Help Needed with Front Forks

[Ski_rush]

I wanted to change my front fork oil this weekend. The right side went fine. However, the left side is being a bit of a challenge. I am having the same problem as MusicTrek posted about,
seen here in this post.

The problem is that the bottom hex bolt will not tighten up. I'm able to thread it in just fine, to a point. When it get close to the end, it just keeps spinning and spinning and will not tighten up. I tried:

1. Re-installing the top cap (temporarily) to put pressure back on the spring in hopes that it would press against the bottom and allow the hex bolt to tighten...didn't work.

2. I tried the broom stick method that Musictrek suggested. I had the strap pulled really tight, but it didn't work.

For the mean time, my bike is out of commission and that's not fun.

Please help me! In Musictrek's thread, "Humanbeing" suggested a tool, but the writing was in Chinese (Mandarin?) and the actual name of the tool was not listed. I looked online and I cannot find anything like that tool. And, the only "fork took" I'm finding relate to inverted forks, not "standard" forks. Is this a rare problem?

Any help and suggestions = greatly appreciated!

[pete]

what shape recess is in the top of the damping rods...

most jap bikes have a Hex that you can find a nut or bolt head to fit
then weld it to a length of rod or pipe to reach down to hold the
damping rod from turning..



..

[humanbeing]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

"Humanbeing" suggested a tool..

https://support.google.com/translate.../6142483?hl=en is quite useful or Draws it ...
===
Those thingy in tb = square head's diameter 3.5mm-4mm depends on different seller

[Ski_rush]

Originally Posted by pete

what shape recess is in the top of the damping rods...

I'm new to working on bikes...I am not really sure what you're talking about. Either on top or bottom of the fork, I don't see any hex shape. I really don't understand how the right side tightened right up, but the left side is just spinning. It doesn't make sense to me because looking at the hex bolt, it appears to thread right into the bottom of the fork, and initially goes on fine, but then just spins the end? What is it threading into if not the bottom of the fork tube?

And assuming the shape is a hex, how would I know what size bolt head or nut to weld to this rod?

[Ski_rush]

Originally Posted by humanbeing

Those thingy in tb = square head's diameter 3.5mm-4mm depends on different seller

That looks like it should do trick, but it looks like it would be coming from China, and therefore probably take weeks to get here, if not longer. I was hoping to get this fixed within a few days.

[Rail32]

I am suprised broom stick did not work . Makes me wonder if something else is not cool down there . I always use my 3/8 air impact tool to spin those bolts off and on . FYI always start them by hand prior tightening . The fast action of the air impact seats them properly everytime for me . If I was you I would take them apart again and thread bolt into assembly and see if threads are messed up. Worse case a tap will have to be chased through threads to clean them up. Again , wish all you guys with issues lived closer . I have 4 decades of tool collecting that likes to be kept shiny from use. Heck I got tools I forgot I even have here . When I get to know ya all better I got no problem shipping them to loan out for shipping costs .
Rail

[Rail32]

I got another thought ...
Take cap off and install like 4-5 nickels under cap to force spring down more to apply more pressure to retainer so it can be tightened up. It will require more force to thread cap on . But this should do the trick . Afterwards take out nickels and spend wisely
If this does not work , for sure take apart and thread bolt in peice and see what's wrong .
PM me for email as than I can send pix of examples , heck I would tear mine apart to show ya what's what . Been doing this my entire life on those planet
Rail
Best of luck.

[humanbeing]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

...would be coming from China, and therefore probably take weeks to get here...

http://www.dansmc.com/forks.htm had good tips...
Worst case = visits those old timer bike mechanic (Grease monkey at authorized stealer often are brainless ) that had right tools & knowledge...

[david3921]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

I'm new to working on bikes...I am not really sure what you're talking about. Either on top or bottom of the fork, I don't see any hex shape. I really don't understand how the right side tightened right up, but the left side is just spinning. It doesn't make sense to me because looking at the hex bolt, it appears to thread right into the bottom of the fork, and initially goes on fine, but then just spins the end? What is it threading into if not the bottom of the fork tube?

And assuming the shape is a hex, how would I know what size bolt head or nut to weld to this rod?

The bolt threads into the fork's piston. Think of a tube within a tube. There should be a nut or a square or hex shaped hole so that a tool can be used to keep the piston from spinning. I'm guessing that it's a hole of some shape since humanbeing and rail are both suggesting a tool that fits into something.

[david3921]

Here's a couple pictures to better understand.


Neither of these are mine but these are examples of what's inside a conventional fork. The issue you are having is the piston is spinning. The second photo shows how the bolt attaches the piston to the fork. In the first photo, you can see that there is a hole of some kind at the top of the piston. This is where the tool fits in to keep it from spinning.

[Ski_rush]

David3921, thanks for the photos. I understand it better now.

I have a makeshift tool made from metal rods. My father in law in an ex-farmer and has a lot of misc tools and parts. He had some steel rods (with a square tip) that are meant to connect to one another and then turn a scissor jack that's placed under a tractor; so when connected it is over 3 long. The tip is square and about 3-4mm on each side.

I used the tool to take the hex bolt back out. It worked fine for that. I didn't try to use it yet to re-assemble the the fork yet. The reason being that I'm contemplating putting a rubber washer on the hex bolt...which, if I do, will need to wait until morning when the store opens. What are you thoughts on this?

[pete]

part 1 is the damping rod "or piston as they call it"
the bolt screws into the bottom of it... the hex i was talking about
is in the top of it...



.

[Kipper1012]

You are not the first person Ive heard of having trouble with reassembly of that bottom bolt into the damping rod.

Im thinking maybe it might be better to just remove the fork from the bike and tip it over to drain all the oil instead of dealing with that bottom bolt

[goat67]

I hope you get it back together.

I think I will just dump the oil out and not take it apart when I change the oil in mine.
Any reason this is not a good idea?

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

David3921, thanks for the photos. I understand it better now.

I have a makeshift tool made from metal rods. My father in law in an ex-farmer and has a lot of misc tools and parts. He had some steel rods (with a square tip) that are meant to connect to one another and then turn a scissor jack that's placed under a tractor; so when connected it is over 3 long. The tip is square and about 3-4mm on each side.

I used the tool to take the hex bolt back out. It worked fine for that. I didn't try to use it yet to re-assemble the the fork yet. The reason being that I'm contemplating putting a rubber washer on the hex bolt...which, if I do, will need to wait until morning when the store opens. What are you thoughts on this?

I'm glad to see you're making some progress on it.