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Post by miker on Feb 15, 2007 9:55:59 GMT -5
I've got the special allen for getting at the bottom screw... of course the inside (damper assy) is turning on me. I can't see anything obvious looking down the tube - what sort of thing do I need to fit in there to stop the damper from turning? TIA
miker
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Post by hopwheels on Feb 15, 2007 10:50:02 GMT -5
Hey miker... this came up in this thread. sr500forum.proboards38.com/index.cgi?board=Suspension&action=display&thread=1170648755You need to rig a tool to hold the damper in place. I used a socket extension (18-24") and a 19mm socket holding a 19mm bolt and a couple nuts cinched together. I found it easiest to use an air wrench on the allen head bolts on the bottom of the fork tubes, while holding the damper with the improvised tool. The air wrench was able to grab and turn more easily. It was a bear tring at first with a t-handle. |
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Post by miker on Feb 15, 2007 13:45:37 GMT -5
Ok, the other thread is vague about 17/19mm, but an XS650 guy straightened me out and over lunch I got the leg apart. Here's what I did.
1. Take your 17mm wrench and go to the hardware store. Buy four bolts that fit it*, and a two foot long threaded rod that the bolts will spin on to.
2. Put two bolts on each end of the rod. Lock em up against each other - I even used loctite and peened the ends just for luck.
3. This tool will fit down into the top of the damper, which is 17mm hex of some kind that you can't see. You can feel it click in. Use a wrench on the other end of your tool (not that tool, the threaded rod, stupid!) and use that to hold the damper from turning while you use an allen tool on the retaining screw.
The fork cap is also a 17mm socket.
miker
*Or in my case, since they didn't have metric threaded rod, I bought slightly bigger inch-size bolts/rod and "made" one bolt 17mm in a vise with a file. Put that one on the bottom.
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Post by hopwheels on Feb 15, 2007 19:24:14 GMT -5
Thanks for the clarity miker! I couldn't remember what the size was, now we know. Cool.
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Post by G Man on Feb 15, 2007 23:27:42 GMT -5
I don' t know whether it's the right or wrong way, but I have never had any trouble removing and re-installing the retaining hex screw on the bottom of the forks with my 3/8" impact gun. Just a thought. I guess if someone was working without compressed air though, a holding tool would be required on the inside.
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Post by nvdezfox on Feb 21, 2007 22:10:41 GMT -5
FWIW - I meant to post back to the other thread, but got sidetracked with the next item on my list - swingarm bearings.
The internal hex size of the damper rod is 17mm as noted above. I was able to disassemble one fork leg using hand tools, but the other required holding the damper rod still.
G Man - I tried a cordless impact drill, and have used air tools in this situation in the past. Sometimes it's worked, other times not and I think that air tools would have made little difference in this particular instance.
I ended up constructing a "tool" similar to that described by miker above. The only other problems I encountered were with the air fittings on the aftermarket GOKI fork caps. Ended up hacksawing them off, tapping the remaining brass and inserting short bolts to close them back up. I've never used air pressure in forks, so this isn't a problem. I'll try to find some stock cap bolts somewhere. BikeBandit lists them for $29 US each, which is a little steep fer me.
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Post by miker on Feb 23, 2007 10:33:57 GMT -5
One little thing I'll add - the bolt came off my tool when I first tried to use it. I think the combined torque of the screw-in-the-damper-loctite and the screw-stuck-to-fork-slider was too much for it. So after fixing my tool, I just cranked on the screw alone until it would turn (along with the damper) inside the fork slider. Then I used my inner tool when I was only fighting the loctite and it was tuff enuf.
miker
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Post by Retread on Feb 28, 2007 20:16:38 GMT -5
You need an air impact gun and do it with the forks assembled - the spring tension helps hold the insides still.
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