fork seal worries

[Hairy_Mark]

My worries about the bike shop that did my wheel bearings continue.

I also asked them to split the forks and reassemble the bushes and seals etc, when the stanchions were painted.

I got the forks back with the dust seals installed and thought nothing of it, at first. Simply filled with oil and fitted into the yokes.

However, after the scares with both sets of wheel bearings being fitted incorrectly, I pulled out the dust seals...lo and behold, the retainer ring for the seals was not seated properly in either fork. Now I don't know if it is just the seal, or seal and bush that aren't fully inserted and I don't have a driver.

Drivers cost a bomb. Does anyone have one they could get to me (I'd pay post and beer money), or can I improvise one?

Also, if both bush and seal are not in fully, will driving the seal enough to push both in, damage it? I've never done seals before, but I assume that the bush is driven in first, then the seal. Hoping I don't have to completely strip the forks again.

I wish I'd never started this job, at times!

[snapdragon]

I'll ask Dave (mate who fitted my last set of fork seals) - I was there but can't recall what he used as a driver - old piece of steel tube I think maybe

[dizzyblonde]

'I think' the last time I was around fork seals, grey plastic pipe from B&Q was used.....

[shedmonkey]

I used plastic pipe aswell but split it so i could get a better fit on tube. dont drift in seal before bush you will just wreck seal.

[Hairy_Mark]

I've heard about using plastic pipe, too. Thought it might be an urban myth.
Sounds like it's worth a try.

I was worried about shedmonkey's point about not knocking in the seal until the bush is fully in.

Like I said, they're both in already. All I can tell is that the seal isn't in far enough. for all I know the bushes aren't in far enough either.

Guess I'll try the plastic pipe trick and tap gently enough not to damage the seals...if they go in so's I can get the retaining ring seated properly, all well and good. If not, then it's a case of stripping the forks again to extract bushes and seals and putting them back in properly myself.

Thanks folks...trip to the local travis perkins looks on the cards.