Need Advice removing lower fork legs

madskills · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Mar 28, 2006 Posts: 59

I am disassembling my forks as I want to powdercoat them as well as rebuild the forks and am having troubles, I cannot get the damper rod bolt loose, my manual says to take a 1/2" and flatten to 10MM and slide in which should grasp the milled flats of the rod, ahh they make it sound so easy, any help is greatly appreciated.

John

Cafe_Shop

Here's what you need if you have a 77 or newer xs:

a 2 foot long 7/16 threaded rod and a half dozen 7/16 nuts (they are .675" across the flats)

Lock the nuts together on the threaded rod like in the picture.
Slide the rod into the fork tube. It will fit in the socket at the bottom of the tube and allow you to remove the screw in the end of the tube.

I figured this out after breaking a wooden dowel off in my first attempt.

jayel

Damper Bolt Driver - Deep type damper bolt driver used to air impact recessed damper bolts from lower fork legs.

if you have one of this from mikesXS you can normal spin the allen head bolts out of the bottom of the legs it's a long 8mm allen (hex) works better than trying to remove them by hand

Cafe_Shop

jayel wrote:

Damper Bolt Driver - Deep type damper bolt driver used to air impact recessed damper bolts from lower fork legs.

It takes more than just the bolt driver. I bought one from Mike's and all it did was spin the bolt and damper rod. You have to have a tool to hold the damper rod as well.

madskills · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Mar 28, 2006 Posts: 59

Thanks cafe, seems like a cheap route to go I'll give it a try, appreciate the help

royfisk

Both Jayel and cafe shop are correct. 90% of the time jayels method works great. But then there is that10% that just will not come loose. I have one right now that is off of a 81, that not only wouldnt impact out but also would not come apart with the damper rod locked, broke off the end of the rod in the lower leg. Now there is a problem. I put everything away and built another set of forks, but still need to save these somehow>

jayel

about all you can do with that one roy is stop it from rotating (drive a wooden dowel into the broken end) and drill the head off the bolt

madskills · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Mar 28, 2006 Posts: 59

Thanks for all the advice guys, a smashed thumb later(ouch) I was able to finally break the damn things free, Cafe, thanks I took your advice and now have a Fork leg tool that worked, now a little bead blast and ready to powdercoat.

madskills · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Mar 28, 2006 Posts: 59

Well not quite ready yet, now requesting advice on getting the damn seals out? Are there any tricks? Seem to be very stubborn.

Skogga · New Member Joined: Apr 20, 2006 Posts: 8

Earlier I had bought a set of hex sockets which included a 17mm, but the collar was too big to slide down the fork tube! Fortunately the hex itself was held in the drive collar by a small set screw, that loosened I took the hex out and taped it into a Stanley 17mm socket which fit down the tube. I had just enough extensions to make it to the damper with the boot all the way up. Using Mike's 8mm extended driver on the bottom the parts came off easily.

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

deleted

Cafe_Shop

Well what do you do when you've removed the ring and the seal still won't budge?

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