Removing fork legs
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Vermont
Thanks I thought that was the case. Thanks to all who responded!
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 69
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From: over here
Just did this to my bike two days ago. Easy to do, take the switch and lower dash off the bike. Remove the top cap screw off of the fork tube it is a large cap with a black sticker on it. This cap does not have any spring load on it. Loosen the triple tree fork clamp bolt. Be sure to have a hold of the fork tube. When you loosen the bolt in the tree the fork will drop out. Replace the fork cap before tilting the fork tube or you will have fork oil every where. This is all done after the wheel, fender and calipers are out of the bike. I also replaced the cow bells at this time.
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,814
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From: SW Ohio
I do fork cap installs by hand with one trick that makes it go pretty fast. I take the cap and find where it just starts to engage the threads of the fork tube (without the spring in) and mark the cap and fork tube with a Sharpie, like this:
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>>| (forget the arrows, I had to do that to get the lines offset on the forum)
Then I put the spring in and press down on the fork cap with the line just behind the line on the fork tube. I turn the fork cap the few millimeters it take to engage the threads. That minimizes the time I have to keep pressure and I know for sure where the threads engage. After that I wipe off the Sharpie marks.
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>>| (forget the arrows, I had to do that to get the lines offset on the forum)
Then I put the spring in and press down on the fork cap with the line just behind the line on the fork tube. I turn the fork cap the few millimeters it take to engage the threads. That minimizes the time I have to keep pressure and I know for sure where the threads engage. After that I wipe off the Sharpie marks.
Last edited by Campy Roadie; Dec 19, 2015 at 06:16 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,216
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From: Central Illinois
The only difficult part I had with re-assembling my forks was that, getting the top fork tube cap back on. What a pain in the ***. I used a press. With the fork tube clamp on the tube, put the unit in the press with the clamp resting on the crossbars. Use the ram to push the fork cap (with the oil fill hole cover bolt screwed in almost all the way) down till it contacts the threads in the tube, hold pressure and turn the cap with a wrench. Works easier if you can have someone work the press while you wrench on the cap to keep a little pressure on it. I used an arbor press when I did mine (all I had available) and it works the same way. Much easier and safer than trying to stand on the bench and force that cap down, which still did not work for me.
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 7,682
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From: Utah
The only difficult part I had with re-assembling my forks was that, getting the top fork tube cap back on. What a pain in the ***. I used a press. With the fork tube clamp on the tube, put the unit in the press with the clamp resting on the crossbars. Use the ram to push the fork cap (with the oil fill hole cover bolt screwed in almost all the way) down till it contacts the threads in the tube, hold pressure and turn the cap with a wrench. Works easier if you can have someone work the press while you wrench on the cap to keep a little pressure on it. I used an arbor press when I did mine (all I had available) and it works the same way. Much easier and safer than trying to stand on the bench and force that cap down, which still did not work for me.
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