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I've cut a steerer tube with a pipe cutter and had to file off the end of the steerer in order to round it off so that I can get the stem over it for reassembling.
Should I be concerned about the filings which appear to have gotten themselves all over the stanchions and seals. I've wiped and cleaned excessivly but I can still be specks in or around the seal area that I may not be able to remove.
Thanks
James
Yes, you should be worried. You need to clean even more excessively as those filings are worse than dirt in your seals. And you know what that can do to your stanchions.
Yep. Definitely a thing to worry about. I wrap my forks in a rag before cutting to avoid getting filings and swarf near the slidey bits. Too late for that now so they need a good clean.
Id take it to the sink and run it under the cold tap, with pressure though not on full. Maybe use a small paintbrush to gently flick away any bits.
I feel as though I removed most of it, we are not talking a huge amount as I had covered the stanchions and seals with a cloth on each side but I could still see small silver flecks against the jet black. I've wiped and blown the rest away so we are hopefully only talking about whatever is left of which I couldn't see any but there is bound to be some in the seal already I would have thought byut we are hopefully talking one or two specks.
What effects might I notice if small amount has gotten into the lowers?
Do I need to go as far as to get them serviced before I use them?
Warm soapy water wash and rinse.
What effects might I notice if small amount has gotten into the lowers?
Do I need to go as far as to get them serviced before I use them?
It shouldn't have gotten into the lowers if you haven't bounced them up and down. No need for a service, just a good clean. It's aluminium so not terrible but you do want to get as much off as possible. I'd use a little paint brush to get it off the seals and once you do bounce them have a close look at the seals to see if they have picked any new bits up.
Just give them a good wash as above
thanks all I cleaned as much as I could and to be honest not much came away from the seal and stanchions, though when I rubbed the bottom of the lower outside where the bolt holes are a small amount had collected there. I've taken them off the bike adn have not bounced them yet so maybe another clean, some grease and a bounce and I may have to see how I get on with them. That was one lesson learnt (the hard way) at least anyway
I've ended up removing the lowers, replacing the fluid and cleaning the insides. It all seemed to go as the guide had suggested though the lowers were quite difficult to break free of the stanchions.
Anyway, I had just the right amount of TF Tuned Lower Fluid, now the forks feels quite stiff but very hard to say for certain as they are a) not fitted to the frame and b) were never compressed before so I have no reference.