Fork removal / inspection time estimate?

[wharrah]

Hey y'all.

I'm debating whether to try and rip the forks off my (now) Brother's GS650L and figure out why it dogtracks, or wait til he gets back from Iraq so he can help me. He isn't back yet, and, of course, can't tell me when he will be. But, I want to fix the bike for him, one way or other.

To that end, can you tell me how long I should expect it to take for a relative all-thumbs like me to take off the forks and give the whole thing an inspection to see what's bent? I have basic hand tools, but no air compressor or high-artillery stuff to do the grunt work with.

Replacing seals and the like are possible add-ons to the project as we go, but are not initially considered part of the basic scope of this time estimate. I would assume I can double the figure to do the reassembly. Is that kosher?

Half a day to remove the front end? Whole day? Figure on making it a career?

Any input appreciated.

[t3rmin]

Before you spend too much time on it, check the front and rear alignment. To align the front, loosen the axle bolt (get it really loose) and bounce the front end up and down violently several times. Then tighten the nut, taking care to not tweak the thing out of alignment before it's clamped down again.

To check the rear alignment also loosen the axle nut (on the back wheel, of course). Again, get it really loose. Then I like to use two long straight 1x1 boards to 'sandwitch' the front and rear wheels along the length of the bike. It's then easy to see if they're aiming the same way. To adjust rear alignment loosen the locknuts on the chain tensioners, tighten or loosen the bolt(s) until it lines up, then clamp down the locknuts.

This is the most likely and easy fix if the bike isn't tracking right.

[wharrah]

Thanks dude... but I think I have a real hardware issue up-front.

By the looks of things, the forks do not point straight down bewteen cylinders 2 and 3... they are more pointed such that the road-patch of the bottom of the front tire is centered directly UNDER cylinder 3, not between 2 and 3.

The wierd thing is I think the frame MAY be bent, as the forks themselves do not look bent at all. Or, (I'm hoping) maybe I have a disintegrated top fork bearing in the fork pivot and its leaning everything to one side at the top as a result. All of the front end (headlight, wiring, forks, triple-tree, axle, wheel, brake, etc will all have to come off I think...

Thus, I think I need to rip it apart to find out what is wrong. This isn't just a 'back wheel crooked' thing. But, I wish it was. 8-[

[t3rmin]

I had the same exact problem you're describing. After loosening the triple-clamps (top and bottom -- be sure to jack up the bike or it'll fall!) and jockeying/banging things around a bit, and aligning the front wheel as I described (clamps tightened again, of course! ;-)), the front end was straight as an arrow. I think it's possible for the top and bottom clamps to be off a bit from each other and point the forks at an angle.

For me this happened after a rather spectacular front-end collision and subsequent fork replacement and I was worried the frame or triple-tree was tweaked, but it turned out to be alignment.

[rustybronco]

Unless its been wacked hard in the front end the only thing that bends are the fork tubes and the triple tree, the frames usually survive just fine. to disassemble the complete front end about 2 hours all the way down to the inner and outer fork tubes and the triple tree.

[jetta90]

Just a thought before diving into the BIG work.
Check the simple stuff first as mentioned on the other posts...................make sure the top clamp and bottom tripple clamp line up with each other. Loosen both (top and bottom) the clamp nuts and bolts just enough to be able to move the triple clamps around a bit and see if you can lign them up.
If you feel the triple clamp bearings might be gone. Put the bike on the center stand, get the front wheel off the ground, take both your hands and pull and push on the forks with some force. Back and forth and left to/from right.
I can't see worn wheel bearings being the issue but that should also be looked at before ging in too deep and dismantling.

[wharrah]

that's good news

Thanks guys!

That is EXACTLY the kinds of insight I was looking for. Matter of fact, I am truly HOPING that just some 'tweakage' is all I have to do to make things right up-top. Best news I have gotten all day!

I would think the frame would be tougher than my initial fears, so with replacement fork tubes and another triple-tree in-reserve, I should be able to put it back good as new without too much effort...

Let's hope you're all correct!

[rustybronco]

Is that you in your avatar? if so do you have an antenna farm or just that beam?

[wharrah]

not too distant past...

Is that you in your avatar? if so do you have an antenna farm or just that beam?

Hey RustyBronco,

Yes, that's me. That was me in a former life... well, not really, but I had to sell the house that tower was at, and now I live in a condo (much to my chagrin...). My wife and I split up for awhile, and as a result sold the house with the tower. She bought this place, and we decided to try it again (1 of which was age 7 at the time)... before the divorce was final.

So far, so good but I'm stuck in this condo, antenna restrictions up the bazooka. I HATE the house! But, I guess I should be happy I have a roof though.

I've been a ham radio geek a long time. I love climbing towers. (So, how's that for too much information!) :shock: :-D

... been almost 6 years since gettin' back together... so (we) must be doing something right this time.

[rustybronco]

not to much info... kb8hsd glad to meet you

[wharrah]

i go mobile now.

Hey Dale,

Nice to meet ya. ke0ms here. Check me out on qrz.com or on my webpage... in my sig block. Mostly I do HF mobile now. No antenna restrictions there! LOL... \\/