Helpful info for removing stuck fork bolt

[exdirtbiker]

Changing fork seals on your GS? First, you'll want to see this: http://members.dslextreme.com/users/...nt_GS850GT.pdf

If you have the bolt stuck in the bottom of your fork, like BikeCliff and I did, you might have luck with this:
Make yourself a long 19mm tool.
there are a few ways to get there, here's what I did:

Grind the sides of a bolt with 19mm head, so you get a 3/8" square. Then stick it into your longest 3/8 ratchet extension

https://photos.app.goo.gl/n2yGUfDcxlIfV6a73

and tape it so it doesn't fall off

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8C5WVzsJcJQzX50I2

Here's the bolt in question: it treads into the bottom of the damper rod, and was stuck when the last owner ripped the hex out of it, making it stuck forever.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Iv65TF0DBRz6aldH2

Now for the fun part- put the bottom tube in a vice, wrapped in lots of rags. DO NOT TIGHTEN THE VICE more than enough to prevent the tube from turning- just enough to stop it from spinning.

Try to turn the damper rod with your long tool. ( I grabbed mine with my biggest vice grips ) On rare occasions, this has worked, but I was not that lucky... the whole assembly turns, along with that bolt.
So have someone else try to turn the long tool while you give the center of the bolt a good, sharp whack with a small hammer and a 1/4" punch pin.
(I like to lock the pin in a vice grip to hold it steady. and prevent smashed fingernails.)
Make sure you hit the middle of the bolt, not the top of the socket cap.

After the first whack, it popped free. my bolt was then "finger loose".

Hope you have similar results.

Pete

[hillsy]

Couple of things to add from me:

Stick the fork caliper mounts into a soft-jawed vice and tighten as much as you want.

Sometimes you can bash a slightly oversized torx socket into the stripped allen bolt head and get some traction. Or drill the head off the bolt and remove the damper rod.

[SVSooke]

Two things from me.
1 The hex end of a spark plug socket is the same size if you put it on the wrong way round.
Some times there's nothing left to do but drill off the top of the Allen screw.Most likely once that's done it the stub will be finger tight and just come right out.That's what happened with my 82 GPz 750's fork.

[DKGS850]

Hi All,

I am really struggling with the bottom bolts of my GS850 forks. I am using the 19mm bolt tool and allen key method, but without any luck.

I am considering using an impact tool to loosen the bolt, but am in doubt about the purpose of the 19 mm tool.

I that just to counter the torque of the Allen key (or Impact wrench) or does it serve another purpose.

[Steve]

I am considering using an impact tool to loosen the bolt, but am in doubt about the purpose of the 19 mm tool.

I that just to counter the torque of the Allen key (or Impact wrench) or does it serve another purpose.

The bolt at the bottom threads into the bottom of the damping rod. The 19mm tool holds the damping rod to keep it from spinning.

If you have an air impact wrench, you <might> get by without the 19mm tool, but it's still handy to have and use.

Here is what I did to make a 19mm tool. I went to the local bix box store (Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.), found nuts that measure about 19mm across (I think they are 1/2"), then found a piece of all-thread rod that was two feet long. Four nuts and a piece of all-thread were less than $10.



Put a pair of nuts up the rod a bit, so the end of the rod will find the hole in the damping rod for positive location.



.

[cowboyup3371]

The other option to use especially if your damper rods won't take the rod and nuts is to leave the forks fully assembled but off the bike (you can crack the top so as to get it off afterwards) and then loosen the bottom bolt. This provides the pressure you need to keep the damper rod from turning while you loosen it.

[hillsy]

The other option to use especially if your damper rods won't take the rod and nuts is to leave the forks fully assembled but off the bike (you can crack the top so as to get it off afterwards) and then loosen the bottom bolt. This provides the pressure you need to keep the damper rod from turning while you loosen it.

This ^^^

Works 100% of the time for me if combined with a rattle gun.

[exdirtbiker]

Bad photobucket links replaced with google photo links in first post. . Please let me know if it's not working.

[limeex2]

Ive seen it done by having the bike on center stand. Removing front wheel. Leaving the upper fork tubes installed, while pulling down on the fork leg and hit it with the impact wrench. Time/age my not let this method work. Its a good time to replace the fork springs if you haven't done so already

[bobgroger]

When I replaced the fork seals on my 1100e, I just pumped up the air in the forks to 100lbs. Nothing happened at first but about 30 seconds later one seal popped out. Cinched the sealing bolt down on that side and repeated. Removed both legs from the triples, removed old seals. Swished some solvent around in tubes and emptied. Used a length of 2" ABS pipe to seat new seals. Total time involved, maybe a half hour. Give it a try if you aren't replacing the lower bushings.

[dorkburger]

Sorry, ive been cheating on GSR a bit. Forgive me. The topic had been recently covered here.

http://oldskoolsuzuki.info/forums/index.php?/topic/7665-cartridge-emulator-install/&tab=comments#comment-95200