Removing the allen bolt on front forks

[first timer]

Gee thanks Jeff... learn from the classeist.

SS, While your at the Depot pick up a blow torch they are only like 10 bucks or so.

[ShirleySerious]

I took my shocks apart today and just gave them a little cleaning and purged the old oil. I'm not gonna put the new oil in until the seals come in (which was supposed to be yesterday, now it's Monday.)

The lower pinch bolt on one of the shocks is rusted on. The nuts and washers came off, but the bracket won't. I tried soaking it in mineral spirits to see if that'll loosen it. I'm just gonna give it some time. BTW, WD-40 didn't work.

So when it's actually time, what do I do? Do I just make that tool and stick it down the inner tube? What am I grabbing on to? Might as well just have the dealer do it because I don't have enough extensions. If I heat the allen bolt, do I just heat the head of the bolt?

[Sandy]

#15 has to come out. It's an allen head bolt.

The socket goes into the top of part #4. If it's really stuck heat would help but I've never had to use heat on mine. Make sure the allen wrench you use on the bolt is a good quality one and it's not worn or damaged. It will be really tight but it should come loose. Good Luck.

[ShirleySerious]

The damper rod looks round, which makes me think a socket will not be adequate. BTW, I finally got the bracket off. There was a ton of surface rust which came off pretty easy with some steel wool.

My friend has an air wrench at his school, so I'm gonna see if he can loosen it on Monday.

[Sandy]

The damper rod looks round, which makes me think a socket will not be adequate. BTW, I finally got the bracket off. There was a ton of surface rust which came off pretty easy with some steel wool.

My friend has an air wrench at his school, so I'm gonna see if he can loosen it on Monday.

What you're probably looking at is part #12. Take that out and you should seen the top of the damper rod. There will be an indent on it that would look the ring end of a 12 point 19mm combination wrench that's where the socket should go. Hang in there you've almost got it.

[ShirleySerious]

You sure it's not round? It looks like it in the pic. I'm guessing I have to compress the fork all the way to see it?

[ShirleySerious]

Damn. More issues with this bike. I got the oil seals today and I tried to pry the old ones off but just ended up tearing into them. I nearly sliced off my finger with a screwdriver. How do you get the old oil seals out? The drill trick didn't work.

[renobruce]

Mine were "welded in" as well. I took a pair of wire cutters and cut the metal band on the inside of the seal. Then I bent it out a little and grabbed the bent piece with some pliars and "peeled" it out... like opening a sardine can. Make sure you don't let the wire cutters or pliars scrape the fork. You should only have to cut into the seal about half way.

[salty_monk]

Bruce,

Is Craftsman from Sears?

I have a 5/8 socket & I have checked those in Kragen, Pepboys & my local hardware joint & none of them break through on the square so even with the rubber removed it won't work the way you show it. You can't get any drive on the square from that direction. Sears is about 8 miles away so no big deal just be nice to know before I set off

Shirley - I picked up a set of 3 extensions from Kragen for 11 bucks. A 10", a 6" & a 3". That should be enough & everyone has at least one 3 " extension surely....

By the way, if you can get one of the seals out near enough whole you should be able to use it to drive the new one back in.... I haven't tried it yet but it's worked for me before with auto seals & bearings. If not it's back to the store for a bit ass socket.

Got my seals from Dennis Kirk along with the springs.

Dan

[renobruce]

Bruce,

Is Craftsman from Sears?

I have a 5/8 socket & I have checked those in Kragen, Pepboys & my local hardware joint & none of them break through on the square so even with the rubber removed it won't work the way you show it. You can't get any drive on the square from that direction. Sears is about 8 miles away so no big deal just be nice to know before I set off

Shirley - I picked up a set of 3 extensions from Kragen for 11 bucks. A 10", a 6" & a 3". That should be enough & everyone has at least one 3 " extension surely....

By the way, if you can get one of the seals out near enough whole you should be able to use it to drive the new one back in.... I haven't tried it yet but it's worked for me before with auto seals & bearings. If not it's back to the store for a bit ass socket.

Got my seals from Dennis Kirk along with the springs.

Dan

Dan,
Yes, Craftsman is at Sears. It's the 5/8" spark plug socket with 3/8" drive.

For installing the seal, I used a 2" piece of PVC pipe about 2 feet long. Slide it over the upper fork tube and tap down on it ..... like a slide hammer. Make sure the end of the PVC is good and flat.

[Dave8338]

Place the head of the bolt in the vice and rotate the bike counter clockwise! \\/ :-D

[salty_monk]

She doesn't have a vice

Come to think of it neither do I

Bruce - thanks for the install tip.

Dan

[ShirleySerious]

OK, I think I already established that I got the bolt out. The !@#$% seal looks like it's pretty much glued in. I guess I might have to get new lower tubes because those mothers WILL NOT come out. I tried pliers and a wire stripper, but those just tore off chunks of rubber. I give up. What's the REAL secret?

[Dave8338]

Have you tried a seal puller? It looks like a small slide hammer with a flat, bent tip that fits behind the seal, from the inside.

[ShirleySerious]

If I had one or even knew what it was, I wouldn't be in this mess.

Can I improvise it?