I guess I'm done now

[cywelchjr]

As I said above, I guess I'm done now. The fork seal is blown and seeping fork oil down the fork. Can't ride it without brakes, and I found that the cap is corrosion welded to the fork. It's not coming off for anything. These air cap forks don't even have a nut top that I can put an impact gun onto to try to rattle it loose, and this is my ONLY transportation for work.

I can't afford to replace the forks even if I could find any, and I don't know what to do at this point. I'm becoming convinced that I don't have the tools or the skills to maintain this thing. I mean, I can't even get the freakin fork caps off to change the fork oil, let alone change the seals.

It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't my primary (only really) transportation as SWMBO needs the car. I guess I'm about ready to part this thing out. You guys have been great help from afar, but I've come to realize I can't do it alone, and I can't afford to pay a shop to do it.

I'm really jealous of those with forum members near them with the skills to help them over the rough spots, but that isn't available here.

So I guess I'll be around for a bit yet, but unless I come up with some sort of breakthrough, I'll be listing the parts on here for sale soon. I just can't do this anymore. Thanks for all the help guys, but I guess it didn't work out like I thought it would. I'll try to see if I can get fork oil in through the air valve opening if I can get that valve off there, and maybe I can find some sucker that will buy the bike as it is. I just have no more money to put into it, it's not I don't want to, I just don't have it in this economy and I NEED reasonably reliable transportation (which until this I have had).

Sorry to vent, and if this is the wrong place the mods can feel free to move it.

Thanks.

[fredintoon]

Nil Desperandum

Hi Cy,
go buy a big crowfoot socket, grind the jaws to fit the aircap and use the air wrench on it.

[petejw]

ive got those air caps,
they can be a pain to undo,
have you loosened the top bolt on the
triple tree?

[mack]

got a vice?

Desparate times call for desparate messures. If nothing else works, Pull the fork off and put the cap in a vice and turn. Dont crush the stem.

[Ken Talbot]

have you loosened the top bolt on the
triple tree?

Petejw may be on to the crux of this particular procedure. If that pinch bolt is tight, that could be messing you up...

[bikerphil]

I guess you've drained the oil out already. If you need to ride the bike immediately, you could probably pump the oil in somehow thru the drain plug, leaving the Schrader valve at the top out for a vent. Maybe with a syringe or a squeeze bottle of some sort. If I have a seal leak and no time to fix it immediately, I'll pop up the slider dust cap and jam some paper towel under it, then snap it back down. Least the oil won't go running down on the brakes. Change the towel out when needed. Maybe some heat on the cap will help. Also, don't forget to loosen the top triple clamp pinch bolt of the fork you're working on, because that'll compress the cap and the fork tube together even tighter. Good luck!

[XSokieSPECIAL]

As I said above, I guess I'm done now. The fork seal is blown and seeping fork oil down the fork. Can't ride it without brakes, and I found that the cap is corrosion welded to the fork. It's not coming off for anything. These air cap forks don't even have a nut top that I can put an impact gun onto to try to rattle it loose, and this is my ONLY transportation for work.Thanks.

EEhhhhh.........don't puss out so easy. Somebody out there can help!

C'm on y'all.....help a bro' out! Hoarders.

[mack]

missunderstood

Sorry about that, misunderstood. Disregard my comment

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Cy,

If you can get one of those schrader valve removal tools, you can get the new fork oil down that small opening, just measure out how much you need to put in first, you may also want to get a small funnel and a plastic tube that will fit down inside the valve opening. Also to help make a vent, put a small brad nail beside the tube in the valve opening, that way you will have a small AIR space/crack for it to escape as the fork oil goes down the tube!

Yep, as stated, the triple tree clamps need to be loosened before trying to remove the fork caps. Remember to jack up and support the front of the bike/frame/engine so that there's no pressure on the forks, the front wheel off the ground even, will make putting the fork caps back ON easier as well due to the spring tension...easy to cross thread the cap threads! A search for fork cap should reveal some threads and special techniques and custom tools for putting the caps back on the easiest way!

T.C.

[crazy steve]

You sound really bummed.... I know what you mean, something's let you down and you have to fix it....

If you're going to try to put oil through the cap, a syringe works pretty well and will also allow you to keep track of how much. In fact, that's what I use even if the caps are off. You can pick these up at farm supply or some of the larger pet stores for pretty cheap.

Good luck!

'78E original owner

[Incubus]

I put fork in through the drain hole on a Honda fork of mine that has really bizarre caps requiring like a 17mm allen wrench to remove. I don't have a 17mm allen wrench, but I do have a big syringe I got from a feed store. Go slow. It worked fine.

You also can change out the seals without pulling the cap.

Patrick

[XSokieSPECIAL]

You also can change out the seals without pulling the cap.Patrick

I never thought of that but I can see what your saying.

[cywelchjr]

I put fork in through the drain hole on a Honda fork of mine that has really bizarre caps requiring like a 17mm allen wrench to remove. I don't have a 17mm allen wrench, but I do have a big syringe I got from a feed store. Go slow. It worked fine.

You also can change out the seals without pulling the cap.

Patrick

How? At this point all I care about is changing the seals and getting fork oil back in. I managed to get them filled back up using a syringe (got it at the grocery store, its one of those for injecting marinade in food, seems it works for the forks if you cut the tip off). So, at this point I'm back to where I was before I started. BTW, when I took one of the drain screws out (without removing the schrader valve first assuming there was no pressure because of the leaky seals) the oil shot about 30 feet, getting oil all over the front tire of my 400 (which CA still refuses to register). I'm gonna do the paper towel under the dust seal for a week or so, as it's gonna be two weeks now till I have a chance to work on it. Now I have to bleed the brakes because I got air in the lines when the bars where upside down. I'm going to continue to soak it with pb blaster on a daily basis until then, if that won't get it moving I'll try something I saw today, it's one that freezes the part along with the penetrating oil. I don't have a torch to apply heat with, but maybe in two weeks I can come up with enough to get a cheap torch at wally world.

I'm feeling a little better now, since I was at least able to get it back running for Monday, but I hate wasting the fork oil, the blasted stuff is expensive. BTW, I think the oil that was in the forks was the factory oil. That stuff was black as mollasses and nasty! I definety know to release the pressure first, although I admit I sure got all the fork oil out of that fork fast. Maybe I just need a way to catch it as it shoots out?

[psycoreefer]

Hey I just moved, I'm south of reno near lake tahoe and I'm willing to help you out. You'd have to make a 3 hour or so ride to my house but I've got lots of tools, small torch, internet, I'm even planning on working on my bike next weekend.

I'd offer to come help you at your place, and that might be possible but SWMBO and our 2 year old would have to tag along.

The offer is out there, let me know...

Also FYI you can put cheap ATF in the forks if its just leaking out anyways. Might even help clean things up in there, ATF has tons of detergents and stuff in it. I did seals on a honda shadow, when I pulled the drains nothing would come out it was so thick. I put ATF in those forks and rode around for about a week and then changed to regular fork oil.

[Incubus]

Your fork seals are at the top of the lower leg. To replace them you have to remove the lower leg from each side of the fork.

Put your bike up on jacks or a box or something. Remove the front wheel. Remove the fender and the front bark calipers. Your fork is held together by a single bolt that goes up into the fork bottom under the axle. Loosen that bolt and you can remove the lower leg with the fork still on the bike.

Alternately, pull the wheel, pull the front fork legs by loosening the triple tree bolt, and then remove the bolt that hold the fork bottom on. It is a socket head, 8mm I think I remember.

Patrick