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What's the trick to gettin the forks apart?

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  • #1

    What's the trick to gettin the forks apart?

    Hi again my fellow 11 pals. The only thing on my bike that I want to investigate before any extended riding is the front forks. They are a little stiff and have a slight grind to them. Externally they look fine, seals appear to be good. I drained the oil and it looked good. I want to take them apart and check the internals. I'll be ordering a shop manual from ebay soon, but in the mean time can someone tell me what holds the inside tubes in the bottom of the fork legs so I can get them apart? Thank you.
    '79 XS11 Special, fork gaiters, Uni pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, ditched the octy, solo seat, T kat fork brace

    Purrs like a kitten, runs like a scalded cat
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Not sure which model you've got, but I'm pretty sure there's supposed to be an allan bolt in the bottom of the fork. To see it when it's on the bike, you need to put your head on the floor and look up.

    Hope that helps,
    Brian
    '80 SG with motor from a '82 XJ

    Comment

    • #3
      Thank you Brian. I hope it's that simple. I have the Special and yes, there is an allen bolt at the bottom of each fork. I thought that was simply the drain plug.
      '79 XS11 Special, fork gaiters, Uni pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, ditched the octy, solo seat, T kat fork brace

      Purrs like a kitten, runs like a scalded cat

      Comment

      • #4
        Nope; the drain bolt (if you've got one) is on the side of the fork (in line with the axle). The allan bolt that's in line with the fork tubes holds the innards in. You'll also find a circlip under the dust covers that holds the oil seal down. I'm pretty sure you'll need to get that out as well before you can separate the tubes.

        Good luck!
        '80 SG with motor from a '82 XJ

        Comment

        • #5
          I just pulled my forks apart the other day for the first time and i found that you need to have something to hold the internals of the fork still while you take the allen bolt out. I used 3/4 inch nuts jammed together on a piece of threaded rod. I think someone said specials need something like an 18 or 19mm thought.

          So I would say go to a hardware store get a peice of 5/16 threaded rod, 2 5/16 nuts for the threaded rod, and a 17mm 18mm and 19mm nut. Then when you get home figure out which nut you need and then put one of the 5/16 nuts on the threaded rod then put the metric nut needed on the rod and then put the other 5/16 nut on and tighten the two 5/16 nuts together to hold the metric one and just hold it with a pliers as you turn out the allen bolt on the bottom.
          Nathan
          KD9ARL

          μολὼν λαβέ

          1978 XS1100E
          K&N Filter
          #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
          OEM Exhaust
          ATK Fork Brace
          LED Dash lights
          Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
          Green Monster Coils
          SS Brake Lines
          Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

          In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

          Theodore Roosevelt

          Comment

          • #6
            I saw that circlip under the dust covers and I was wondering if that would have to come out too. Thanks again!!
            '79 XS11 Special, fork gaiters, Uni pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, ditched the octy, solo seat, T kat fork brace

            Purrs like a kitten, runs like a scalded cat

            Comment

            • #7
              That's a good tip if your allan bolt is stuck. I was lucky and didn't have that problem. Did you already have the springs out when you were trying to take the allan bolt out? I took the allan bolt out while the springs were still in there, so I guess they applied enough pressure to hold the internals in place.
              '80 SG with motor from a '82 XJ

              Comment

              • #8
                I tried with the spring in and even compressed the fork with a ratchet strap and still could not get the bolt out.
                Nathan
                KD9ARL

                μολὼν λαβέ

                1978 XS1100E
                K&N Filter
                #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
                OEM Exhaust
                ATK Fork Brace
                LED Dash lights
                Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
                Green Monster Coils
                SS Brake Lines
                Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

                In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

                Theodore Roosevelt

                Comment

                • #9
                  If you feel a "grind" turning your front forks that would be related to your bearing in the "triple tree" and not to your fork tubes. If your fork seals weren't leaking and you say the fork oil look good just replace your fork oil and leave it at that.
                  You can take the tubes out without removing the circle clip that is above the fork seal.
                  BDF Special
                  80SG Vetter bagger 1196 Wiseco big bore kit, Mega Cycle Cams, slotted cam gears, ported and flowed head, bronze intake seats, Dyno Jet kit, Dyno coils and Mikes XS air pods, Venture cam chain adjuster,Geezer's regulator, Clutch mod, Mac 4 into 1 with custom built and tuned baffle, Oil cooler,MikesXS emulators mod.
                  Dyno tuned to 98 hp at the rear wheel.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Yes, on the special models there a piece to hold still in there, a nut I think. IIRC Biker Phil or Diver Ray, have posted pics of their version of a tool to hold this.

                    Find member Catatonic Bugs post, he has a link to his personal site that host the manuals on these bikes. The manual does not show the tool described though.
                    Life is what happens while your planning everything else!

                    When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

                    81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
                    80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection


                    Previously owned
                    93 GSX600F
                    80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
                    81 XS1100 Special
                    81 CB750 C
                    80 CB750 C
                    78 XS750

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      My "grind" is when I pump the forks up and down so I'm pretty sure there's something I need to check out in there. As far as removing the bottom bolts, mine came out and went in with no problem at all with the bike on the sidestand.
                      '79 XS11 Special, fork gaiters, Uni pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, ditched the octy, solo seat, T kat fork brace

                      Purrs like a kitten, runs like a scalded cat

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        With your forks apart you should replace the seals too. Install the seals after you have reassembled the fork tubes, with out the oil and main spring of course. Just use a long pvc pipe to slide over the fork tube to tap the seals in place.
                        Many people damage their new seals when sliding the forks into the tube with the seal already in place. Putting your seals in the freezer for a while will also make them slide in easier too.
                        BDF Special
                        80SG Vetter bagger 1196 Wiseco big bore kit, Mega Cycle Cams, slotted cam gears, ported and flowed head, bronze intake seats, Dyno Jet kit, Dyno coils and Mikes XS air pods, Venture cam chain adjuster,Geezer's regulator, Clutch mod, Mac 4 into 1 with custom built and tuned baffle, Oil cooler,MikesXS emulators mod.
                        Dyno tuned to 98 hp at the rear wheel.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Originally posted by 11Rider View Post
                          My "grind" is when I pump the forks up and down so I'm pretty sure there's something I need to check out in there. As far as removing the bottom bolts, mine came out and went in with no problem at all with the bike on the sidestand.
                          If you are going to take your forks apart you will need to put your bike on the center stand. Just in case you didn't already know
                          BDF Special
                          80SG Vetter bagger 1196 Wiseco big bore kit, Mega Cycle Cams, slotted cam gears, ported and flowed head, bronze intake seats, Dyno Jet kit, Dyno coils and Mikes XS air pods, Venture cam chain adjuster,Geezer's regulator, Clutch mod, Mac 4 into 1 with custom built and tuned baffle, Oil cooler,MikesXS emulators mod.
                          Dyno tuned to 98 hp at the rear wheel.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            The fork tubes on the Special forks should come apart without the need to hold the damping rod from spinning, at least every set I've worked on, YMMV.
                            2H7 (79) owned since '89
                            3H3 owned since '06

                            "If it ain't broke, modify it"

                            ☮

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Hi 'Rider,
                              betcha those forks ain't been apart since new so there's gotta be 30 years-worth of crud inside them. Could be that a complete tear-down and thorough cleaning would remove the nasty noise without needing to "fix" anything. If not, the forks needed to be dismantled anyway, right? And as the tear-down has already given you access, now is the time to replace the fork seals before the old ones leak oil onto the front brakes and to install Progressive fork springs to replace the sagging originals.
                              Fred Hill, S'toon
                              XS11SG with Spirit of America sidecar
                              "The Flying Pumpkin"

                              Comment

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