fork maintenance

[hubcapsc]

So, my front calipers are freshened up, I'll wait to bleed the front brakes until I get done
working on the forks.



I don't want to take the forks apart in the dirt, so I moved them to my plush well lit
maintenance facility where my special fork tools are. I started on the right fork,
one of the first things to do is remove the cap from the damper rod...



I put the right fork in my special fork holder and dagnabbit, none of my 17 mm wrenches will
fit, they're all too fat. So I looked in the toolkit that came with the bike and sure enough, there's
a low-profile wrench that fits perfect  



I got the locknut, spring collar and spring out, cleaned the STINKY fluid off them and poured
the rest of it into a collection pan. At that point it was near time for supper so I stopped for
the day. Tomorrow I'll start with removing the bolt that's in the bottom of the right fork. The FSM
kind of blithely notes: if the fork damper turns with the socket bolt, put everything back together
and see if that helps

-Mike "I paraphrased the last part of that"

[..]

In the bottom of the fork.

You sure about that?

[hubcapsc]

In the bottom of the fork.

You sure about that?

Only on the right fork. It holds the damper unit in place. Harder to put back
than it is to take out. My right fork is done, I'm about to go out and do the left
after eating lunch and watching Gunsmoke...



-Mike

[hubcapsc]

I got done. I was surprised when I got into the left fork... the fluid was still kind
of red from when we put in new fork seals at the Arkansas Inzane. I changed the
seals on both forks not long after I first got The Log Truck in 2007. The dust seal
on the right fork looked cracked, like a dry rotted tire. The left fork was probably
in pretty good shape, but I'm glad both are reset to zero now at the same time.

Here's the parts I used on the right fork... when I got started looking at my parts
stash, I realized I had four guide bushings instead of two guide bushings and two
slider bushings, so I had to reuse the slider bushings.



There was a recent thread here about filling the damper unit. I tied a piece of hay-bale-string
under the lock nut, poured half a bottle or so of fluid into the fork, and raised and lowered
the damper rod until the damper unit seemed full...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tikm2dBQ56I&feature=youtu.be

I measured from the top to gauge the right amount of fluid (different in each fork leg)...



It was kind of tedious getting the string off while trying to slip the spring seat stopper
back in, but not too bad.

I got one of the left fork special tools back when I did the job in 2007, some people
make one out of some kind of water heater part or something...



I also learned the first time that a little schedule 40 elbow works great for overcoming
the rebound spring's pressure while you mash down on the rebound rod so you can
screw in the inner fork bolt.



In my imagination I was going to install the forks and front wheel when I got done, tomorrow I
need to get the rear wheel off and take it over to the Suzuki guy to get a Cobra Chrome
installed on it. Instead I came in from the heat and got a shower and typed all this in  ...
It is supper time anyhow... I'll go out there in the morning and get the front wheel back on
and take the rear wheel off...

-Mike

[The emperor has no clothes]

I think you are getting a lot done in pretty good time.  We aren’t as young as we used to be. (Well, some of us aren’t)

[hal47]

Another Gun Smoke fan, watch it just about everyday.

[hubcapsc]

We aren’t as young as we used to be.

I turned 62 the other day.... 

Another Gun Smoke fan, watch it just about everyday.

The reruns are up to season 14... Matt's starting to get kind of geriatric too...

-Mike "it went for 20 years!"

[Jess from VA]

I turned 62 the other day....  Shocked

Congrats on turning the magical Social Security year.  It's a nice increase to an 80% pay cut retirement. 

Best birthday present I ever got.

[hubcapsc]

I turned 62 the other day....  Shocked

Congrats on turning the magical Social Security year.  It's a nice increase to an 80% pay cut retirement. 

Best birthday present I ever got.

We're going to roll on as-is for a while longer... the SS check will be bigger if you wait longer... Carolyn
keeps up on the exact details, she likes that kind of stuff...

-Mike

[Bone]

62 I did that a decade ago 

[Jess from VA]

I turned 62 the other day....  Shocked

Congrats on turning the magical Social Security year.  It's a nice increase to an 80% pay cut retirement. 

Best birthday present I ever got.

We're going to roll on as-is for a while longer... the SS check will be bigger if you wait longer... Carolyn
keeps up on the exact details, she likes that kind of stuff...

-Mike

I understand.  Many do.  The Las Vegas dice roll is living long enough (at the higher rate), to make up for all you passed up (at the lower rate).  

My pension was pretty basic (leaving early).  And when dealing with the G, my plan is to take it before they go insolvent (or change the rules or rates).  And in my family trees, the women live forever, but the men don't.

In three years, you get to sign up for Medicare (and up or down on Part B, yada).  Full geezer membership.  

[hubcapsc]

I think you are getting a lot done in pretty good time.

I wish  ...

I'm done with lunch and Gunsmoke is almost over (at 2:00)... I've only got the front
end mostly cleaned up and back together, still have to get the rear wheel off and
take it to the Suzuki guy... it will probably be too late to get the tire on the wheel
this afternoon...

-Mike

[hubcapsc]

I got the front back together and got the rear wheel off and took it
to the Suzuki guy by 3:30  ... The Suzuki guy popped off
the old tire and then I took the wheel to the loading dock with my
wd40 and 1000 grit sandpaper and cleaned off the bead mating surface.
I love watching the machine pop the tire on and off in seconds, it brings
back great memories 



Anywho... Cobra Chrome... I'm sure it will be a great tyre... you know, like Venom, or Cobra
was... I guess they have to change the name so they can raise the price every few years?



Look who's been helping me every day for the last few days... ol Lazer Beams... the new kitten/cat...
she's only been going outside for three or four days...



I was talking to Punisher on the phone yesterday... I need to put a real building on the overgrown
section of this awesome poured concrete foundation we built 25 years ago and then I can
quit joking about having a plush well lit workshop...

-Mike

[mark81]

Always love reading your posts Mike. I know there are gonna be pictures.