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There must be a better way (to change seals)
I've changed the piston seals for the first time. In order to get the new seals in place, I had to stretch and pull them over the ridges and hollows of the piston, levering them with a pointed dental-type probe and the handle of a demitasse spoon. someone must know a better way.
Matt
Matt
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I use two chopsticks, one on each side of the piston, and they simulate train tracks taking the seal to the correct location. Remarkably easy.
One tip: intstall the new seals from the bottom to the top. Makes it easier for the second and third to glide over the piston without getting caught in an open slot prematurely.
Grazie, Salvatore. Those are two good ideas. I'll try them both next time.
Matt
let them soak for a minute, then fish them out one by one as you need them
use the end of the hex key like a shepherds crook to fish them out without burning your fingers
i like two hex keys of 2mm or 3mm (you are likely to bend anything smaller than 2mm and anything bigger than 3mm is unnecessarily wide) to work the seals on, aided with a bit of loxeal to guard against the seals grabbing on them
Matt
Long time ago I put pictures on the forum of the tool that I use. Don't have them at hand now, but you should be able to find them.
It is a metal probe- a ca. 2 mm thin, ca. 15 cm long, round stick.
I push the edge of a seal with my left thumb to the edge of the piston, stick the probe between the inside of the seal and the piston and make circular movements with the probe pushing the seal by tilting the probe a little bit until the seal gets to its place. Since the tool is thin, I hardly have to stretch the seals and it goes very easy and very fast. (of course first I put a thin layer of loxeal on the inside of the seals)
A pity that I couldn't make a video of it last week......maybe next year :-)
M.
Matt