Removing the allen bolt on front forks

[Poot]

Hi Shirley,

I'll try and make it simple. I had trouble with this too.

Step 1: Have an allen wrench/bit holding the socket on the bottom of the fork.

Step 2: For this one, you need a long enough rod to reach the bottom of the inside of the fork, with each end having a 19mm bolt on it.

I luckily went to the dealer, and the service man welded me one on the spot! Suzuki has a "special" tool, but its like 40 bucks.....

Step 3: While holding one of the hexbolts/allen bits , loosen them.


Step 4: once loosened, the bits inside the fork should slide out. you can pop the seal retaining clip out with a screw driver. getting it back in is a bit of a pain, but not hard.

clean up the inside with kerosene before you change it all up.

make sure you tighten the bolts to the proper torque value, or real tight if you dont have a torque wrench.



Hope this helped!



POOT

I'm not sure if there is an easier way. I tried to use an upside down spark-plug socket (the small one) but I didnt have enough sections.

[Surly]

I found a bolt

I got the broom trick to work ONE time, then I made a 'proper' tool to use the next time. At the hardware store, I got a pice of 5/8" all-thread rod about 2 feet long, and 4 nuts to fit it. These nuts take a 15/16" wrench, which is real close to 24mm. Jam 2 nuts on one end of the all-thread and the other two nuts on the other end. Insert one end into the forks, use a wrench on the nuts that are still outside the tube to hold everything steady, undo the bolt in the bottom of the tube.

If you need something smaller, a 1/2" rod uses a 3/4" wrench (19mm).

A good hardware store might even have metric all-thread, so matching sizes would be easier. If you need a size that is in-between, use the next size larger and grind a little off each face of the nuts at one end.


.

Instead of threaded rod, I found a long galvanized bolt at Home Depot. I forget the size but Steve is on track. Jammed two nuts on the end and spun out the allen bolt. Cost about $3.00.

[ShirleySerious]

It sounds like it could be simple, but I just can't make a mental image of what the tool would look like. Anyone have a picture?

[salty_monk]

It's looks like a huge long bolt with two nuts on the end.... Go get a bolt & put 2 nuts on it lock them together, now imagine it with a 19mm head & about 18" long.

There's your tool.

Dan

[first timer]

the tool is nice but usally not needed, (if you have a impact wrench) and a good allen bit that fits to a socket wrench.

if you have a impact wrench just remove the whole fork from the bike with the spring still installed inside. (the installed sping will provide the needed pressure to keep the dampning rod it is screwed into from turning)

next take a propane torch and heat that allen bolt up so it get pretty hot, hopefully by getting it hot you will burn/break what ever thread sealant suzki has used.

after you get the bolt nice and hot take the impact wrench with allen bit to the screw and try to unscrew it. the wrench should have enough inertia to break the screw loose while the spring is holding the damping rod still.

just be carefull not to over do it with the impact wrench those allen bolts are pretty soft and can strip pretty easy, thats why the heat helps get things loose.

but don't worry if you do strip the allen bolts all is not lost, with patients and several drill bits you can drill the head of the allen screw off, and once the head is off the tube slides right out and the remaining bolt should unscrew by hand. that happend to me only once and apprently the sealent had glued the head into place because once i drilled the head out and got the tubes seperated i could unscrew it with my hand. thats why i recomend the heat, they can be tough.

-ryan

[Guest]

if you don't have an impact tool, quick raps with a hammer on a regular allen wrench will do the trick.

[ShirleySerious]

This seems more difficult than I thought it would be. I don't have an impact wrench, nor a blowtorch. When I go to the dealer to pick up my seals, I'll just see if they can loosen them for me. BTW, why are they called allen bolts? I know what an allen WRENCH is, but that looks like it has nothing to do with it. Just looks like a regular bolt.

As for cleaning out the inside, instead of kerosene, can I use Goo Gone? Kerosene is not available within 100 miles of me.

[first timer]

where do you live in Chicago? most home depot stores have kerosene and if not kerosene turpintine should work as well. or NON-clorinated brake cleaner would work too. I am over by the feild museum and have a impact wrench and torch, if you want to stop by, also a couple other guys that live in the burbs around here also have some tools to help you as well.

-ryan

[ShirleySerious]

Let me ask, is the torch really necessary? I would assume that if an impact wrench has enough force to loosen it, the torch wouldn't be needed.

I thought kerosene was only sold at gas stations in the sticks, but I will look at Home Depot tomorrow.

[wharrah]

So.... does ANYONE have pictures of these WAY COOL (and supposedly EASY TO MAKE) tools they can share with us? I'm with Shirley and having trouble envisioning what this is... some say it is a BOLT on each end, some say it is two nuts screwed together.

What is the purpose? Should this not be a sort of socket wrench if the hex-head thingees are wierd sort of bolts?

Sorry, I'm dense too.

PICS PLEASE of the TOOL.

[Guest]

So.... does ANYONE have pictures of these WAY COOL (and supposedly EASY TO MAKE) tools they can share with us? I'm with Shirley and having trouble envisioning what this is... some say it is a BOLT on each end, some say it is two nuts screwed together.

What is the purpose? Should this not be a sort of socket wrench if the hex-head thingees are wierd sort of bolts?

Sorry, I'm dense too.

PICS PLEASE of the TOOL.

You will need to add enough extensions to stick out of the fork tube, then attach your ratchet. This is a Craftsman 5/8" spark plug socket. The opposite end is 19mm. Take the rubber boot out of the socket and install some extensions.

This set-up goes down the fork tube and holds the hex head while you remove the small hex bolt at the bottom of the fork.

Shirley, do you have the fork off the bike yet? The small single hex head bolt is on the bottom of the fork ABOVE the axle. The bolt is hidden by the axle... you have to remove it to see it.

[ShirleySerious]

Ahh jeez, and all this time I thought those were the allen bolts. Yes I have both forks removed. I have two bolts on some kind of bracket below where the axle goes. Those are a bitch to remove, and now there's gonna be another bolt? Damn, I guess I better do this one step at a time. Anyone else having trouble removing these two bolts?

[first timer]

those two bolts hold the bracket that clamps the axle remove them then you will see the allen head bolt up in side. And yes heat would help. these allen bolts can be a bear and any little advantage you can use to get them out i strongly suggest it. like i said the impact wrench can be so strong that it strips the inside of the allen bolt so you can't loosen it at all. even a socket wrench can strip the allen bolt they are very soft. so do your self a favor add some heat to it as well as strike it like mentioned above.

i think once you get the bracket off it will be a little clearer to you.

[ShirleySerious]

Duhh, stupid me. Must be the beer. I didn't realize there was another set of pinch bolts. I put the axle back on and got those nuts loose. Now I see the allen bolt. And yes, it is still a bitch to get to. I couldn't find my hammer, so I couldn't try spchips' trick. I'll have to wait until I actually get the seals before I open it up.

As far as heat goes, would I be able to use a Bic lighter?

[8trackmind]

if you want to stop by, also a couple other guys that live in the burbs around here also have some tools to help you as well.
-ryan

You're a classy guy, Ryan. Way to go.