Something strange happened.....

[Cshores]

Well, I completed my front forks tear down, re-seal, put new bearings on the forks, changed the fork oil AND put new front brake pads on while I was at it.

Surprising it only took me 3 days. Well, without too much to complain about I am glad to say all turned out well...except something strange happened.

Once all the fork pieces and parts were back together and attached to the triple tree I came to find out that my front brake line had somehow shrunk and was now unable to reach the front brake to the Banjo connection (I think that is what it is called).

My question is this.... Did I fuck up something again? Do the forks need to "settle" for the line to fit back to the brake thingy??

Any input would be awesome because I would love to get back on the road and think it would be great to have my front brakes working again.

 

[erldawg]

Pictures would help....There is no settling in should go back together...do the forks move up and down?

 

[woodbutcher]

do you still have the bike up in the air on the jack??? if so put it on the ground so the forks will collapse. problem solved.

 

[Brew]

How much oil did the put in the forks?

 

[woodbutcher]

good thought, rob

 

[2004BC]

Problem is that the brake line should fit at full extension. If it's short and you hit a good pot hole and get air your front end could go to full extension and rip out your brake line. Probably a routing issue. Picture would certainly help.

 

[BigDogBro1]

do you still have the bike up in the air on the jack??? if so put it on the ground so the forks will collapse. problem solved.

I agree with 2004BC.

Sorry, you can't do that.....

If you collapsed the front forks to get the brake line installed the next time you hit a bump in the e-way the forks would fully extend and tear off the front brake line....wouldn't that be great.

 

[Oscar Maldonado]

It could be to that the forks were not fully extended when the front end was originally installed on the bike. I know that when I did mine a few years ago I ran ino the same problem and had to get a longer brake line. Not to sure why that happened but after putting it all back together I ended up with the forks being 2" longer than they were supposed to be. I haven't had any problems with mine to date.

 

[Cshores]

Here is a picture of the distance between the brake line and the actual brake assembly. The bike has been on the ground since last night. I put 10 oz's in each fork leg so should be good there.

I am not exactly sure what the issue is.....unless it has always been a little "short" and now it is back the normal way and the line was never long enough.

 

[woodbutcher]

initially, i thought you were talking about maybe less than an inch. that looks like it is closer to 3-4 inches. got to be something other than the forks not being collapsed. something ain't right. and i agree, 10oz. each is correct.

 

[RCAdd1ct]

Improper routing?

 

[Cshores]

I don't know where I could have overlooked the right procedure for putting everything back in place into the fork assembly.

Do these seals look like they are in "enough"? I may not have hammered the seals ALL THE WAY in which may have caused the extra spacing.

Any thoughts?

 

[2004BC]

I don't know where I could have overlooked the right procedure for putting everything back in place into the fork assembly.

Do these seals look like they are in "enough"? I may not have hammered the seals ALL THE WAY in which may have caused the extra spacing.

Any thoughts?

Seals ride on the OD of the tube and don't contribute to length. Did you disassemble the piston assembly inside the tubes or did you just take them off, dump fluid, and change seals. Also a more complete picture of brake line from master cylinder to caliper would certainly help in routing diagnosis. Did you change the master cylinder location on the handlebars?

 

[RCAdd1ct]

when you put the bike on the ground does the frame settle like stock or is ut riding high.

If it looks stock start looking at hose routing or other stuff like that.

If it is riding high, you need to look at the front end.

 

[RRRUFF]

Not sure which bike you have but has the handle bars ever been changed out for longer bars. I put ridgeback bars on my 05 chop and the brake line is to short with the bike jacked up. Sitting on the ground plenty of slack. However looking at your picture you are really short. Are you sure you put the dampner back in correctly?

 

[woodbutcher]

another question, when you had them apart, by any chance did you happen to go ahead and replace the bushings while you were at it or was that what you were referring to as the "bearings"???? (4 teflon coated bushings, 2 for upper and 2 for lower)

 

[Cshores]

when you put the bike on the ground does the frame settle like stock or is ut riding high.

If it looks stock start looking at hose routing or other stuff like that.

If it is riding high, you need to look at the front end.

It appears to be riding "high". I started the bike and went up and down a little incline/decline in my driveway and the forks aren't budging. The triple tree is attached fully and so I suppose I will have to start all over again.

I did put new bushings and seals on the forks. I completely broke them down and re-assembled the forks. The only thing I know I didn't put back the right way were the "spacer" washers that are on top and below the top spacer in the top tube.

The reason I didn't put those on is because they weren't on when I broke the forks down. I put them back together the way that is indicated in the diagrams on BDM and BDB.

Pictures attached. I am gonna HATE to have to do this all over again:bang:

 

[woodbutcher]

just look at it this way, now you are experienced and it should only take you half as long.

 

[RCAdd1ct]

It appears to be riding "high". I started the bike and went up and down a little incline/decline in my driveway and the forks aren't budging. The triple tree is attached fully and so I suppose I will have to start all over again.

I did put new bushings and seals on the forks. I completely broke them down and re-assembled the forks. The only thing I know I didn't put back the right way were the "spacer" washers that are on top and below the top spacer in the top tube.

The reason I didn't put those on is because they weren't on when I broke the forks down. I put them back together the way that is indicated in the diagrams on BDM and BDB.

Pictures attached. I am gonna HATE to have to do this all over again:bang:

Sounds like you have the spacers or something in the incorrect order.

You might be able to take the weight off the front end, pop the caps off and see if the forks will collapse enough to get the parts out/she if the suspension will move.

If not, you will need to pull it apart and start for square one.

 

[C.A. Jones]

Sounds like you might be "air locked"...Loosen axle pinch bolts @ bottom of right slider... Remove the caps from the tubes @ the top of the tree. (this must be done with the bike on the ground) Grab front brake and work the front end up and down a few times...If the front end is not working with pinch bolts loose and the caps removed...You've screwed something up internally..Hopefully this will fix you up...let me know