Issue Reinstalling Forks Into Tree

[Steve K (IA)]

I took my forks into the shop to have my original springs put in ... and new seals since it was apart.

Slipped the forks into the trees and tightened them up.  Went to slip the axle though to align the forks with each other and the right one is a good 1/4"+ lower (longer) than the left.  I can't get that fork to move with hand pressure to get the axle in. 

About 6 years ago I replaced the seals myself and never had this problem back then.

Any ideas are welcome.

[bikerboy1951]

There is a nut on the right side on top of the clip holding the spring and inner tube in place.  If that changed it will affect the axle alignment as will the top caps that screw into the triple tree to the nuts underneath them.  All this will affect the axle.  It might list the distances in the shop manual, but I am not sure.  Start there and see where it leads.

Brad

[Steve K (IA)]

There is a nut on the right side on top of the clip holding the spring and inner tube in place.  If that changed it will affect the axle alignment as will the top caps that screw into the triple tree to the nuts underneath them.  All this will affect the axle.  It might list the distances in the shop manual, but I am not sure.  Start there and see where it leads.

Brad

I never opened them up this time.  I took them to the dealer.  Should I take them back and have them adjusted?  Or, I've been thinking that I could use a 2x4 under the right leg to lift it to get the axle through?  Or will that cause problems when I set it back down obviously having different pressures on each side?  I'm thinking I should take them back as there wasn't this issue when I took them apart.
 

Because they ordered the wrong seals, my bike has been on my jack for 10 days now.

PS, I don't see anything in the manual about overall length.

[bikerboy1951]

You definitely don't want to force the fork tubes into alignment.  Something got out of whack but I doubt that the dealer is going to know how to fix it.
Attic Rat (Bob Smith) might be able to get you going in the right direction.

Brad

[Bagger John - #3785]

Because they ordered the wrong seals, my bike has been on my jack for 10 days now.

And this, Gentle Readers, is why I never trust dealerships to do ANYTHING on my bikes - unless one has to go back for warranty or recall work.

One supposes RTFSM (Reading The Fine Service manual) is a skill which isn't taught at MMI or the other wrenching schools these days. And...the dealers get the quality of staff they pay for.

I'd get hold of said manual, find the pertinent section and haul it plus your forks back into the service manager then ask him or her to unscrew whatever screwup his or her subordinate Shop Monkeys managed to accomplish.

[hubcapsc]

You definitely don't want to force the fork tubes into alignment.  Something got out of whack but I doubt that the dealer is going to know how to fix it.
Attic Rat (Bob Smith) might be able to get you going in the right direction.

Brad

Bikerboy has the answer in his post... it is an easy fix... I had a terrible fork seal leak
by the time I got to the Arkansas Inzane, and I removed/tore-down/rebuilt the leaky
fork in the parking lot... we (a hundred people help you when you work on your bike
at Inzane   ) made the adjustment the OP needs on my fork at that time... I believe
the nut you need to spin to make the adjustment can be reached with the forks on
the bike and just the top cap removed... ?





-Mike

[MarkT]

On the same part of the bike:  Jade developed a bad leak on the right fork on my recent road trip.  Couldn't find it anywhere so I ordered a Motion Pro Seal Mate fork seal tool from denniskirk to be delivered here.  Just arrived.  I'm thinking I might be able to stop the leak with it w/o taking the forks apart.  I don't have time for that now and the Darby ride is coming up in 8 days.  Is there a shortcut way to replenish the fork oil?  I've never worked on them myself.  TIA.

[hubcapsc]

On the same part of the bike:  Jade developed a bad leak on the right fork on my recent road trip.  Couldn't find it anywhere so I ordered a Motion Pro Seal Mate fork seal tool from denniskirk to be delivered here.  Just arrived.  I'm thinking I might be able to stop the leak with it w/o taking the forks apart.  I don't have time for that now and the Darby ride is coming up in 8 days.  Is there a shortcut way to replenish the fork oil?  I've never worked on them myself.  TIA.

On the way to the very next InZane  my other fork started leaking. Trout Dude and Mitcho fixed
it with a sealmate and it has stayed fixed. If a little bit of your stinky old fork oil comes out
while you have a leak, you can probably just ignore it... mine are due for me to take them
both apart again, change out the wear parts and seals and put in new oil... that's when
to worry about the exact amount...

-Mike

[Steve K (IA)]

I replaced the seals and bushings once and just the seals another time.  I never got into the springs because of the special tool.  Then there has been the tire changes.  I've never had a problem with the axle lining up from side to side.
Took the forks back today.  Got a BS line about just lift that right leg until the axle lines up.  Well, that can't be done.  Then they wanted me to bring the bike in.     Without a front wheel?!   
Said one of their Red Line Techs would take a look at them.  Still waiting to hear back.

[bikerboy1951]

Is it too far to the dealer for a wheelie?

Brad

[9Ball]

Steve, I sent you a pm...call me if you want.  I left my number in the second pm (forgot it in the first one).  I might have some info not in the manual...

[98valk]

On the same part of the bike:  Jade developed a bad leak on the right fork on my recent road trip.  Couldn't find it anywhere so I ordered a Motion Pro Seal Mate fork seal tool from denniskirk to be delivered here.  Just arrived.  I'm thinking I might be able to stop the leak with it w/o taking the forks apart.  I don't have time for that now and the Darby ride is coming up in 8 days.  Is there a shortcut way to replenish the fork oil?  I've never worked on them myself.  TIA.

Try rotating the upper tube 180 degrees. so far this had stopped the leak I was having on the one fork