Front forks removal, simplest method

[florence]

The fork gaiters on my bike have perished badly and need to be replaced.  I want to make the job as simple as possible or it will have to wait until a spell of bad weather during the winter.

The bike naturally sits on the front wheel when on the centre stand.  What methods do we use to keep the front end up in the air to remove the forks as quickly and simply as possible?  Also, will the forks drop through the yokes without disconnecting the brake pipe? I imagine I can leave on the mudguard? 

Last time I did this was in 1995, I was putting the bike together so it was without an engine and all the parts were going on in order. 

[Bryanj]

Depends on which forks you have mate, yes to leaving the mudguard on but also yes to removing caliper and swinging pipe out of way.

Undo a top nut and if there is a bar threaded into it with a lock nut you can undo these and the alloy sliders will fall off as long as you have the bike high enough.

If not you will have to remove the forks from the yokes so i would recomend removing the mudguard and doing one at a time so that the headlamp brackets and rubbers don't fall every where.

Hope that makes sense

[florence]

Thanks Bryan, that's a good idea. 

[mike the bike]

You can either put a jack under the front of the engine or put a weight on the back of the seat.  I prefer the jack method.

[tom400f]

Lol Mike - I put weights on the back of my seat when working on the (back in the day) 400F once. Managed to tip the balance and said weights did something for the tank 

[ka-ja]

Hi,
    On a centre stand, removal of the front wheel often alters the balance and the bike settles down on the stand and rear wheel.

[mike the bike]

It's easier to remove the front wheel when it's off the ground.  Otherwise too much weight is on the axle to remove the wheel.

[matthewmosse]

I start by poping the font wheel out, bit(s) of wood under the front of the engine or a car jack or string round the headstock depending on where is clear to work. On the 500 I often get away with leaving the clocks and headlight in situ and just unbolt the caliper and mudguard ( or the master cylinder depending on what bolts seem willing to move without breakage or more soaking in wd40 plus heating. )  then just slide the forks from the yokes having slacked the relevant bolts and if needed given a whack with a hide mallett to the top nuts of the forks. Often the wheel comming out gives the balance the required shift to stay put on the centre stand - depends on how level the ground is - and still sensible to have something extra proping the front of the engine just in case things shift - with me that something shifting might be the cat paying a visit to roosting chickens or kids comming to play on stuff they shouldn't. The kid problem is so bad we have had to fit and use locks on the doors these days.

[mike the bike]

The kid problem is so bad we have had to fit and use locks on the doors these days.

I know, my kids keep trying to escape from the dungeon as well.