Topic: 1970 Honda CL350 fork boots

[jaketurner]

Hey y'all,
This week I got my forks off the 1970 CL350, got the seals replaced, got the forks back together, and (argh) got the forks back on the bike with the filler bolts threaded.  Now... I cannot for the life of me figure out how to reattach the friggin' boots at the top.   Am able to get them up there but am brain-dead  on how to secure them. 

thanks!!!    - Jake

[74cb750]

Looks to me like you are missing a piece on the bottom of the ears that the top of the
boots slide onto and lock in.

[Scott S]

 I had this same question when doing my CL forks. Nobody answered on my thread over at the Twins site, but I did post some pics and diagrams that might help:

http://www.hondatwins.net/forums/51-frame-suspension-steering/46366-headlight-ears-spring-gaiter-assembly-order.html

 Honestly, I figured it out but can't remember what the magical combination was! I DO know there are some parts that fit inside the gaitors, and it took two people, some heat from a hair drier or heat gun, lots of pulling and tugging and cursing. Try getting them on at the TOP first, have someone hold them in place, and carefully pull down and work them into the groove on the fork lower. Use a small flat blade screw driver to get them started and run it around the lip and into the groove.

[jaketurner]

Yahoo ~~   Got it done.  Found that I had #21 on your diagram (attached here again) upsidedown.  When I disassembled the whole thing it flipped and I just assumed (dumb....) that it went that way.  But thanks a million for the diagram.  Got it rightsideup and things came together pretty well (see attached completed pic).   I did also find that there was no #22 on either side.  So I took one of my former/worn seals and gently cut it down the middle and made what were essentially two of the #22's.   
Thanks millions y'all !!!