Front Fork Replacement

[Chaharly]

Hey Guys! I have seriously messed up my left inner fork tube on my bike to the point where I decided a new one would be necessary. I got in touch with a fella on here who was parting out his bike, (the same color as mine, and sorry Steve, I cant remember your VR name!!!), but he's going to hook me up with his front fork assemblies off of his bike. They have good seals in them and progressive springs that were put in in the early 2000s so I'm going to change the fluid and while I'm doing that drop my brand new progressives in.

 

My question is, Do I have to remove the fairing to get the fork tubes out? What do I really have to do to get the air lines disconnected (pictures would be great! I have no idea how that stuff works), do I need to replace any sort of gasket for the seal? Also is there a place I can get the little O-Rings for the anti dive? I'd like to replace them just because they part will be off. I'm NOT replacing the fork seals because they're in good non leaking shape. It also has Gators! Also I remember someone saying that since the progressives take up more volume than the stocks, how much fluid do I run in them? I don't leave the plastic spacer in and use my air suspension because I like to feel old school:biker: I'll probably start on this as soon as the parts get here so maybe if someone is retired and bored during the week we can Skype of have a speaker phone call and walk through it. Just a thought!!! :happy34:

 

I might even pass out and :cry:essen_018: to someone who would be of service! Even just get a chat going with ideas starting and hi-jack it like usual!

 

I LOVE IT!!!

Edited March 18, 2016 by Chaharly

[Chaharly]

Bump

[cowpuc]

Thinking you should be able to remove those forks without removing the fairing Cha.. Never did a MK2 but I have played with the MK1 a little.. Gotta yank the bars, little plastic grills,, basically open up the top of the fork area. On the MK1's you can turn the wheel enough to gain wrench clearance for loosening the tree clamps that hold the tubes. Can recall if ya gotta pull the caps on the tubes to slide em down out of the top tree,, thinking ya might.. Remove the front wheel and brake calipers,, fender, maybe able to leave fork brace and slide both sides out together by reinstalling ax and using it to pull down or rap on with rubber mallet.. The air lines for the forks are connected to clamps that are o-ringed - can be tempermental.. As I recall they are snap ringed UNDER the clamps and have to be removed from the top of the upper tubes. You slide the upper tubes down out of the top tree, nock the clamps off the top of the tubes upwardly, release the snap rings and remove em and finish removing the tubes out of the bottom triple tree..

 

Any of that make ANY sense at all?

[jfman]

I have pulled the forks without removing the farings.

 

You will need an allen key for the triple clamps bolts that has a very stubby side. If the short side of the key is too long it will hit the fearing. Just use a combination wrench on the long end of the key and it will break loose. You also need two picks to remove the clips up top near the upper triple clamp. Its a pita but take your time and they will come off.

 

Also you will need to buy the little oring seals from the CLASS system because they dry up and even if it doesnt leak now, it will leak once you put it all back together.

[Chaharly]

Cool! Thanks for the heads up guys. From the picture it looks like Steve just left the air clips on. You must be able to put the line right onto the clip.

 

I should be getting the new parts in by the end of the week.

 

Oooh it feels like Christmas again!

[flyday58]

I've got the forks apart on my Johnny Cash "One Piece at a Time" Frankenstein '83 and Mr' Muskegon above has the jist of it. I did'nt need to take the caps out for the forks to slide out, but no way to loosen them efficiently afterwards if you need to get inside, but it sounds like you don't. For the air collars, I tap them from below with a long screwdriver and a rubber mallet to get them moving, then they'll slide off the top no problem. The snap ring will pop out of the groove with just thumb or fingernail pressure then also slide off the top, then the fork will fall right out on your foot. Or mine!

 

I just ordered the seals for the anti-dives when I ordered the rest of the seals to rebuild the forks. I use Partzilla, also occasionally known as Boats.net.

[syscrusher]

The Boats.net link is often cheaper than Partzilla.

 

There's probably several ways but I used this procedure to set the alignment of the replacement forks.

 

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tips-tech/tech-tip-front-fork-alignment

[flyday58]

I did everything but spin the wheel and clamp on the brake. Great article, gonna follow this procedure when I get back home.

[Chaharly]

Hmm. I'm definitely going to do the aligment next time. It has felt weird going around right turns and I thought maybe it had to do with front tire balance...

 

Great Info Thanks!!!

@Freebird Can we put that in the tech section?

[Freebird]

I doubt it. Without their permission I wouldn't feel right about it. There could be some copywriter issues also.

[Chaharly]

Ok guys so I got the first one out and I'm a little confused with the reinstallation.

 

What do I do to get the air collars back on?

[flyday58]

Mine slid right back on after inserting the upper fork tube through the lower triple tree. Snap ring goes on first, oc.

[Chaharly]

Mine didn't seem like they wanted to. Felt like I need to beat them on

[Chaharly]

Ok so basically the metal circlip is just to keep them from sliding down. I get it I think

[jfman]

Ok so basically the metal circlip is just to keep them from sliding down. I get it I think

 

 

Also to line up the CLASS collars in the right spot.

[Chaharly]

See there I go making an easy job a PITA...

 

Got it all back together and went for a test ride.

 

She rides like a dream