Author Topic: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork  (Read 1153 times)

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Offline jakec

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Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« on: January 07, 2019, 10:43:17 pm »
I was using a dowel to disassemble my forks. You can drive a 1/2” down down inside the fork tube stop the inside part from spinning while you loosen the 6mm hex on the outside of the for lower. This is a method I found on YouTube and it works well.

However on my second fork the dowel spit as I was driving it and now I only have about 1-1/2” of dowel poking out, and it’s flimsy. It’s well driven in there and I don’t know how I can get it out. Right now my only idea is to wood glue the split portion back onto the dowel and hope to have more purchase that way. Any other ideas would be appreciated.

« Last Edit: January 07, 2019, 10:45:53 pm by jakec »
1970 CB750 K0 Stock
1970 CL350 K2 Stock
1975 CB400 F Stock
1977 CB750 F Hardtail

Offline 754

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2019, 11:02:22 pm »
 Often if you use an impact gun, it will spin right off,.
Maker of the WELDLESS 750 Frame Kit
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Kelowna B.C.       Canada

My next bike will be a ..ANFOB.....

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Lost quite a few CB 750's along the way

Offline jakec

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2019, 11:06:02 pm »
No #$%*... well, i’ll Try that first thing tomorrow. The heat really helped with the first one, so I guess a little heat and then i’ll Try the impact driver.
1970 CB750 K0 Stock
1970 CL350 K2 Stock
1975 CB400 F Stock
1977 CB750 F Hardtail

Offline calj737

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2019, 03:13:23 am »
Next time, before you uncap and drain the forks, release that screw at that the bottom. Makes life SO MUCH EASIER. 
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"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it's victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis

Offline jakec

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2019, 08:39:10 am »
How are you able to release it? Does the pressure from the spring make it possible? I could always slide the spring back in, over the dowel, and try this method.
1970 CB750 K0 Stock
1970 CL350 K2 Stock
1975 CB400 F Stock
1977 CB750 F Hardtail

Offline calj737

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2019, 09:46:00 am »
Yes. The spring and fluid keep enough pressure on the damping rod, that a bit of heat and a quick hit with an impact will more than likely crack that sucker loose. Can be a bit more cumbersome due to the weight of the assembled forks, but a LOT easier with even assembled to knock that bolt loose in my experience...
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"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it's victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis

Offline 754

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2019, 09:57:42 am »
 The spring holding it is a big helps you can change the fork seals without pulling  the fork tubes out of the triple trees.
Maker of the WELDLESS 750 Frame Kit
dodogas99@gmail.com
Kelowna B.C.       Canada

My next bike will be a ..ANFOB.....

It's All part of the ADVENTURE...

73 836cc.. Green, had it for 3 decades!!
Lost quite a few CB 750's along the way

Offline jakec

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2019, 10:20:34 am »
Ok, thanks for the tips guys. Tonight first thing I will try is putting the spring and cap back on and then heat and impact driver.

BTW the reason I am doing this job with the forks on the clamps like this is because I don't have a vise so this is the way I can keep them from rolling around while I'm wrenching on them.
1970 CB750 K0 Stock
1970 CL350 K2 Stock
1975 CB400 F Stock
1977 CB750 F Hardtail

Offline 754

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2019, 10:46:41 am »
Ok but you can leave them on the bikes if it's just seals.  Now is the time to check if they are straight .
Maker of the WELDLESS 750 Frame Kit
dodogas99@gmail.com
Kelowna B.C.       Canada

My next bike will be a ..ANFOB.....

It's All part of the ADVENTURE...

73 836cc.. Green, had it for 3 decades!!
Lost quite a few CB 750's along the way

Offline jakec

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2019, 11:14:43 am »
I have them off to install emulators, and while I'm there I plan to refinish the fork lowers. So it's a whole overhaul.
1970 CB750 K0 Stock
1970 CL350 K2 Stock
1975 CB400 F Stock
1977 CB750 F Hardtail

Offline jakec

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Re: Broke My Dowel Inside My Fork
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2019, 09:01:46 am »
That worked great, thanks for the tip. I think the dowel was supposed to be a last resort but I misinterpreted the video and thought it was the first method to try.
1970 CB750 K0 Stock
1970 CL350 K2 Stock
1975 CB400 F Stock
1977 CB750 F Hardtail