Cartridge installation is not too big of a job, if you have the tools, and workspace. You'll need the ability to hold the tubes in place without damaging them.

 

Fork lowers rotate 360 degrees.

 

What year and model bike? On some you need to drop a 7/8th drill bit thru the axle hole before tightening to align the front wheel.

 

Pretty sure the service manual lays out what to do clearly.

 

Most brands of cartridges that I know of have the instructions on their website, which you can download before you order them or receive yours. You will probably find they tell you to refer to your FSM. If you don't have one of those, you know what to do! Your local dealer can supply.

 

Very true. Depending on the model you are working on, it is a much longer process to the forks to get them out and everything reassembled than it is to actually install the cartridges. Many stall or screw up at the ignition switch.

 

Which is why the FSM is such an important tool! There are lots of things to mess up when removing forks.....

 

I have the service manual and iv been reading it. Honestly wasn't aware that the lower fork legs could spin. As many times as I have removed the front wheel, I never once tried to turn the lower fork legs. It all makes sense now.

 

Tip for torquing the cap on the fork tubes: If you have no way to hold the forks to torque the caps, the clamps in the tree works perfectly.