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front fork...trying to fix myself

  • Thread starter Thread starter boathead
  • Start date Start date
???? what is the other method don???
i have my 19mm double nut tool all ready to go, and it's not gonna work?

the clymer manual only refers to a special suzuki holding tool.

i did notice that the 8mm allen wrench didn't fit the bottom nut in the fork...i think it is 6mm.
 
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Ohhh krikey you're right...I forgot we were talking about a 650....
 
hahahaha!

thanks alot. i've got f'ing oil all over the place.....a washer sprung out and rolled under the sink somewhere. oh crickey is right.:)
 
do you guys think i simply need a tool that has a smaller o.d. nut? it's tough to see in there, and i'm letting the balance of the oil drip out.
 
I dont think it HAS walls like a nut if its like the 550 forks i just did. They're just round. You may have to reassemble the upper tube so that the spring tension will allow you to draw that allen head out. Breaking it loose is a B I T C H so get prepared. You have an aircompressor and a impact gun?? Would be mega usefull..
 
i just reassembled it. i don't have an impact driver, so i'll have to wait until monday. hopefully the maintenance dept where i work has one.

i'll hope that the spring tension might hold the damper unit in place. peaking down the tube is tough to see, but it does appear round.

and so, with this colossal :) project of mine squarely on hold, perhaps i'll now kick back and enjoy the holiday. the seal didn't come in yesterday's mail, so i'm on hold anyway.

and so, no more fork questions until next week!
 
all right, i lied. one quick question. how does the dust cover come off? i don't want to force something that shouldn't be forced, but mine doesn't want to move upwards. must the damper unit come off first?
 
Hey guys don't complicate things. This task is really easy.. Josh, it's not april fools day is it, you leading boathead up the garden path with 19mm nut information. HAHA.
OK. Listen carefully. The method for the 650 forks is called the BROOM STICK METHOD. But in my case I didn't have a broom stick, well I did, but my wife would have killed me if I'de used her new broom handle to pull my forks apart. So I had to resort to an old rake that I had in the shed and I used the handle from that. Steps are as follows:

1. Remove fork leg from top and bottom yokes.

2. Remove top nut from the fork leg.

3. Tip fork upside down and allow all oil to drain from fork leg.

4. Remove fork spring and put aside.

5. Mount fork carefully in vice using softwood pieces either side of upper tube, this allows the lower slider to slip all the way down.

6. Now place the broomstick (rake handle in may case) inside the fork from the top. The broomstick comes to rest on the top of the damper inside the fork. Mark the broomstick at the top where it is level with the fork.

7. Then cut the broomstick to length so that when it is inserted in the fork tube there are about two threads for fork cap nut showing inside the fork. This allows the top nut to be started and as you tighten it up it locks the broomstick onto the damper rod and prevents it from turning when undoing the 6mm allen head bolt from the bottom of the slider.

Hope this all makes sense. I will add a picture later to help with my doubtful explanations.

S3010004.jpg


S3010007.jpg



S3010008.jpg


S3010009.jpg
 
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Suzuki_Don said:
Hey guys don't complicate things. This task is really easy.. Josh, it's not april fools day is it, you leading boathead up the garden path with 19mm nut information. HAHA.
Click to expand...

this would be really funny if my entire front end was not completely disassembled and in parts strewn about. ok, it is really funny anyway. :)

thanks, don, i will give it a go. i sort of want to do this by myself at this point without running to my work's maintenance dept for help.
 
i am happy as a pig in chit. of course, whenever i start something, i never have the proper tools. so i got a cheap vise, and a 6mm allen wrench with a turning handle.

figured lets just spend a moment with just the springs in the damn thing, hoping that the provided tension would be sufficient.

put the fork ears in the vice, and gave it a go. nothing. realized my issue at this point was NOT the damper unit rotating, but rather the loctite having a firm grab on things.

found a piece of old pvc pipe, slid it over the wrench handle as a breaker bar...and voila!

got the damn thing out. the springs were sufficient.

of course i have more oil now...seems every screw i loosen accesses another pocket of the crap.

so, props to everyone with my thanks.

more questions tomorrow when i actually try to completely disassemble the stuff.
 
i finally got my seals in the mail, so i'm coming down the homestretch. but a snag. hope i can describe this properly:

i put the damper assembly into the inner/upper tube, and slid it into the outer/lower tube. the upper D/U ring, though, won't seat in it's slot. (i am correct, right, that this thing ultimately will seat in the upper tube just below the washer/seal/lock ring?)

first off, am i correct that i need to get it lodged into the ledge in the upper tube? secondly, is there a trick for getting it in? it is a very tight fit.

thanks. i am soooo close. have a new tire, and i could finish this off tonight if i can get it in.
 
ok, down the homestretch.

i have the fork assembled and on the bike. new tire on. it's getting dark, so having trouble seeing the speedo cable connections. it'll have to wait until tomorrow. BUT....

how much air to i put in, and how? i have one of those little units that plug into the cigarette lighter in case of a flat....would that work?

thanks so much. i never would have thought i could do this.
 
NO NO NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOATHEAD???

Dont you dare use any kind of air compressor. You will stuff the seals.

DO YOU WANT TO DO THE JOB OVER AGAIN.

ONLY ever use a foot pump or hand pump to put air in your forks. The max. pressure is 36psi. But you will have to adjust this according to how the bike rides. If it's too stiff with 36 then release some air and test ride again. A lot of guys don't use the air. They just go with new Progressive Springs and adjust the ride by the weight of oil in the forks and adjust the preload with a spacer in the top of the fork tube (usually PVC).
 
Did you put fluid in also ? And did you give any thought to replacing the springs for newer ones ? You have come a long way grasshopper.
 
Suzuki_Don said:
NO NO NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOATHEAD???

Dont you dare use any kind of air compressor. You will stuff the seals.

DO YOU WANT TO DO THE JOB OVER AGAIN.
Click to expand...

thanks, don...glad i asked. no, i don't want to do it over again.:)

lucabond said:
Did you put fluid in also ? And did you give any thought to replacing the springs for newer ones ? You have come a long way grasshopper.
Click to expand...

yeah paul, put fluid in. i didn't give much thought to replacing the springs. money is tight, and i ended up spending about 80 bucks here alone. you see, every task i try, i never have tools. i had to buy the seals, a vise, fork oil, a set of allen wrenches, acetone to stip the clear coat on the bottom tube, etc..it adds up quickly.

thanks for all the help.
 
The reason you cannot use a compressor is that there is such little room left in the fork tube after the correct amount of oil, and the springs and other bits take up space in there. And it would take only a milli second to get the correct amount of air in there. Even the workshop manual says to use a footpump.
 
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just to update: got everything back on the bike, and took her out for a little spin....no fork oil leak!

and you guys were correct, in that i feel pretty good that i was able to pull this off. i learned alot, and the front end at least is no longer a mystery to me.

all in all, the biggest problems were the stupid dust cover, as i didn't understand there was a groove in the bottom tube holding it....and getting the fender back on had me smashing things. oh yeah...have to get a new cotter pin for the axle nut.

thanks again.
 
WELL DONE.

Congrats.

Now you're an expert you can advise others.
 
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