RD Fork Overhaul

Re: AW: RD Fork Overhaul

Ryan Stecken said:
the hex bolt 23 is just totally worn out and is impossible to turn with a tool.
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The most common cause of that is using an SAE allen wrench instead of the proper size metric allen wrench.

Use a steel rod the same diameter as the pocket that the bolt is recessed into. Grind the end to be slightly concave. Put the rod in there, and hammer the fuck out of it. That will peen the head of the bolt inward. Then you should be able to hammer the correct size allen wrench back into the head of the bolt. That will re-form the socket head of the bolt. Then use an impact wrench to remove it. Keep the spring in the fork leg with the cap on. The spring pressure will help prevent the damper rod inside from turning.
 
AW: RD Fork Overhaul

finally got the hex bolts out.a friend used an impact gun and some heat and they got out.

heres the question:

of course ill replace those worn out suckers so i went to the next hardware shop and asked if they have them...
they have the right size but only 2 cm in length...the original one is 3.2 cm...can i use the shorter ones?
my thought that if the screw gets the grip of the inner fork thingie it wont matter how long she is.

the original bolt would be much more expensive and harder to get.

thanks in advance

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Re: AW: RD Fork Overhaul

Ryan Stecken said:
they have the right size but only 2 cm in length...the original one is 3.2 cm...can i use the shorter ones?
my thought that if the screw gets the grip of the inner fork thingie it wont matter how long she is.
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Think about what that bolt does. IT HOLDS THE FRONT END ONTO YOUR BIKE!

It needs to be a high-strength bolt, and it needs to be the right length.
 
Buy the right one. They are cheap. Good practice says engagement should be 1.5 times diameter. You need the length.
 
gijoe13844 said:
Buy the right one. They are cheap. Good practice says engagement should be 1.5 times diameter. You need the length.
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just ordered the screws and sealing washer from yamaha.

would you guys loctite the screw with the blue one?
what kind of oil would you use?

my manual says : 145 cm3 oil :10 W 30...isnt this a standard motor oil?im confused...
 
Motor oil works fine in forks. The only time I would stay strictly with "fork oil" would be for motocross. The constant heavy pumping might cause motor oil to aerate where fork oil has anti-foaming properties.

Personally, I think you should go with 15 wt fork oil.
 
AW: Re: RD Fork Overhaul

AlphaDogChoppers said:
Motor oil works fine in forks. The only time I would stay strictly with "fork oil" would be for motocross. The constant heavy pumping might cause motor oil to aerate where fork oil has anti-foaming properties.

Personally, I think you should go with 15 wt fork oil.
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thanks alpha!
and would you apply loctite on the screw on the bottom?
and maybe a little tribond on the washer before its screwed in.
how can i screw that sucker in without again having the problem of the turning inside?
 
DO NOT use Loctite on that bolt. You may never be able to get it out again.

You can use a little sealant on the washer if you want. I usually use a little Teflon paste just be be sure it doesn't leak, but then, I am almost always re-using the old bolt and washer.

It's pretty much to be expected that the damper rod will want to turn when you are trying to remove that bolt. That's why an impact wrench is often needed. Even with the springs under tension with the top caps on, the rod will tend to rotate when you are trying to get that bolt out. Nature of the beast. I put a dab of anti-seize on the threads to help next time I want to take it apart.
 
AW: RD Fork Overhaul

alright!

for re installing the screw on bottom would you put the fork vertical or horizontal (caps and spring already on it)?
what do you use to put the screw back in?impact gun?
 
I usually have the fork in a vice for that, so it would be horizontal, but it really doesn't matter.

You might be able to tighten it up OK without an air impact wrench. The air impact wrench is almost mandatory to get it apart, but they usually tighten up OK without much trouble.
 
Not trying to cause an argument but I completely disagree with alpha on the Loctite deal. I always put blue Loctite on that bolt and have never had an issue getting it back out. It also prevents a critical element from failing. Not sure i would want to experience a damper rod coming loose while riding.
 
The factory does not put Loctite on that bolt. In all the years I have been working on bikes, I have never seen that bolt come loose.
 
AW: RD Fork Overhaul

i ll use my vice :-)

do somehow clean some of the components of the fork when taling apart or do you just replace the seals and refill fork oil?
 
I wipe everything well with paper towel. I have a piece of 1/4" steel rod with a rounded hook on one end, and a curve on the other end. I use it to twirl a piece of paper towel inside the slider to clean it.

I tend to avoid spray cleaners for things like this. I prefer to avoid the expense and pollution where it's not needed. (Yeah, I'm an old tree hugging hippie.)
 
I like to flush the fork out with kerosene or something similar to wash out any accumulated sludge. If teh sprrings and damper rods are already out, it's easy to clean them.

Be VERY careful when using a vice and fork legs. It is easy to dent the sliders or damage the steel tubes unless you have soft jaws.
 
teazer said:
I like to flush the fork out with kerosene or something similar to wash out any accumulated sludge. If teh sprrings and damper rods are already out, it's easy to clean them.

Be VERY careful when using a vice and fork legs. It is easy to dent the sliders or damage the steel tubes unless you have soft jaws.
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Kerosene is what I have in my parts washer.

Good point about using a vice carefully. I sometimes forget to point out was seems obvious and routine to me, but may not be so obvious to a less experienced mechanic. I clamp the sliders where the axle clamp is. The slider has two flat sides there. Of course, you want to protect the aluminum from being marred. I always have an old leather glove or two near the vice that I use to cushion the jaws.
 
AW: RD Fork Overhaul

the guy that got my screw out with his impact gun clamped it hotizontally on the bottom piece of the fork (with alu jaws).

fortunately since i have a brass workshop in my house ill clamp it with lead jaws in the same position.

any thoughts on the loctite issue...the blue stuff wont be too hard or will it seal it forever...?
 
loctite is just possibly going to make it a bitch the next time,not recommended or needed as long as the washer(many times it is copper) is in good shape and you get it properly torqed in place
the only time i have used any loctite down there is some 518 at the washer/bolt-head for sealing purposes
an impact works best on and off just don't get carried away tightening with the impact
 
AW: RD Fork Overhaul

ok i just dissassembled and cleaned the forks.

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when i popped the big nut on the top i found pieces that arent even in the stock explosion diagram....in which order should these pieces be placed?

i only saw that the white plastic adapters where top the other stuff popped out and it couldnt see the order.

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on one of the forks the triple plastic adapters is broken.shall i put the 3 plastic adapters back in with the broken one or should i cut away to have 2 adapters on both forks?

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thx in advance
 
That plastic thing looks like a spacer that somebody made to add pre-load to the springs. Just stack the pieces in there. Or, you could get a hunk of 3/4" PVC and cut a new spacer the length of the original steel spacer plus the plastic spacer. Leave the steel one out.
 
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