Eventually found a piece of pipe to seat the fork oil seals and finished the right hand one - all re-assembled OK.
Left fork, the damper rod bolt just turns in the bottom of the damper rod and you can't get to the bottom of the damper rod to clamp it. Trying to drill the head off it just spins.
Not good news stratman.. try tapping a TORX head into the hex bolt use one thats 1mm larger than the bolt size.. there are more splines on a torx and the tool should cut into the hex head to give enough grip to get the fker out..
I AM THE STRANGE MAN YOUR MOTHER WARNED YOU ABOUT......
Have a sweetie and stop crying........
[Werthers Original...they never get rid of the taste]
Stratman
Are you on about the main bolt which goes up through the bottom of the fork and into the damper rod?
If you are, try putting the fork springs back in and fastening down the tops. This might improove the pressure holding the rod inplace and give you half a chance to get the bolt out. It's worked for me a few time on various bikes. Oh yes! Nearly forgot. wind the preload all the way down too.
Try an air gun like they use at the local car tyre place
They put such a shock load through the bolt it might not matter that the other end isn't captive
I remember when I couldn't get the front sprocket bolt undone on my old GS450 despite it being in gear, with Mum sat on the pillion seat and brother stood on the rear brake and me heaving on a 3foot extension bar
Took in to quick-fit and they undid it without the bike even being in gear!
Eye-opener
Ben
Ps take your allen bolt socket extension with you coz they probably won't have one
Pete L, yes, that's the one I mean. I loosened them both OK using a makeshift allen key in a T bar and the right one unscrewed fine. The left one just turns, presumably truning the end of the damper rod as well. I have re-assembled to get as much pressure as possible, but same result. I'm going to try again later and will also apply some heat to the bolt to see if this helps break any "seal" that the loctited bolt has with the end of the rod. It's a real bugger - like I said I can't even drill the head off the bolt as it just spins!
Bugger!
Good luck with the heat.
I like the Idea of the air gun as well. Any friendly tyre fitters near you?
The mechanic at our local bike shop told me once that it was one of his most hated jobs trying to get that bolt out
Eventually sent the fork leg to Roger as he has a special tool to do the job - what a great guy he really is! He just did it and sent it back even before I'd sent a cheque or anything.
When I got it back I had to clean the threads in the damper rod end as the over use of loctite at some time meant that it would still just turn instead of tighten, but at least I could grip the rod this time and its all back together now.
Stratman wrote:Eventually sent the fork leg to Roger as he has a special tool to do the job - what a great guy he really is! He just did it and sent it back even before I'd sent a cheque or anything.
When I got it back I had to clean the threads in the damper rod end as the over use of loctite at some time meant that it would still just turn instead of tighten, but at least I could grip the rod this time and its all back together now.
Glad this sites up again.
Pleased to hear that Paul
I think I'd be hard pushed to say I've ever come across a person in the bike business of today who is so genuine and helpful, as Roger Ditchfield
- she wouldn't start yesterday and I thought the petrol had gone off - didn't relish the though of a carb stripdown. Turns out the battery connectors were a lttle loose and a quick clean and retighten and she started and ran fine. Roll on Spring!
He has a long two pronged implement that he has fabricated to slide inside the fork tube and "grab" the damper cartridge apparently. Haynes don't make any mention of this as a glitch and I was relieved to hear from Roger that it often happens.
Bugger!
