Need a front fork part

[fastpakr]

Argh...

Forks came in yesterday, not bad for an auction I paid for just a few days ago. They're in excellent condition - seals are good, dust covers are good, everything is in a condition that I could just throw them right on the bike. What is NOT good is that they're missing the EXACT SAME PARTS as the ones on my bike. Now I am, of course, second guessing things. 24 and 25 were either never in these forks, or they're somehow locked in place in the bottom of the outer tube somehow by the anti-dive system that they don't come out in a normal disassembly and simly appear to be an integral component of the tube. I'm beginning to think that they control the valving system that is activated under braking pressure, and that whether they're wrong from the drawing or locked down in the outer tube somehow, in either case I'm not actually missing anything.

[BruceB]

Dampening Rod

Sorry don't have an answer for you but you may be able to help me. When you took your forks apart how did you remove the dampening rod. I am having a heck of a time removing them on my 78 GS 1000?

[fastpakr]

Every time I've disassembled mine (either set) the allan bolt has come out without having to do anything to hold the damper rod. There was a discussion recently about ways to hold it, though. Might try a search (I'll do the same when I get a chance and post here if I find the right thread).

[Billy Ricks]

Bruce,
Did you remve the bolt at the bottom of the fork lowers? That bolt holds the damper rods in place. I never had to hold the rods from inside the fork to get the bolt out either.

[Billy Ricks]

Fastpakr,
The pieces you feel are missing is an oil lock that is actually on the bottom of each damper rod and possibly the nylon ring that fits into each oil lock. There's a chance they are staying stuck in the bottom of the fork. They are the last pieces that would come out.

[fastpakr]

Any idea how they're secured in there? They certainly don't come loose with a vigorous tap against a surface to jar them free. Not that it really matters - as long as everything's in place I'm not that worried about it. Next step is blocking off the anti-dive and replacing the brake lines with stainless.

[Billy Ricks]

If they are indeed stuck in the bottom of the fork a little poking around through the bolt hole at the bottom of the fork might loosen them up. Just be careful not to use anything that will scratch the internals. They should be fairly tight in the tube since they are there to keep oil going through the damper rods instead of around them. The bolt at the bottom actually runs through the lock piece before threading into the damper rods. A good flush with kerosene might break them loose as well.

[fastpakr]

Hmm... I guess my question then is does it matter? Obviously there's some type of valving system at the base of the damper rod that this affects. Do the pieces need to be able to move, or how exactly is the relationship between the valve and the rod changed?

[Billy Ricks]

The damper rod and oil lock remain stationary and the upper tube slides over it. The lower oil lock I believe has more to do with the anti-dive than anything. Without it there your anti-dive would be useless. I'd be willing to bet it's there inside both your sets of forks.

[fastpakr]

OK, that all makes sense, and basically fits my theory that brake pressure was controlling the valve through the AD system. That being the case, I'll just leave it alone, flush the forks, and install a bit more spacer. That and find a block off plate...

Thanks, by the way!

[Billy Ricks]

When I had my stock front end on the bike I made my own block off plates out of aluminum plate. I may still have them lying around. When I get time I'll look for them and if I find them they're yours. By removing the units from the fork you could probably get to those oil lock units and force them up. The oil locks are just above the bottom hole under the anti-dive plumbing. If you want to disable the A-D all you have to do is remove the hydraulic line, cap the A-D with the right size bolt then use the banjo bolt from the A-D to replace the double banjoes on the calipers. This works until you can make the plates.

[fastpakr]

What do you mean by 'cap the Anti-Dive with the right size bolt'? I'm riding right now withe the system intact except for having the hydraulic line removed (and the single line banjo bolt switched to the caliper).

If you run across the block-off's, I'd be glad to take them off your hands.

[Billy Ricks]

Just replacing the banjo with the right size bolt to keep debris and rain out. There is a piston under the top portion of the anti-dive that is forced down to activate the anti-dive.

[fastpakr]

Which increases the rate, so I'd want to have that permanently engaged? As it is, the anti-dive system is basically in the non-brake position always.

[Billy Ricks]

As I recall when I installed the block off plates it stiffened up the front end quite a bit. The way things seem to work with the A-D is that the valving closes down the channel through which the fork oil flows. By blocking the two holes under the A-D unit you stop that flow.