Scratched upper stantion

[erictw83]

I was wondering how detrimental a small scratch in the upper stantion of my fork will be? I scratched the stantion today in a ride (learning clipless pedals, been tipping over all too often but getting the hang of it.) Though the scratch is very small and I would consider it a surface scratch with little if any inward penetration, I admittedly tend to be anal about my gear . I read online that you can use hard enamel to fill in scratches on the uppers. If anyone has any experience dealing with upper stantion scratches advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[cjm]

Nicks or scratches in your stanchions normally aren’t a big deal. I have three scratches in the stanchions on my 04 super T and they have been there since year one. No lost oil. No problems. For the most part your seals should be tight enough to compensate. Still look for oil and crud accumulation on the seal. If only one stanchion is scratched, it’s real easy to compare.

Scratched stanchions can be repaired. I know someone who used clear nail polish and super high grit sandpaper to sand it smooth. It’s worse to create a bulge than it is to leave the scratch.

[erictw83]

Thanks for the info cjm. I’ll probably try sanding down the scratch some what just as a precaution to remove some of the roughness. I reckon the scratch is probably not deep enough to warrant filling in, but I’ll keep checking the seals to make sure they are holding up.

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