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Anybody ever rebuid their forks?
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:27 am
by Sicko
Is this doable in the garage or would I be better off letting the dealer do it? I want to replace the springs with Progressives and replace all seals and bushings. And, of course, the fork oil.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:50 am
by Nibblet99
Get the haynes/clymer manual. Usually its all fine and do-able, but some bikes, you need a special tool that the manufacturer designed on the fly
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 2:41 am
by Sev
Biggest problem is getting new seals and stuff in place. You can make your own drivers, but it requires some ingenuity.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 6:57 am
by Sicko
I heard of people making a seal tool out of PVC pipe.
As for the special tool, I'm still trying to find out if A. I really need it and B. If I can make something that will work without too much hassle.
I may just give it a try. Worst that could happen is i have to haul the forks to the dealer to be reassembled.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 11:44 am
by TR7
What kind of bike do you have? For my GS500 I made my "special tool" out of a rod, a pipe, some nuts, bubble gum and a rubber band. It really is a special tool
But it works! So if your close, and you have the same bike, you can borrow it.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:32 pm
by Sicko
It's a Goldwing GL1500. I'm upgrading to progressive springs and doing a complete rebuild while I have them off the bike. It should be quite a project. Just hope I can see it through.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:38 pm
by The549
I did it easily - hardest part was tightening the nut with a homemade tool (alone). Do it. Get a manual though, otherwise you better be extremely organized.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 2:48 pm
by Sicko
Yep, I have the manual. The biggest thing that bothers me at this point is the manual calls for the use of a fork bolt assembly tool. It's a special tool O presume can only be had from Honda. I've been told on another forum that I can get by without it but it would make the job easier. All the parts should be in by the end of next week so I'll start on them the weekend after next.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 6:41 pm
by The549
I used a power wrench to get the nut off, to get it back on....well I just couldn't get it cinched down.
I used the end of a broom wrapped with sticky tape. Hasn't fallen off yet.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 8:05 pm
by Skier
My special seal driving tool was a bastrd mill file with the end wrapped in electrical tape. Worked on my Radian and it's had at least another 10,000 or so miles of problem-free usage out of those forks.
Next time I might do PVC, but the file was right there.
