my current gen CRF450 a few weeks ago to test the flex compared to the stock 49mm Showa forks and used OEM bushings with an SKF seal kit and the left side is already weeping oil after 2 rides, for what it's worth.

Yes, OEM bushings, and largely, OEM seals, for me, though I've had no problems with SKF seals.

The new, dual compound SKFs are interesting - the green compound we are familiar with to the outer, with an orange compound inner section.

Anyone have any experience with them? Though, they might not be out there, in 'the wild', yet, for any length of time.
Wcm250
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Wcm250 11/28/2019 3:39am
11/28/2019 3:39am
I used pivot works on my rm. They are starting to wrap now after 35 hours. I have serviced and changed the oil twice since I rebuilt them. What do you guys think about racetech seals, bushing? Also Pro X. I am leaning towards pro x on the next rebuild.
FGR01
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FGR01 11/28/2019 6:36am
11/28/2019 6:36am
I've noticed that YZ SSS forks seem really sensitive to bushing wear. My YZ forks will start leaking from bushing wear before the seal actually going bad. When I open the forks up the bushings don't show visible signs of wear, but if I don't replace them the seals will start leaking very soon after. So, I always use the OEM KYB bushings.
coastlinecascot 11/28/2019 11:25am
11/28/2019 11:25am Edited Date/Time 11/28/2019 11:25am
You know an oem kit for yamaha at Rocky mountain is less than 30 bucks. Bushings and seals
colvin227
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colvin227 11/28/2019 2:00pm
11/28/2019 2:00pm
Blackjack31 wrote:
Also, what kind of fluid do y’all use? My suspension was last serviced by a suspension guy. The inner chamber oil looked pretty good but the...
Also, what kind of fluid do y’all use? My suspension was last serviced by a suspension guy. The inner chamber oil looked pretty good but the outside was very dirt and thick. I’m going to use belray 5 wt in the putter chamber and the kyb stuff on the inside. I’ve used maxima before in the outside but it seems to break down pretty quick. Hoping belray will be better. I’ve never tried it. I have about 30 hours on my suspension since the last time the oil was changed
I actually really like the pro Honda HP5 fork oil. It stays very clean and doesn’t look bad when poured out at changes. I’ve had good luck with the Maxima racing fork fluid (blue label) as well. KYB O1 is what a lot of pro tuners use and it’s great stuff as well but it’s a little higher price point. Change at 15-20 hrs and your good kind of no matter what, that’s the important part.
sgrimmxdad
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sgrimmxdad 11/30/2019 2:58am
11/30/2019 2:58am
We will not install anything in customers forks but OEM or SKF. Nothing like trying to help someone out and they bring you All Balls seals and you tell them there are junk but they insist on using them, only to have them cuss you when their crappy seals start leaking in a month...

Also Slipdog is right as usual the SKF bushings are junk. OEM ONLY... Learned the hardway....

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