mcgroom
Well-Known Member
Had more than a mist of oil on one of my fork sliders towards the end of the riding season last years so I decided to replace the fork seals before riding season started this year.
I am only doing this since there does not seem to be a how-to on this yet and there are plenty of guys on here that have inverted forks.
I do not claim that this is the best way nor am I a professional wrench. This is how I did it and what worked for me. I encourage any and all input that may help someone do this easier or better.
And sorry if the pictures suck, you get what I have.
Many pictures were an after thought to doing the work so hopefully my description will be good enough to get you through it.
I started by removing the front wheel and fender. Plenty of threads on bearings and polishing but did both as well since I had it off.
Next I loosened the top fork pinch bolts. This took the pressure off of the cap and allowed for some leverage just in case they were tough to loosen.
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I looked for some kind of adjustable spanner wrench to use to loosen the cap but had to improvise with a couple of allen wrenches and a pipe wrench.
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After the cap was loosened, it was time to remove the forks from the trees. As stated in the 1st picture, make sure you have something to wedge the clamps open that are built into the trees. Also, make sure you take your time and keep the fork at the same angle as your trees while slowly sliding it down and out.
I did not do either of these things and spent 4 nights sanding and polishing the grooves and cuts where the tube got snagged on the lower tree clamp.:bang: :bang: :bang:
Once they were both out, I unscrewed the cap and pushed the slider up. This allowed me to drain the fluid and exposed the spring so I could give it a good dousing with a can of brake clean.
[/IMG]
No picture of the spring but you get the idea.
I then hand tightened the cap back into the tube since I was going to have the fork tube upside down in a vice.
I loosened the pinch bolt on the lower wheel support. The manual calls for a soft jaw vice to be used. I do not have one. I tried a heavy towels to prevent the slider from being cut. Slips to much. I tried thinner rags and put a couple of small grooves in my slider. :bang: I went to Sears and bought some Soft Jaw Vise Inserts.... not worth a shit in my opinion.
The only thing I could think of was a thick piece of rubber cleaned real well with brake cleaner to prevent slipping and cutting into the lowers.
This is what I found at Home Depot in the plumbing dept. Just a basic drain coupler but cheap enough and thick enough to prevent damage.
[/IMG]
Cut down the middle
[/IMG]
It worked like a charm
[/IMG]
Place the wheel axle through the wheel support and unscrew it from the lower leg. Be patient on this one. It took 15 mins on the first one and 45 mins on the second. Both had to be worked back and forth before they would break loose.
[/IMG]
Once the wheel supports are off, remove the dust cover from the lower leg. These are installed finger tight but there is a notch if a little help from a rag, small punch and some light taps from a hammer is needed.
[/IMG]
I unscrewed the cap and slid the entire spring and slider assembly out of the fork tube and put the 2 side by side. As you can see, there is noticeable build up on the treads of the slider on the left from fork oil working its way down the tube into the wheel support. This is the one that took 45 mins. to break loose.
[/IMG]
Here is a picture of the lower part of the tube. This is where the retaining spring, seal and lower bushing are located. The arrow points to the lower bushing.
[/IMG]
Using a small screw driver or pick, take the retaining spring out and remove the seal. I placed the ring aside the same way I would be reinstalling it.
The lower bushing was quite a bit tougher to get out. I tried to get a pick under it to get it out and no luck. I ended up grinding the tip down on an old "S" type screwdriver that would catch under the lip of the bushing, put a socket on the end of several extensions and used my fingers to hold the screwdriver in place as I drove the extensions into the ground. Took some time but I was able to get the bushing out.
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
This is the driver under the bushing. The picture was taken after I had installed the new bushing, seal and retaining clip but you get the idea.
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
Once everything was out, I used a bearing puller/installer to drive the new bushing and seal in.
[/IMG]
I don't have any pictures for the upper bushing removal or install but once the lower leg and spring assembly are removed, it is as simple as sliding the old one off and the new one on. It was not recommended to remove the spring from the slider so I went down the length of the slider taking it off and up the slider putting it on.
I put a little grease and fork oil on the inside of the seal and slid the spring/lower leg assembly back together. Slide the dust cover and washer back over the lower and tighted hand tight. Next I used a wire brush on the lower leg threads and put the wheel support back on hand tight.
I used some grease on the upper part of the tube and inside of the tree clamps. I wedged the clamps open and carefully slid the legs into place. I tightened the pinch bolts enough that the legs were held in place, added oil and screwed the fork cap back into a seated position. I then proceeded to torque the pinch bolts on the upper and lower trees. Front wheel back on, everything torqued to specs and back on the road.
Hope this post helps someone.
I am only doing this since there does not seem to be a how-to on this yet and there are plenty of guys on here that have inverted forks.
I do not claim that this is the best way nor am I a professional wrench. This is how I did it and what worked for me. I encourage any and all input that may help someone do this easier or better.
And sorry if the pictures suck, you get what I have.
Many pictures were an after thought to doing the work so hopefully my description will be good enough to get you through it.I started by removing the front wheel and fender. Plenty of threads on bearings and polishing but did both as well since I had it off.
Next I loosened the top fork pinch bolts. This took the pressure off of the cap and allowed for some leverage just in case they were tough to loosen.
I looked for some kind of adjustable spanner wrench to use to loosen the cap but had to improvise with a couple of allen wrenches and a pipe wrench.
After the cap was loosened, it was time to remove the forks from the trees. As stated in the 1st picture, make sure you have something to wedge the clamps open that are built into the trees. Also, make sure you take your time and keep the fork at the same angle as your trees while slowly sliding it down and out.
I did not do either of these things and spent 4 nights sanding and polishing the grooves and cuts where the tube got snagged on the lower tree clamp.:bang: :bang: :bang:
Once they were both out, I unscrewed the cap and pushed the slider up. This allowed me to drain the fluid and exposed the spring so I could give it a good dousing with a can of brake clean.
No picture of the spring but you get the idea.
I then hand tightened the cap back into the tube since I was going to have the fork tube upside down in a vice.
I loosened the pinch bolt on the lower wheel support. The manual calls for a soft jaw vice to be used. I do not have one. I tried a heavy towels to prevent the slider from being cut. Slips to much. I tried thinner rags and put a couple of small grooves in my slider. :bang: I went to Sears and bought some Soft Jaw Vise Inserts.... not worth a shit in my opinion.
The only thing I could think of was a thick piece of rubber cleaned real well with brake cleaner to prevent slipping and cutting into the lowers.
This is what I found at Home Depot in the plumbing dept. Just a basic drain coupler but cheap enough and thick enough to prevent damage.
Cut down the middle
It worked like a charm
Place the wheel axle through the wheel support and unscrew it from the lower leg. Be patient on this one. It took 15 mins on the first one and 45 mins on the second. Both had to be worked back and forth before they would break loose.
Once the wheel supports are off, remove the dust cover from the lower leg. These are installed finger tight but there is a notch if a little help from a rag, small punch and some light taps from a hammer is needed.
I unscrewed the cap and slid the entire spring and slider assembly out of the fork tube and put the 2 side by side. As you can see, there is noticeable build up on the treads of the slider on the left from fork oil working its way down the tube into the wheel support. This is the one that took 45 mins. to break loose.
Here is a picture of the lower part of the tube. This is where the retaining spring, seal and lower bushing are located. The arrow points to the lower bushing.
Using a small screw driver or pick, take the retaining spring out and remove the seal. I placed the ring aside the same way I would be reinstalling it.
The lower bushing was quite a bit tougher to get out. I tried to get a pick under it to get it out and no luck. I ended up grinding the tip down on an old "S" type screwdriver that would catch under the lip of the bushing, put a socket on the end of several extensions and used my fingers to hold the screwdriver in place as I drove the extensions into the ground. Took some time but I was able to get the bushing out.
This is the driver under the bushing. The picture was taken after I had installed the new bushing, seal and retaining clip but you get the idea.
Once everything was out, I used a bearing puller/installer to drive the new bushing and seal in.
I don't have any pictures for the upper bushing removal or install but once the lower leg and spring assembly are removed, it is as simple as sliding the old one off and the new one on. It was not recommended to remove the spring from the slider so I went down the length of the slider taking it off and up the slider putting it on.
I put a little grease and fork oil on the inside of the seal and slid the spring/lower leg assembly back together. Slide the dust cover and washer back over the lower and tighted hand tight. Next I used a wire brush on the lower leg threads and put the wheel support back on hand tight.
I used some grease on the upper part of the tube and inside of the tree clamps. I wedged the clamps open and carefully slid the legs into place. I tightened the pinch bolts enough that the legs were held in place, added oil and screwed the fork cap back into a seated position. I then proceeded to torque the pinch bolts on the upper and lower trees. Front wheel back on, everything torqued to specs and back on the road.
Hope this post helps someone.
