Front fork installation (notice a pattern?)

[Clumzi]

lol, alright, I got the silly things off with a hammer and carb gang plate (see other thread) but now I'll be damned if I can get the new forks in. I don't know if it's the cold or what, but the pinch at the top is NUTS! I can't use the hammer trick this time from the bottom because of the shock. I was thinking about trying to find something to use as a shim in the pinch to hold it open while I twist up but I'm worried about cracking the thing apart or screwing up the metal somehow. Should I grease the sucker up with motor oil or something? Jebus! -nick

[gearman]

They shouldn't be that hard to install. Are the tubes tight in the top clamp or are they misaligned? If one tube goes in and the other is still difficult, you may have a tweaked steering stem/lower clamp or bent fork tube. Try fitting the tubes into the clamp from the top to check the fit. If they are tight, you can spread the bores slightly by tapping a wedge into the split or prying. Be advised that it is easy to bung up the aluminum top clamp so go easy.

Here's how I would go about assembly (refer to the schematic in the link below). Loosen the top stem nut (12) and stem pinch bolt (14) on the top clamp. You should be able to easily twist and slide the tubes into position. Make sure that none of the items (9,10,11) at the top of the headlight ear stack are pinched between the tube and top clamp. Once the tubes are in place, lightly snug the stem nut (12). Wring the tubes to the correct position in the top clamp (usually the top of the tube is even with the top of the clamp). Tighten the lower pinch bolts (22). Tighten the stem pinch bolt (14). Tighten the top pinch bolts (18?). Tighten the stem nut (12).

http://www.bikebandit.com/showschematic/m6084sch271323

Let us know how you make out.

[Clumzi]

crap!

Well, I tried my method. Without something shimming open the top pinch there was no possible way of them going in. I shimmed it open with a flat head, greased them up with some motor oil and they finally went in. I put the bolts back on, got everything nice and tight, went to put the caliper assembly back on... and they don't fit!!!! The bolts for the 550 forks are different than the bolts for the 650 forks by about 1/8".

I was getting all jazz up too. The 650 forks were from an E and were a little shorter, I was getting all into the idea of having the front an inch or so lower and possibly rigging up two discs up front because the 650 has slots for two. Oh well, tried to snake out of doing a fork seal job... didn't work . -nick

[chef1366]

Now you need calipers, master cylnder and wheel off a 650.
Endless ain't it!
Why didn't you just but fork seals in the stock forks? Clean up all the inners and get some Progressive springs to put in there.
Did you bugger them up with the brute force?