Air Collar Removal !!!

[Hacked850]

I'm trying to remove a set of GS1100E ??,forks and I can't figure out how to remove the air collars from the forks??.ANY help would be great.

Alan..

[Hacked850]

Nevermind I figured it out.I'm still wondering how they stay put while you ride??.

[Steve]

OK, what did you find?


It has been a while since I did a set of forks with air collars, but I seem to remember a wire clip around the top, which is visible in your pictures. Remove that wire, slide the forks down, out of the collars.

.

[hikermikem]

Hmmmmm..... my 1100EX has an air collar, but there's no wire clip to keep it in place... the "air collar bracket" assy simply stays in place on the triple tree with O-rings positioned both top & botom of the "air holes" in the forks.

The collar can't drop lower because it's captured on top of the headlight ears.

[Hacked850]

Ya there was no clips to be found.I assumed that the collars had not been removed since new so I hit them with a little WD40 on top and inside,gave them a GENTLE tap( after I removed the air line) and they spun right around.Now these forks are on a 82 GS850 ( 850 triple clamps),the stock 850 bracket for the headlight hit the collars so I removed it and I will make new brackets.The bottom of the collars ride on the bottom triple clamp so I might use safety wire in the GROOVE above to keep them down..

[Roger P.]

I seem to remember the ends of the screws being pointed, which then fit into the countersunk air holes on the fork leg, preventing any rotational or axial movement. Maybe I'm wrong (or plugged the air holes...).

[Hacked850]

I thought the same thing but with the screws all the way in they are to short to go into the holes.I think they are there just to block the airlines?.

[mrbill5491]

Air collar

I just bought a complete front end like the one you have. What was the reason to remove the air collar?

[mrbill5491]

Air collar

Oh by the way, I'm installing this front end on my 80 GS750E.

[Hacked850]

I installed the forks on my 850G,so I had to slide the tubes out of the 1100 triple clamps and into my 850 triple clamps.

[mrbill5491]

Air collars

Aaaah okay Hacked. My install is going to be much easier. It is a straight across upgrade, don't have to change a thing. Just need to install some new fork seals before I make the switch.

[Hacked850]

Ya that would have been ALOT easier !!.My stock forks are in GREAT shape and so were the calipers.The new ones,not so much BUT they should help with the steering !!.AND I got the whole new front end for $40.00 including the wheel !!.

[salty_monk]

Eh?? Both forks are the same diameter and use the same low tech... Why would the 1100 set affect your steering in a positive way??

Edit:
Saw your other thread... You didnt mention they were L forks! Understand now

[Hacked850]

Until I build a set of Leading Link forks next winter these L forks should reduce my trail enough to lighten up the steering and make it easier to steer.