Fork seal holdup

[Guest]

Well Im finally doing my fork seals and i got my forks halfway disassembled and i ran into a problem...when i read the how-to i just saw 19mm and immediately thought it was a 19mm socket....i was wrong...is there any way i could borrow someones special fork tool? i would happily pay shipping to and from.

[reddirtrider]

I use an air impact wrench on the allen bolt on the bottom of the forks. No need for the extended socket.

[lordcannon88]

I use an air impact wrench on the allen bolt on the bottom of the forks. No need for the extended socket.

i already tried that...and all the bloody thing did was spin.

[first timer]

Try this trick, reinstall the springs and caps, the springs help hold the rod in place. Then take a propane torch to the allen bolt at the bottom, let it get hot, then try using a impact wrench on it. This will usally work.

[hampshirehog]

9 times out of 10 sticking a broom handle down the fork tube and pushing it tight is all that's needed to stop everything spinning together. Otherwise make your own tool - M12 19mm bolt with 2 X 19mm nuts tightened together (or even welded on), held in the end of a socket extension.

[rustybronco]

bolt with a 19mm head, jam together (hard) two NuTz on the threaded end of the bolt. slip a socket on a long extension, insert "new" tool, slip down into forks.
*** edit*** (bad thing about doing this from work, someone else posts before you get finished with yours)

or as someone else on this board suggested, use a long threaded rod double nutted on both ends...

[Kaiser Sosei]

i already tried that...and all the bloody thing did was spin.

When I did mine I found I had to put my weight into it to keep it from spinning.

[p_s]

Well Im finally doing my fork seals and i got my forks halfway disassembled and i ran into a problem...when i read the how-to i just saw 19mm and immediately thought it was a 19mm socket....i was wrong...is there any way i could borrow someones special fork tool? i would happily pay shipping to and from.

There is a spark plug socket (I think for 14 mm plugs, could be wrong) that has 19 mm flats. You can use that upside down. Or any of a number of other methods.

[bwringer]

or as someone else on this board suggested, use a long threaded rod double nutted on both ends...

Yes, this.

A three-foot piece of 1/2" all-thread and four nuts. The hex on the nuts is 3/4", which is 19.05mm.

Jam the nuts together really hard, and/or give 'em a tap with a welder to really lock them together. One end goes into the damper rod inside the fork, the other end gets a wrench, and there you go.

Works on most GS forks, but the 35mm forks seem to use something different on the damper rods.

[lordcannon88]

9 times out of 10 sticking a broom handle down the fork tube and pushing it tight is all that's needed to stop everything spinning together. Otherwise make your own tool - M12 19mm bolt with 2 X 19mm nuts tightened together (or even welded on), held in the end of a socket extension.

well the broomhandle trick worked nicely. then the lovely little snap ring on top of the seal broke into 3 pieces....aghhh

[omaharj]

Pics please! Pics please! This is in my near future-help a brutha out! It's always nice to see pics and explanations... RJ

[chef1366]

Try this trick, reinstall the springs and caps, the springs help hold the rod in place. Then take a propane torch to the allen bolt at the bottom, let it get hot, then try using a impact wrench on it. This will usally work.

This is the ticket!

[BassCliff]

Pics please! Pics please! This is in my near future-help a brutha out! It's always nice to see pics and explanations... RJ

Fork Seal Replacement
(by Mr. Matchless)

Andre's got pictures for you.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[reddirtrider]

Try this trick, reinstall the springs and caps, the springs help hold the rod in place. Then take a propane torch to the allen bolt at the bottom, let it get hot, then try using a impact wrench on it. This will usally work.

Yes, you should attempt to remove the allen bolt BEFORE you take off the caps and release the spring tension. I've never had a problem with using an air aimpact at that point and I've done quite a few forks.

I do use a good impact with 120 lbs. of air pressure also. The trick is to hit it hard and fast. The tools are the key.