How To service your forks - Page 2

scbdm · 05-16-2008, 01:12 PM

Been out for a while. Great thread! Wish I would take the time to take photos like that. Them are some cool triple trees.

Ronbo · 05-16-2008, 05:51 PM

thank you very much gasman, helped me a lot. i had to cut the tube in half in order to get the rest of the parts i needed..thanks again

mouse · 08-05-2008, 09:57 PM

I just want to send thanks out to gas man for the info on fork seal replacement did mine over the weekend, the pictures helped out a lot. This site is fabulous for info thanks again.

Gas Man · 08-06-2008, 05:59 PM

You're welcome.

Did everything seem to flow like the how to??

What did you use to pound in the seals?

mouse · 08-07-2008, 12:11 AM

Gas Man
If you follow the steps you set up and pay attention to what you are doing you can't go wrong. It took me a while as I was nursing a bad hang over. I did do one thing differant, I seperated the tubes on the bike as it made it eaiser for one person to pull apart, then I took the uppers off the trees, other than that the directions are on the money. As for setting the new seals I just used the old seal with a piece of pvc pipe. No leaks put 400 miles on the bike in the past 2 days. Thanks again

billyberoux · 08-07-2008, 02:12 AM

great how to! i'm down to the removing the dust caps and can't get the fuckers off! any ideas?

Gas Man · 08-07-2008, 06:01 AM

Mouse... that is a great idea. Glad it worked out for ya. It must have took me an hour just to do the how to. YIKES!!

Billy... just as I responded to your email

Get a good penetrating oil (PB BLaster is a good one or at least a wd40) and spray them down good. Let them sit for a couple hours... heck spray it every 30mins and let it sit. Allow it work in and try it again.

Maybe put the electrical tape over it... to the strap can't slide upwards and grip right onto the cap with the strap wrench.

Are the forks still on the bike? That will make life easier. And the worst case scenario, is a chisel and a hammer... tap it off in the direction it goes (lefy loosey). Then you have to buy a new one but its off.

I believe Raywood had a stuck one before... I would say PM him but right he's at sturgis.

mouse · 08-08-2008, 02:06 AM

My caps were stuck real bad I talked to tech at Tampa Big Dog and he said try penatrating oil. if that didn't work put a rubber strap wrench on the cap and put a lot of tension on it and then hit around the seam with a rubber mallet to shock it loose. I had to do it on mine it worked. Hope this helps.

billyberoux · 08-19-2008, 12:21 AM

Gasman,
Great how to! I followed it to the letter and other than my dustcaps being a bitch to remove it all went without a hitch. Before servicing the forks I was getting a bit of vibration noise at high RPM and clunking in the forks over bumps. I though I might have broken something in the fork assembly. When I got it all apart everything looked fine. Now after reassembly the vibration noise seems worse and still get the clunking. Any ideas?

Gas Man · 08-19-2008, 01:05 AM

Did you check the front wheel bearings?

billyberoux · 08-19-2008, 07:30 AM

they seem fine. wheels rotates freely. the vibration sounds like it is in the upper fork assembly. with the damper rod and spring just sitting on top of each other in the fork tube i'm surprised it wasn't vibrating from day one.

scubaman15 · 08-19-2008, 11:57 AM

This looks like a lot of work , Great job Gas, as always!!

Gas Man · 08-19-2008, 04:08 PM

The spacer went in tight? May want to make your own tech thread on this problem.

Thanks Scuba.

billyberoux · 08-20-2008, 08:46 PM

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT TIGHT... IT SEEMS TO SLIDE IN THERE WITH ROOM FOR PLAY...

Gas Man · 08-20-2008, 10:20 PM

You should have to compress the springs a bit with the spacers on top when installing the fork caps. If not then the springs not being compressed would allow them to move around, make alot of noice and front forks not function correctly.

When you pull your fork caps the spacer should want to shoot out. Then with that happening the fork tube should slide into the lower leg freely.

08-06-2008, 05:59 PM	#19 (permalink)
Gas Man Custom doesn't bolt on Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 10,636 My Bike: 2006 Big Dog Phoenix Chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 11	You're welcome. Did everything seem to flow like the how to?? What did you use to pound in the seals? __________________ -Chris "Why pay somebody else to fuck up your bike?"

08-07-2008, 06:01 AM	#22 (permalink)
Gas Man Custom doesn't bolt on Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 10,636 My Bike: 2006 Big Dog Phoenix Chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 11	Mouse... that is a great idea. Glad it worked out for ya. It must have took me an hour just to do the how to. YIKES!! Billy... just as I responded to your email Get a good penetrating oil (PB BLaster is a good one or at least a wd40) and spray them down good. Let them sit for a couple hours... heck spray it every 30mins and let it sit. Allow it work in and try it again. Maybe put the electrical tape over it... to the strap can't slide upwards and grip right onto the cap with the strap wrench. Are the forks still on the bike? That will make life easier. And the worst case scenario, is a chisel and a hammer... tap it off in the direction it goes (lefy loosey). Then you have to buy a new one but its off. I believe Raywood had a stuck one before... I would say PM him but right he's at sturgis. __________________ -Chris "Why pay somebody else to fuck up your bike?"

08-19-2008, 01:05 AM	#25 (permalink)
Gas Man Custom doesn't bolt on Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 10,636 My Bike: 2006 Big Dog Phoenix Chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 11	Did you check the front wheel bearings? __________________ -Chris "Why pay somebody else to fuck up your bike?"

08-19-2008, 04:08 PM	#28 (permalink)
Gas Man Custom doesn't bolt on Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 10,636 My Bike: 2006 Big Dog Phoenix Chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 11	The spacer went in tight? May want to make your own tech thread on this problem. Thanks Scuba. __________________ -Chris "Why pay somebody else to fuck up your bike?"

08-20-2008, 10:20 PM	#30 (permalink)
Gas Man Custom doesn't bolt on Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 10,636 My Bike: 2006 Big Dog Phoenix Chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 11	You should have to compress the springs a bit with the spacers on top when installing the fork caps. If not then the springs not being compressed would allow them to move around, make alot of noice and front forks not function correctly. When you pull your fork caps the spacer should want to shoot out. Then with that happening the fork tube should slide into the lower leg freely. __________________ -Chris "Why pay somebody else to fuck up your bike?"

05-16-2008, 01:12 PM	#16 (permalink)
scbdm Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 21 My Bike: 2004 RT Chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 0	Been out for a while. Great thread! Wish I would take the time to take photos like that. Them are some cool triple trees.

05-16-2008, 05:51 PM	#17 (permalink)
Ronbo Always willing to Learn Join Date: May 2008 Location: Chesterfield Va Posts: 11 My Bike: 2006 Mastiff My Biker Photos Rep Power: 0	thank you very much gasman, helped me a lot. i had to cut the tube in half in order to get the rest of the parts i needed..thanks again

08-05-2008, 09:57 PM	#18 (permalink)
mouse Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hudson Fl Posts: 9 My Bike: 04 chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 0	I just want to send thanks out to gas man for the info on fork seal replacement did mine over the weekend, the pictures helped out a lot. This site is fabulous for info thanks again.

08-07-2008, 12:11 AM	#20 (permalink)
mouse Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hudson Fl Posts: 9 My Bike: 04 chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 0	Gas Man If you follow the steps you set up and pay attention to what you are doing you can't go wrong. It took me a while as I was nursing a bad hang over. I did do one thing differant, I seperated the tubes on the bike as it made it eaiser for one person to pull apart, then I took the uppers off the trees, other than that the directions are on the money. As for setting the new seals I just used the old seal with a piece of pvc pipe. No leaks put 400 miles on the bike in the past 2 days. Thanks again

08-07-2008, 02:12 AM	#21 (permalink)
billyberoux Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 22 My Bike: 2004 chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 0	great how to! i'm down to the removing the dust caps and can't get the fuckers off! any ideas?

08-08-2008, 02:06 AM	#23 (permalink)
mouse Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hudson Fl Posts: 9 My Bike: 04 chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 0	My caps were stuck real bad I talked to tech at Tampa Big Dog and he said try penatrating oil. if that didn't work put a rubber strap wrench on the cap and put a lot of tension on it and then hit around the seam with a rubber mallet to shock it loose. I had to do it on mine it worked. Hope this helps.

08-19-2008, 12:21 AM	#24 (permalink)
billyberoux Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 22 My Bike: 2004 chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 0	Gasman, Great how to! I followed it to the letter and other than my dustcaps being a bitch to remove it all went without a hitch. Before servicing the forks I was getting a bit of vibration noise at high RPM and clunking in the forks over bumps. I though I might have broken something in the fork assembly. When I got it all apart everything looked fine. Now after reassembly the vibration noise seems worse and still get the clunking. Any ideas?

08-19-2008, 07:30 AM	#26 (permalink)
billyberoux Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 22 My Bike: 2004 chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 0	they seem fine. wheels rotates freely. the vibration sounds like it is in the upper fork assembly. with the damper rod and spring just sitting on top of each other in the fork tube i'm surprised it wasn't vibrating from day one.

08-19-2008, 11:57 AM	#27 (permalink)
scubaman15 Scubaman Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 928 My Bike: 2007 BDM Chopper- 95 FXSTC. 91 FLT Geeser ride zzzz My Biker Photos Rep Power: 2	This looks like a lot of work , Great job Gas, as always!!

08-20-2008, 08:46 PM	#29 (permalink)
billyberoux Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 22 My Bike: 2004 chopper My Biker Photos Rep Power: 0	I DON'T KNOW ABOUT TIGHT... IT SEEMS TO SLIDE IN THERE WITH ROOM FOR PLAY...

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