Fork Spring & Oil seal change - an easy question

[salty_monk]

Looking through Clymer it seems pretty straight forward, I can't get air into the forks properly (I don't have the right pump) & they always feel a bit soft. Plus after years of using air shocks on mountain bikes I know they can fail eventually & let all the air out or not retain it for long etc etc.

Rather than spend 30 bucks on a pump I might just have done with it & fit progressive springs.

The only bit of the process I can see I might have trouble with is the removal of the allen bolt in the bottom of the fork leg. I do have a 12v impact driver & I think I can fashion a tool out of 4 x 19mm nuts & some studding (if I can get hold of some) as I don't have any welding gear here.

The easy question is do you need to take the bolt out at all? I know you don't to change the springs & oil but what about the seals? It seems to hold the damping rod so I don't think I can get the fork tubes out without it's removal. Can anyone confirm.

What about the damper spring? Will I be changing that or just the large spring & the plastic spacer?

Cheers,

Dan

 

[Nobby 'C ']

Yes the fork leg needs to come apart to change the seals. I managed this by cutting up a 19mm allen key and using this with a 19mm socket and extension bar or two. Thank heavens that Suzuki used such a wide bore for thier forks!!!

 

[bonanzadave]

Dan,
Im sure the answer to your (our) questions are on the way. Im gonna do this as well after we warm up a bit. Can you get some pics for the uninformed. Thanks, Dave

 

[Guest]

Flip a 5/8' spark plug socket upside down. Add the neccesary extensions to it and hook it up to your ratchet. Use that to hold the assembly inside the fork and unscrew it with the allen wrench from the bottom.

 

[salty_monk]

How does that work? I'm being dense, the sockets I have are round.
You mean the hollow steel type where the socket itself is a hex shape?? I think I have one of those but I don't think you can put an extension bar on it....

Dan

 

[Guest]

How does that work? I'm being dense, the sockets I have are round.
You mean the hollow steel type where the socket itself is a hex shape?? I think I have one of those but I don't think you can put an extension bar on it....

Dan

I'll post a pic..... give me a few minutes.

 

[Guest]

Here ya go... This is a Craftsman 5/8 socket. You have to take the rubber boot out and then the extension will go right through it. I do know that it won't work with some sockets.




Obviously you need to add more extensions on it to get it to reach down the tube.

 

[salty_monk]

Thanks. A picture is worth a thousand words huh!

Will look at mine tonight. Something tells me that bit might be square on mine.... If not I'll get one like yours & some more extensions.

Beats my stud & 4 nuts ideas.

 

[emjay]

I just clamped half a broom handle in my vise, placed the fork tube upside down over it, tapped on the end a few times with my rubber mallet, then easily removed the allen nut. Even if you use sockets and extender bars, the vise helps hold everything in place and frees up a hand.

 

[salty_monk]

I wish I had a vice or a decent workshop here.... mine's 6,000 miles away

 

[emjay]

I wish I had a vice...

I've got lots of vices! ;-)

 

[salty_monk]

I don't even have the broom handle

Reckon my missus could give us a list of vices though