HELP! Mid-Repair Parts Crisis - Fork Seals

[WSM]

So I got to rebuilding my forks, only to find out that Yamaha seems to have switched fork sizes halfway through the '98 model (mine has a manu date of 11/97)
My tubes are 38mm, using a 36mm seal, but the seals i got from a dealer are 41mm. (i'm guessing fitting a 43mm tube)
So I took those back.
The dimensions of the stock seal that came off the bike is 36x50x8 (ID x OD x height)
And not in one parts catalogue could we find a seal of that dimension!
There are 38x50x8 and 36x48x11, yadda yadda yadda, but nothing of the original size!!!
WTF!?

Anyone else run into this?
Tomorrow it's off to a couple other yamaha dealers to check their stock.

Other than that, I've got a new set of battlax BT014's on that I can't wait to enjoy!

[sweekster]

From looking at the Microfishe that does seem to be the case and 98 shows a different part number than 97. Here's the part number for 89-97... OIL SEAL 3EN-23145-00-00. That should get you what you need.

[WSM]

@Duane -
Do you know the dimensions of that seal?

[sh0rty77]

IF your tubes are 38mm then you want the 38x50x8 seals
Seals are marked by what size tube they fit, if the seals you pulled out are marked 36mm then i would say some1 b4 u put the wrong ones in.
38x50x8 seal will fit a tube of 38mm housed in a 50mm bore 8mm deep.

[sweekster]

@Duane -
Do you know the dimensions of that seal?

Can't say that I do. But at this point it's worth a try. Plus the person at the counter won't know the measurements either. I think from your initial findings and measurements along with going 1 year back you should be fine. I had a similar experience with a 97 Nissan Altima I used to own in that I had to get a 96 distributor cap since the did away with the distributor mid way through 97 and mine was built before said change happened.

Hopefully that helps

[WSM]

Well, I finally got the right piece, and all's well in the world again!