Fork disassembly problem

[Giggity]

I need to replace my fork seals and cannot get the top and bottom of the forks separated. I tried using an air ratchet on the hex screw with the spring compressed in the top tube. The cartridge just spins.
I want to make the tool as found in the Tech Tips but cannot find a 19 mm nut after checking five hardware stores.
Any suggestions besides buying a $20 hex bit socket from Sears?

[tarzan]

Giggity,
I used a 3\4" on each end of a piece of allthread.I welded the nuts on but you could just jamm two nuts together on each end.
Another thing,you might try a impact gun instead if you have one.It tends to shock the bolt loose easier.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Giggity,

Other's have also taken a piece of wood, like an old broom stick to jam down there enough to hold it still while you get the bottom screw loose! Then once you get it out, you can test some nuts and how they fit into it for that special tool!
T.C.

[Pat Kelly]

I used a broomstick.....

[Giggity]

Thanks for the suggestions. I can't remember the last time I had a broom with a wood handle!

[bikerphil]

Homemade tool in damping rod... this works on the Standard, not the Special. 19MM (3/4").

[fredintoon]

- - - cannot find a 19 mm nut after checking five hardware stores. Any suggestions besides buying a $20 hex bit socket from Sears?

Hi Giggity,
they got 1/2'' nuts everywhere and they are 3/4"a/f . (3/4" = 19.05mm)
Betcha you don't want to wait for Sears 50% off tool sale either, eh?

[HobbyMan]

If you don't want to use allthread...
Just take a long extension with a 3/4 in socket and nut. Put some wadded paper towels in the base of the socket to help the nut stick out about half way. Just hold the fork vertical when you insert the extension from open end on the bottom.(keeps the nut from falling out) That has worked well enough for me. Next time that I change the fork oil in my bikes, I will probably put 3 3/4" nuts together with all-thread so I don't have to use paper towels.

[Giggity]

Thanks again guys. I used bikerphil's method but instead of 2 nuts just JB welded one nut onto the bolt (3/4"). Waiting for it to cure as I type.
Gotta get those new seals on tonight. I think there was about 50 cc of fork oil in each leg when I drained them.

[DGXSER]

Make sure you pump the forks to get the oil out. Although on one of mine that did not get any more out.

[Giggity]

Got them apart. Now I cannot get the seal out. The shop manual makes it look as easy as 'gently' prying it out with a flat screwdriver. No way - that thing is stuck in there.

Should I try heating it?

[TopCatGr58]

Make sure you pump the forks to get the oil out. Although on one of mine that did not get any more out.

Yes, that is good info....IF a person isn't totally disassembling their forks, but just changing the oil, because just unscrewing the drain screw will only bleed so much out, but pumping the forks up and down will provide the pressure to extract the rest of the old oil for a basic oil change. But with the forks apart, just turning them upside down will allow all the fluid/oil to drain out.

One might want to put a few ounces of carb cleaner down in the fork after all the parts are out to help break down and remove an accumulated gunk!
T.C.

[bikerphil]

Got them apart. Now I cannot get the seal out.

Get one of these from Sears or an auto parts store. It's called a seal puller. It'll pop that sucker right out. Put a thin piece of wood under the fulcrum point to avoid dinging up the top of the fork.

[Skin Krawler]

Or if your replacing the seals, just cut the old ones out with a set of dikes. they'll come out eventually, just gotta talk nice to them.

[Giggity]

Finally got them out with the seal puller and heat.