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she's home! now a fork question..

  • Thread starter Thread starter seuadr
  • Start date Start date
good call

good call

you need a proper torque setting as it's easy to overtighten that nut and still get a seemingly fine feel at the steering
but that overtightening is going to kill bearings

if the nut is in spec, but you still get some play there, probably the bearings need replacement
 
psyguy said:
you need a proper torque setting as it's easy to overtighten that nut and still get a seemingly fine feel at the steering
but that overtightening is going to kill bearings

if the nut is in spec, but you still get some play there, probably the bearings need replacement
Click to expand...
Also when checking the steering head, see if it feels like it drops into a notch on center. If so, the bearings need replaced.

I should clarify this. Turn the bars, if they feel like they drop into a notch, or notches, the bearings are pitted and need replaced.
 
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The nut that adjusts the head bearings has four notches in it, the chrome hex nut on top is a jam nut to keep the adjustment from changing. when you set the preload on the bearings with notched nut and then tighten the top nut the load on the bearings will increase and it will take more effort to turn the handle bars. you may have to start a little looser then tighten the top nut. you want a little load on the bearings, but not to tight.
 
rustybronco said:
The nut that adjusts the head bearings has four notches in it, the chrome hex nut on top is a jam nut to keep the adjustment from changing. when you set the preload on the bearings with notched nut and then tighten the top nut the load on the bearings will increase and it will take more effort to turn the handle bars. you may have to start a little looser then tighten the top nut. you want a little load on the bearings, but not to tight.
Click to expand...
ok! i did some testing today, first, the bars move smooth through the whole range no matter how slow i turn them with no weight on them, so, no sitting down in notches. however, i did locate the sound of the "tack" noise... the forks are compressing so far that the black rubber cap on top of the tubes is hitting the housing where the forks attach to the tripple tree! i'm guessing this is a problem with lack of air/oil can anyone confirm? i have not seen any leaks on the ground, but i did not install these forks, a PO did so there is no way of knowing if he added the right amount/any at all/ the right kind of oil. any opinions?
 
No oil, bad springs, wrong fork tube length. but I think it would be more of a bam! than a tack .
 
rustybronco said:
No oil, bad springs, wrong fork tube length. but I think it would be more of a bam! than a tack .
Click to expand...
no air at all in it.. i put about 50psi of air in there and it doesn't make any noise whatsoever. one of the things i didn't think at all to check when i got the bike!:-?

that said.. what is the factory recommended range? (i'm sorry for all the questions, but as i said i left the book at my parents house so i can't look it up till this weekend, since they live an hour away )
 
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Air or not, when the forks are fully compressed it shouldn't hit the triple tree.
Something wrong here, wrong tubes or they may be just raised up too high in the attempt to lower the bike to look cool or shorten it for some little person?
Maybe they were trying to fix some other problem?
 
tkent02 said:
Air or not, when the forks are fully compressed it shouldn't hit the triple tree.
Something wrong here, wrong tubes or they may be just raised up too high in the attempt to lower the bike to look cool or shorten it for some little person?
Maybe they were trying to fix some other problem?
Click to expand...
i don't know.. the PO was a harley mechanic that said he replaced the forks and said it scared the **** out of him to ride.
 
seuadr said:
no air at all in it.. i put about 50psi of air in there and it doesn't make any noise whatsoever. one of the things i didn't think at all to check when i got the bike!:-?

that said.. what is the factory recommended range? (i'm sorry for all the questions, but as i said i left the book at my parents house so i can't look it up till this weekend, since they live an hour away )
Click to expand...
it depends on the rear shock settings, 7-21? psi range iirc, I think mine are at 11psi.
 
seuadr said:
i don't know.. the PO was a harley mechanic that said he replaced the forks and said it scared the **** out of him to ride.
Click to expand...

Replaced with what?
And why?
What scared him?
I don't get it.

Are the forks right or are they not? Got pics?

It shouldn't bottom out by hitting the top of the slider, no matter what.
 
What scared him is a bike with a little power! :D

The fork springs are probably sacked and need replaceing. The OEM fork oil is usually too thin, also.

I'd take them apart for inspection.
 
Zook said:
The fork springs are probably sacked and need replaceing. The OEM fork oil is usually too thin, also.
Click to expand...

Even with no springs at all, if the tubes are compressed all the way in, the slider hitting the triple is not how it is supposed to stop.

Wrong forks, or the fork stanchions are mounted too high in the tree.
 
tkent02 said:
Even with no springs at all, if the tubes are compressed all the way in, the slider hitting the triple is not how it is supposed to stop.

Wrong forks, or the fork stanchions are mounted too high in the tree.
Click to expand...

i'll second that

but drain the oil nonetheless and put new one in
at the same time measure the springs' free length

you dont want to rely on air only as too much air pressure may cause the air to shoot through the seals when you least need it, on the road !
 
tkent02 said:
Replaced with what?
And why?
What scared him?
I don't get it.

Are the forks right or are they not? Got pics?

It shouldn't bottom out by hitting the top of the slider, no matter what.
Click to expand...
the forks are not from a g model, no, they are from an "e" model. i'll take some pics and post'em tommorow of the forks, the triple tree and the like.

he replaced the forks because the bike was lowsided at about 30 miles an hour and the tubes got bent. for all i know there is no oil and the springs are shot, i won't be able to take it apart till this weekend as i have no tools at my appartment, i'll have to take it over to my father's.
 
ok! here are some photos and measurements. they hopefully will be of (some) use, in at least mebby for sure identifying them as "e" forks so i know what i have!

first, the measurements. from the bottom of the fork to the top of the triple tree, the forks are 34 inches. the space between the bottom and top of the triple tree is 8 inches, the distance between the fork seal with no compression and the bottom of the triple tree is 8 inches and the fork bottom to the black rubber seal/boot is 16 inches.

100_0931.jpg

as you see from the pics, they have dual discs and anti dive, which led me to believe they are "e" forks.
100_0930.jpg


100_0936.jpg


100_0928.jpg

they don't appear to be sitting to hight, or mounted lower than they are supposed to be.. they seem to be flush with the triple tree.. i can supply any photo from any angle just about you want if it will help?
 
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