Fork seal - damper bolt removal?

[Trigger]

Got it - broom handles are popular. I don't have an impact gun, just the old fashioned one which requires physical violence. I'm sure I'll understand when the fork is apart but do I take that the broom handle goes down the stanchion?

If I still lived in that area, I could get them out in less than a minute. Holland engineering are just the other side of Buckingham to you, they can get them out.

[MarkCR750]

If you still have the springs compressed, i.e. You haven't taken the top caps off there should be enough friction to allow you to undo the bolts, it needs a sharp "crack" to get them to released rather than steady pressure, so get the Allen tool in there apply gentle hand pressure to take up any slack and the turn in a fast sharp motion, or whack the tommy bar with a hammer or ratchet with the palm of you hand, it a sharp shock that you need to deliver to the Allen screw.

[Trigger]

Don't matter how much you crack it, if some sod has used a stainless bolt, you will never get it shifted. Had a pair last year, took the heads off with the air gun and then it was time for some drilling

[MarkCR750]

Or if someone has drastically over tightened them, I'm doing my CBR1000F on Saturday, left seal has gone, fingers crossed that no Neanderthal has been around it in the past!.

Actually the previous owner (I'm the second owner from new)was a Neanderthal, he tried to free off the front brakes with a bar and bent a disc, tried to remove the rear brake dust seal with a screwdriver and damaged the calliper casting, the main fuse was loose in its sockets so he put a u shaped steel plate in its place , it would have blown at about 2000 amps 😄, so many bodges, luckily I got decent replacement parts cheaply but it's the last time I buy a bike sight unseen.

[gtmdriver]

On my 350F no amount of tension or clamping would stop the inner damper section revolving and I ended up having to drill the Allen screw out. Fortunately I managed it without damaging the slider. It appeared to have been fitted with thread lock.

[hairygit]

Honda uses threadlock on those Allen bolts, and recommend using it on re assembly.

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[Trigger]

Honda uses threadlock on those Allen bolts, and recommend using it on re assembly.

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That is correct, that is why they are hard to remove without the assistance of air

[MarkCR750]

Honda uses threadlock on those Allen bolts, and recommend using it on re assembly.

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That is correct, that is why they are hard to remove without the assistance of air

Everything is hard to do without the assistance of air Trig ! 😄

[zebedee85]

Well with all your help and the Messrs Haynes I have removed the forks and the old seals. It felt a bit easy to get all the bits off, I know it was maintained by a mechanic (allegedly) but it hasn't done more than 1500 miles since 2007. Maybe it was well stored, and well maintained, who knows.

Anyway - old fork oil was disgusting, and the seal area of the problematic fork leg was gouged with screwdriver marks. It'll be a case of living with this if it weeps again. the butt of a 17mm spanner had just about enough length and strength to lever the old seals out, which I used to tap down the new ones with a mallet.

I have refilled them, but they are not on the bike yet, that's Monday's job. So far, so good.

[zebedee85]

Oh and following the manual on the damper bolt was fine, just leave the spring in situ and turn, both came out first time using this method. Thread locker on the way back in, job done.

Next time, my theory on the gouged inner surface is that a little gasket sealant might just be ok. It's crude and horrid, but lower fork legs are not easy to come by.

[MarkCR750]

Good job, mine was straight fwd too, apart from when I dropped the slotted top retaining washer, which immediately vanished through a portal into another world, only to reappear 30 mins later and 15feet from where I dropped it, I didn't bother with threadlock , instead I put a small block of rubber in each recess so that the screw can't unwind, if I ever have to strip them again it will be easy to undo the screws,...surprising how much nicer they ride with oil in both legs!.

[zebedee85]

Perhaps all those washers and fixings we drop travel the place all the socks that go missing from the wash do. Fork oil is probably a good idea. Im a bit puzzled by the damping spring on the part fiche though, i couldnt see anything taking the stanchion out. They are almost certainly not on the garage floor, so im hoping they are still in place, wherever they are. Ill report back and post some pics when ive got everything back together again

[hairygit]

They are inside the stanchion, under the top of the damper rod, which if you left the damper rod inside the stanchion, they will still be in place.

[zebedee85]

I did! Thanks, that puts my mind at ease

[hairygit]

If you look in the Haynes manual at the damper rod/ piston, the thin end is where the Allen bolts you removed screw into. The small rebound spring you were worried about slides on the thin end inside the stanchion, and abuts against the bottom of the piston head. When the forks are fully extended, it cushions the impact between the piston/rod and the slider. Hope that makes sense to you.

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