Front fork dampning rod????

[StuD]

I have the forks off a 82 XJ 650 & using a 8mm hex sosket on the bottom of the lower tube, and a 12mm hex socket with all my extentions down the upper tube, both seem to turn (spin) but will not loosen the dampning rod. Any ideas? Need to remove dampning rod to replace the fork seals. H E L P Thanks :canada:

[MiCarl]

The damping rod is not hex, it's 12 point. You can hold it with a 19mm hex.

 

I don't have a 19mm hex. The way I do XJ forks is to take a short 12mm bolt from my bin (it has a 19mm head). I put two nuts on it and jam them together to lock them onto the bolt. I then drop that assembly down the tube and hold it with a 19mm socket and a couple extensions.

Edited December 18, 2008 by MiCarl

[rod]

Same as a Virago. I use a similar method a MiCarl but welded the nuts to a long piece of rod and use the impact to remove. Rod

[5bikes]

Just put a new fork seal on top of the old one cleaned up. Super glue it in around the outside edge. Lasts a lot longer too. Old one takes the punishment and lubricates the new one. Done in half the time!