rebuilding forks

[dooley]

the right one's a bit weepy, probably as a result of the left one being whacked a couple of years back (they only replaced the left one)

easyish DIY job? get them both done professionally? what say you?

oh yeah - it's a 06 hornet showa usd jobby with no adjustment

[salty21]

get yourself a haynes if you havn't already and go for it yourself i say.

just be methodical about it and clear youself a nice space to work in, aslong as you follow the book theres not a lot to go wrong.
____________________
04 NSR 125(sold) ---- 03 CBR 600rr(sold) ----90 pan euro ST1100 '' ----02 CG 125
94 CB400 Super Four ---- 2000 VTR SP1 (sold) ---- 08 ninja p8f(sold, meh) ----05 CBR600rr

[DrDonnyBrago]

Hardest part on most forks is getting the damper bolt out as it just spins the damper when you go to loosen it. Best to try and loosen it before you remove the springs and oil, if you can get that out then the rest is that pretty simple .

[robocog]

you say that

Just doing my first ever fork seal replacement and am taking them to work to see if the bike shop round the corner can assist

Managed to get the bolt out of the bottom, oil drained
Managed to get the top cap out that holds the springs in (not a screw in job, but a push down and pop a circlip out of the groove...so easily said , took me best part of 1/2 hour per leg to get that far

The next stage I thought was going to be easy enough is the bit that has me completely flunked

I just cannot separate the two which is completely infuriating
Been using the stanchion as a slide hammer as described in the haynes for what feels like hours and it hasn't even moved a mm
Was actually getting worried about the amount of force I was putting into it and getting absolutely nowhere

Given up and re assembled the legs for someone else to deal with

Before I put the circlips back in I remembered to put a slight kink in the ends of the ones that hold the top cap and springs in ...to make any future work a billion times easier that chasing the ends round with toothpicks trying to pry it out! ...a suggestion found on EX500.com's wiki page)
Why they didn't use a traditional circlip with the eyes so that circlip pliers could be simply and quickly used is beyond me

In a sulk cos the mozzies have feasted on me whilst I got beaten by a supposedly simple task

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[Digitalize]

I stripped both my Hornet forks in less than an hour, could probably have them both done in 3 hours, including cleaning.
____________________
1998 CB600F Hornet

[Vincent]

You'll find USD forks a lot lot harder to do. OP, if you havn't done many before, I would strongly advise using someone that knows what they are doing. Also, if you go this route, ask if you can watch what he does, tell him you won't get in the way, it's always a good idea to try and watch any work being done and has to be the best way to learn.

[Vincent]

[robocog]

Well the guy I gave them to also couldn't get them out either so I feel a bit better that it wasn't just me being a wuss

He did however manage to get the top seals out, so they got re built with fresh oil (after a flush out) when I got home from work

Forks feel OK so far (no play detected) bike will be going in for an MOT soon as my restrictors arrive and get fitted..will see what they say

I assume that if the bushes were galled up or whatever it is that causes them to make dissembly 'impossible' it would bugger the stanchions? or is it just the outer surface that gets chewed in attempting to get the stanchion out?

I guess I will find out pretty quickly and they will leak like a sieve in no time

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...