recomendations on removing the forks for replacement.

[debauchery]

i've got a 79 xs11s and the fork tubes suffered some abuse/neglect i'm trying to remove them to install a new*to me +6" set and i'll be damned she doesn't want it done the easy way as the current installed forks have been there since 79 any tips or tricks on getting the front apart without hurting anything?

[jetmechmarty]

Remove calipers, fender, and wheel. You've done that, right? Loosen trees, top and bottom. Done? Please explain where you're stuck.

[debauchery]

3h3-000101 , i don't want to ruin any oem anything in the process , theres 32 yrs of mated surface . i'd like to know if anyone knows a way to make these alterations in the gentlest way possible(thats where i'm stuck)

[jetmechmarty]

You might want to break the torque on the damper rods before you take everything apart. It will make dis-assembly easier. That's the allen bolt at the bottom of each fork leg.

[Shacknasty]

Penetrating oil, heat from a heat gun or blow dryer (Open flame can discolor chrome) and time are yer friends. Heat, oil, repeat. A strap wrench can get the tube moving.

You have loosened the clamping bolts on the trees, right?

[debauchery]

ow yea everything with a wrenchable surface is loose and free,everything else is holding as i expected for her age ,heat gun is warming up and coffee is brewing, thanks for that tip!
shes hanging from the eyebeam in the garage at the moment so gravity is not against me fyi.

[cywelchjr]

Once you have the wheel, calipers and front fender off, and have loosened the pinch bolts on the triple trees, there really should be nothing holding those in there. It's not like it's something that could be rusted together, it's chromed steel clamped by aluminum alloy. At least on a standard I believe it's like 4 pinch bolts per side, and the they should be able to twist in the triple tree and should just slide right on out. That is unless something is bent, and then you might be looking at replacing parts anyways, but I would think that would be obvious.

Are your replacement forks a complete set or is it just a set of inner sliders to go into the ones you have? And if the inners only, are they made specifically for the model your putting them on? They don't swap back and forth without some work, the forks on the standard and special are not even made by the same manufacturer, and the 78-79 standard forks and 80-81 standard forks are different as well. I believe only the special forks are the same for all years.

[motoman]

Take a screwdriver or similar and lightly pry in the space where pinch bolts are......they'll fall out on there own. Bettin you haven't all things loose......JMO.

[bikerphil]

Don't know if it was mentioned but you might want to break the top caps loose while the stanchion is being held by the lower TT, loosen the upper TT pinch bolts to avoid extra pressure on the cap threads.

[DGXSER]

The question is are you looking to disassemble the actual forks, or just get them out of the triple trees?

To get the forks out of the triple trees, as eveyrone has suggested and you have confirmed, you removed the calipers. front wheel, fender, and fork brace. You have also loosend the bolts on the upper and lower triple trees. As Moto suggested, there is a small slot int he triple trees where the pinch bolts pull them together, you and pry that space open a bit with a good screwdriver.

Assuming all that did not break the bod of the triple tree to fork tubes. If your not looking to disassmble, you could put a wrench on the cap and turn it in a tightening direction to see if you twist the fork tube and break it loose.

Otherwise, I would put a block of wood on top of the fork and use a mallet to pound on them a but. then move to bottom and repeat. The shocking blows may loosen the grip of the trees on the fork tubes.

[crazy steve]

It's usually the lower tree that has the death grip on the tubes, so if they still won't move, pull the lower tree pinch bolts out and gently pry the clamp open. They should drop right out unless you have bent components...

[debauchery]

thanks guys shes done , if this rain stops i can go for a ride