fork springs

[wallyfishing1]

Im putting forksprings in my 79 xs 11 standard this weekend. Wondering if there is anything i should watch for. Or problems anyone has experienced .
Thanks, Chris

[Pat Kelly]

Be careful putting the fork caps (large threaded nuts on top of the fork tubes) back on. They are aluminum and can cross-thread very easily.
If you're replacing the seals too, use a trick that I learned on here. After removing the springs jam a wooden broomstick down the tubes to hold the valve assy. while you loosen the allen bolt on the bottom of the fork legs.
I just replaced the seals on wife's XS750. They use a spring clip in place of the large nut at the top. Not any easier (by yourself).

Good luck...

[Geezer]

Re: fork springs

Originally posted by wallyfishing1
Im putting forksprings in my 79 xs 11 standard this weekend. Wondering if there is anything i should watch for. Or problems anyone has experienced .

Be sure and put a jack under the engine to hold it up when you take the springs out or the front end will collapse when you take the springs out.

If you're changing the fork seals, go with OEM Yamaha seals. Most aftermarket sears are crap.

Geezer

[randy]

I would not use the wooden stick method. I would fear wood chips in the works. I just finished doing my springs yesterday and the best way I found to hold the inner works is a bolt with a couple of 18MM nuts on the end. Jam the nuts against one another so they don't turn. Then fit the assembly to a socket, secure it temporarily on the end of the socket with tape and fix it all to the loooongest (about 2 feet) extension you can. That will hold the inners.

The allen bolt in the end is 8MM. Don't forget the locktight for that bolt when you re-assemble. And clean the inner threads good or the locktight won't be worth a damn.

BTW, there is a post on this site that describes a similar method, but the author used a 17MM jam nut. After farting with the 17mm for a couple of hours, I discovered mine was 18MM! Because of that bit of confusion, the first fork took 2 hours. the second took 20 mins. That includes seal replacement!. So it's not a difficult job.

Here's another hint: before you sart working, put the seals in the freezer. When you install them, they will go in like S**T through a goose. Just don't let them warm up too much. Pop'em out of the freezer, right into the fork.

My dad, a GM mechanic for 35 years, showed me the freezer method and it works like a charm on bearings, races, you name it. Anything that is an interference fit. Put the part in the freezer and warm up the receiving end a bit, and WallaH! no press required. I hope I've helped. Have fun!

Randy

[Hobbit]

jam nuts

I had a terrible time using the jam nut method. They kept coming loose no matter what I tried.
I ended up buying an allen wrench, cutting it off at the bend and then put the allen in socket and used that to counterhold the shock.

I'v erebuilt six different forks with this method. It's not as cheap as a nut and bolt, but it proved much more effective.
Walt

[Bikeboy]

Fork Springs

Hey there Chris, I put new seals & dust covers on my 79 XS11f last summer. For my money I would just take the front tubes off, much easyer to work on with them off. Just drop the front tire, take off the brake calipers, take off the front fender then just loosen the 4 bolts on the top & bottom trees and slide the tubes out. So now not only can you replace the springs, you can put in new seals, dust covers and clean out all that old fork oil and the gunk that has built up in the tubes, theres also a couple of pin holes in the inner tubes that need to be cleaned out. You do all this and your set, you won't have to work on that front end again for a long time. Disreguard all this if you have already done everything and are just wanting new springs.

[wallyfishing1]

Thanks for the tips everyone!
I have to say this is the first time I have worked on this bike where i didnt run into a single problem.
The jam nut wasent even that bad just had my son pull on the slider while i hit it with the air gun.
Took it for a short ride and the difference was more than I expected . Progressive springs are the way to go.


Thanks again, Chris