78 GS1000 Front Forks

[BruceB]

I am trying to remove the dampening rod from my front forks to install lowering blocks. However, I am unable to determine the size of allen head to use. The local Suzuki dealership thought it may be a 3/8" square head but this did not work either. I have two manuals, one a Suzuki and the other a Haynes. One manual shows usung a Spacial "Fork Assembly Tool" which is basically a long T-handle wrench but does not indicate the size. It gives a part number of the tool as: 09940-34520. The other manual shows a picture of how to use a homemade tool by using a small bolt with two nuts on it and placing into a socket with extension and using it like a T-handle wrench. But, once again it does not mention any size. Please Help!!

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Down the road I too will have to make this "special tool".
From past messages, members say the correct size is 19mm, but you can use 3/4" nuts because they're very close to the same size as 19mm.
So there's no problem with damaging the hardware. That's what I've read at least.
What do you mean, install lowering blocks..the bushings? I've always wondered, how do you know if they need replacing and are they still available?
One of these days I know I'll have to replace seals and thought I might replace the bushings too... if I see they need it.

[Billy Ricks]

Keith, if your fork has the teflon coated bushings Suzuki recommends replacing them at the same time you do the seals. They do take a beating and most people seldom replace fork oil if ever so they do wear. There should be one on the bottom of the upper tube and one on the upper part of the lower tubes.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Keith, if your fork has the teflon coated bushings Suzuki recommends replacing them at the same time you do the seals. They do take a beating and most people seldom replace fork oil if ever so they do wear. There should be one on the bottom of the upper tube and one on the upper part of the lower tubes.

Thanks, I'll keep this in mind.
Mine are original so I was wondering. I've changed oil over the years but like many, I've probably gone too long between changes.
Will I need a special tool to remove them too, or will they just slide off?
Also, what happens to performance if the bushings are worn? Anything obvious? I've been lucky over the 26 years, just on my second set of seals and they're still OK. Maybe because I've ridden constantly all these years.

[Billy Ricks]

Keith,
They are a split ring design so you expand the one on the upper tube to get it off and squeeze the one on the lower tube to get it out. As far as performance they keep the fork from having too much clearance betwen the tubes and smooth out the stroke. The one at the bottom of the upper tube most likely keeps oil from squeezing past and makes sure it has to go through the dampers. As far as the tool to hold the dampers I didn't use anything. I simply removed the bolt at the bottom of the fork tubes that hold the dampers. I didn't have any trouble with the dampers spinning when I reassembled either.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

OK. Thanks for the reply Billy.

[renobruce]

I just rebuilt my forks a month or so ago. It's 19mm. Get a 5/8" spark plug socket, 3/8" drive. The base of it is is 19mm(the six-sided part). Plug enough extensions into the socket (backwards of normal) to leave about 4-6 inches sticking out of the fork tube. Drop the socket down the tube while holding the extension(s).Put on your socket wrench and use a t-handle hex wrench under the fork. Mine came right off.

[saaz]

Definitely 19mm. I use a few socket extensions with a 19mm socket on the end, and use a car wheel nut in the socket that sticks out of the socket so it engages the damper rod.

There are no replaceable bushes on the GS1000 forks that I can see in the manual, and I forget if there are any as it has been a while!. I have replaced the oil regularly and the seals once or twice, but then I have used a spare set of forks as well!

I just did the ST1100 forks and it has two sets of teflon bushes, top and bottom.