Topic: Fork leg allen bolt issue

[wixil]

I swapped my fork seals and gators last weekend on my K6, and I can't get the allen bolt in the base of the fork leg to tighten on one side. I tried compressing the fork with a ratchet strap to keep the fork tube from spinning, but no luck.  I did the swap with the forks still on the bike, so I'm not sure what my options are for getting the tube to remain still without taking the forks off.  I have searched a bit, but this forum is so huge I'm not getting great results.  Anybody with more brains than me got an idea or two? 

[Silverback]

Wooden broomstick!

[Kong]

Put it on with an impact wrench, but be careful not to over-tighten it.  Same thing when they spin when you're trying to take them out, just use an impact and the bolt will do what you want it to.  Basically the principle is that the repeated impacts from the wrench - little shock waves - have the inertial mass of the damper tube plus whatever friction the spring offers to hold the damper from moving as much as the bolt is.  Whatever, it works.

[wixil]

Thanks for the input guys.  I'll borrow an impact after work and see if I can get it to snug it up.  If that doesn't do it, then I'll try the broom stick method.  I'll post the results. 

[johnrdupree]

I just disassembled the forks on my 550 and had the reverse problem, I couldn't get one of the allen screws to loosen.  The broomstick didn't work for me so I make a "special tool" to hold the damper rod in place.  It's just a socket with a groove cut in it to fit over the pin in the top of the damper rod.  I had one fork apart already so I found a socket that would fit inside the rod and cut the groove with an angle grinder and cutoff disc.  I have pics at home and will post them with some measurements after work.

That, and a lot of extensions, let me hold the damper rod still while spinning the allen screw.

~john

[kaceyf2]

The broom worked for me on an f2 , but I cut the handle down so it rested on the naughty bottom tube, and was just long enough to get the top fork bolt in a few turns to put some pressure on the tube.
If you try this, tidy up the sawn end of the broomhandle so you dont leave splinters or other debris in there. ooh, and hide the rest of the broom from mum/wife/sister/janitor, and practice "knowing nothing about that" for when its found...

[mrbreeze]

+1 on the impact gun.Just give it short little blasts and it will come right out/tighten up either way.

[johnrdupree]

Here's my damper rod holder:

The socket is a 3/8" but a 10mm would have worked, too.  The groove is about 3/8" deep and about 3/16" wide.

Depending on how many extensions you have, you may have slide the lower up as far as it will go to get the damper rod within reach.

~john

[mrbreeze]

Here's my damper rod holder:

The socket is a 3/8" but a 10mm would have worked, too.  The groove is about 3/8" deep and about 3/16" wide.

Depending on how many extensions you have, you may have slide the lower up as far as it will go to get the damper rod within reach.

~john

Nothing like inginuity in the entire world!!!!..........Gud job McGiver!!!!

[wixil]

Well I ran out of light yesterday after borrowing my dad's electric impact.  Today I hit it with the impact, and it it was cinched up in no time.  John, good job on the improvisation.  I like the make-your-own-tool mentality.  Now that my seals are done, I can finally get around to swapping my rusted and busted 4-4 setup for my F header.  Thanks again for all the input fellas.

[Slams77]

Here's my damper rod holder:

Depending on how many extensions you have, you may have slide the lower up as far as it will go to get the damper rod within reach.

~john

Very nifty, I will be giving this a shot when I do the same procedure on my bike if the impact gun method doesn’t work.

[cobrajunkie]

Impact worked great for me during R&R of the forks.  Make sure you anneal or replace the copper washer.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Loosen up the allen bolt and top cap with the wheel attached before you tear everything down. You don't need a broomstick or an impact wrench for that.

[cobrajunkie]

Loosen up the allen bolt and top cap with the wheel attached before you tear everything down. You don't need a broomstick or an impact wrench for that.

Can't get to the allen bolt with the wheel attached.  You mean the fork attached.. right?

This YouTube video was very helpful for a newb like me as a prelude to replacing the seals.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Yep, I forgot you can't get at the bolt with the axle in. The triple acts as its own vise.

[cobrajunkie]

"big screwdriver.. big, big, screwdriver"   

[Kong]

I have a 4-foot-long pry-bar that pops fork seals out effortlessly.

[mrbreeze]

I have a 4-foot-long pry-bar that pops fork seals out effortlessly.

I'll bet it does!!!! Whoa............talk about overkill!!!!!