Topic: remove top bolt when pulling forks?

[1974blaze]

reading my shop manual it looks like my forks should slide right out of the trees after removing the bolts in the upper tree and the lower.  i don't have to remove the top bolts do i? they are going NOWHERE> what am i missing?

and then, how do you separate the ring that holds the fork boot from the headlight ears.

shop manual says squat about this?

i'm starting to feel a bit incompetent.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

The top nut only needs to come off if you need to access the spring, pull the fork apart, or change the fork oil.  There is a big arse spring under that bolt, so if you do take it off, be careful it doesn't fly across the shop.  What I do is loosen that top nut before I slide the tube out of the tree.  That way I have the trees holding the tube so I can get some leverage on it.

The gators can be gently worked off the headlight ears with a screwdriver or by pulling.  At least mine did not use anything uther than friction to fix the boots to the ears.

[MCRider]

reading my shop manual it looks like my forks should slide right out of the trees after removing the bolts in the upper tree and the lower.  i don't have to remove the top bolts do i? they are going NOWHERE> what am i missing?

and then, how do you separate the ring that holds the fork boot from the headlight ears.

shop manual says squat about this?

i'm starting to feel a bit incompetent.

Need to know what you're working on. But in a generic sense, you loosen the obvious clamps on the upper and lower "trees". Go ahead and loosen but don't remove, the top bolts, which I call "caps" while they are clamped. It will make it easier later.  Large chrome jobs with 23mm hexs or so?

Once the clamps are loosend, twist the tubes to break their friction bond with the rubber rings. Then the tubes will pull out the bottom.

Assuming: You have the front end supported with a jack of some sort and the front wheel and fender are off.

[1974blaze]

yes thanks for the replies. 

i have no reason to get "into" the forks, i've got those sorted, i'm just trying to flip the headlight ears upside down and so i'm pulling the tubes out of the clamps.  the bolts are off, but the tubes won't budge othewr than spinning. 

should i use a dowel and mallet and tap them out from the top (dowel to caps, down throught the clamps).

they're supposed to slide right out aren't they.  everywhere i look on the forum i see advice like "gently slide tubes out of clamps"

btw yes, i have the bike on a lift and supported.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

A few taps with a rubber mallet usually is enough to break the grip of the runner rings. 

I'm not sure which bile you are working on, but I know the early 750 headlight ears have a large slot in the bottom that fits around the bottom tree bolt.  That is to say, you can't flip 'em over.

[MCRider]

yes thanks for the replies. 

i have no reason to get "into" the forks, i've got those sorted, i'm just trying to flip the headlight ears upside down and so i'm pulling the tubes out of the clamps.  the bolts are off, but the tubes won't budge othewr than spinning. 

should i use a dowel and mallet and tap them out from the top (dowel to caps, down throught the clamps).

they're supposed to slide right out aren't they.  everywhere i look on the forum i see advice like "gently slide tubes out of clamps"

btw yes, i have the bike on a lift and supported.

If its of any age at all, they will be stuck like a mother. You have fork ears, so the tubes are rusted up undoubtedly. That rust makes the tube passing thru the lower rubber rings very difficult. And the clamps too for that matter. They will spin, but won't drop down. You're past the "gently" anything.

I put a carpenters type wooden wedge in the lower clamp to open it as much as you dare and hold it there. Then yes use a dowel and mallet.

[1974blaze]

it's a '75k

crap.  so there's no going back right?

sure enough, one tap of the mallet and it move down a cm or so and the thought occurs, how the hell do you get them back in?
malett from the bottom is clearly a bad idea. 

and point taken about flipping the ears with the notch.  i could cut a new notch, but i'm thinking of trimming off the ears and welding them back on lower down. 

so getting them back in properly involves grease and prayer?

[MCRider]

it's a '75k

crap.  so there's no going back right?

sure enough, one tap of the mallet and it move down a cm or so and the thought occurs, how the hell do you get them back in?
malett from the bottom is clearly a bad idea. 

and point taken about flipping the ears with the notch.  i could cut a new notch, but i'm thinking of trimming off the ears and welding them back on lower down. 

so getting them back in properly involves grease and prayer?

Once you get them out, you can sand down the rust to the original tube diameter, not too hard to do, and you'll be back to the "gently slide" mode again. Still use the wedge to help, and some grease will help and will also retard future rust. Prayers always help everything.   

[1974blaze]

ok i feel better.  i'm gonna knock'm out and this will be be my first welding lesson. two 4in welds seems like a great place to start.  then i'll fab myself a new lowered gauge bracket and then... oh god, it never stops. 

this is a good time to paint the triple where i goobered it with brake fluid i guess too. 

[JoshuaJames]

are there any photos? i have the same issue