Fork disassembly - help!!

[ganning]

Hi everyone,
I'm working on replacing the seals in my front forks on my '06 and ran into an unusual problem. I have the shop manual and the first fork went okay. I'm on the second one at the part where I need to remove the fork socket bolt from the bottom of the fork and I can't get it out - it just spins. Then manual says that if this happens to temporarily reinstall the spring, spring seat, spring collar and fork cap. I did that but it didn't help. Any ideas what's wrong and what I need to do to get this apart? Thanks!

 

[dwalby]

Hi everyone,
I'm working on replacing the seals in my front forks on my '06 and ran into an unusual problem. I have the shop manual and the first fork went okay. I'm on the second one at the part where I need to remove the fork socket bolt from the bottom of the fork and I can't get it out - it just spins. Then manual says that if this happens to temporarily reinstall the spring, spring seat, spring collar and fork cap. I did that but it didn't help. Any ideas what's wrong and what I need to do to get this apart? Thanks!

you can try to compress the fork to put a bit more pressure on the internals, that may help, or it may not. You may need a second person to help with that.

If that doesn't help, then an impact driver is your next step. If you don't have one, take it to the nearest shop and ask them if they could use their air tools to break it loose for you.

 

[ganning]

I'll try compressing it. Breaking it loose is not the issue. The screw it loose but the parts just spin. I can stop the damper rod from spinning but the rest of the fork damper parts inside the tube just seem to spin.

 

[TerryS]

If you can, get some heat onto the hex bolt head to soften the threadlocker. After that try pulling up hard on the damper rod while trying to unscrew the hex bolt. The bolt threads into the damper base and that is held in the damper tube by a circlip. Pulling up pulls the damper base harder against the circlip and gives a bit more resistance to spinning. A rattle gun is definitely the best tool to use...go on, buy a cheapie at your favourite auto parts store, you won't use it often but when you need it, you'll thank me.

 

[ganning]

If you can, get some heat onto the hex bolt head to soften the threadlocker. After that try pulling up hard on the damper rod while trying to unscrew the hex bolt. The bolt threads into the damper base and that is held in the damper tube by a circlip. Pulling up pulls the damper base harder against the circlip and gives a bit more resistance to spinning. A rattle gun is definitely the best tool to use...go on, buy a cheapie at your favourite auto parts store, you won't use it often but when you need it, you'll thank me.

Thanks for your help, Terry. I'm not sure how I'd get enough heat into the tip of the bolt where the thread locker would be. The bolt tip is pretty deep inside and with all the oil on everything, I'm not eager to introduce a flame.

As for the assembly, the bolt in question is part 23 (hopefully the image comes through okay, if not, try the link below). It threads into the oil lock piece (13) which is attached to the bottom of the damper (12). I don't see the circlip you're referring to. I'm able to hold the damper rod securely, but the body and the oil lock piece just spin with the bolt. I have a nice electric impact driver and it just spins and spins and spins...

I did try pulling hard on the damper rod as you suggested, but it didn't get me anywhere.

Grant

2006 Honda ST1300 A FRONT FORK | Babbitts Honda Parts House

Shop online for OEM FRONT FORK parts that fit your 2006 Honda ST1300 A, search all our OEM Parts or call at (231)737-4542

www.hondapartshouse.com

 

[SanDogDewey]

Turn it upside down and spray it with some penetrating oil. Let it sit for a day. Use pneumatic impact driver on it.

 

[dwalby]

Breaking it loose is not the issue.

yes it is.

using an impact driver will spin the screw fast enough that it will break loose before the inside part has a chance to spin up to speed with the screw.

Its also possible that someone else put threadlocker on the screw last time it was installed, but wait until trying the impact driver before coming to that conclusion.

FWIW, this is a common issue that everyone encounters now and then when disassembling motorcycle forks, you just need the right tool for the job.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

This may be the least popular answer Grant. Assuming you have the tubes separated, tighten the fork socket bolt, fill fork tube with your favorite alcohol based parts cleaner, "shake vigorously", run the damper rod up and down until its all clean, let dry, reassemble, install. First cup of coffee, if this is dumb I'll delete it in daylight.

 

[ganning]

Thank you all for your help. I got it loose this morning.

Dwalby, you were right. Since the bolt was no longer tight, I didn't think I needed to break it loose. I poured a little acetone down the hole and let it soak for a bit. I then pulled hard on the chrome tube, which put force on the damper and helped prevent it from spinning. I hit it a couple of times with my impact and it fell right apart. Thanks again, folks!

Grant

 

[SupraSabre]

All you ever wanted to know and then some!

 

[sky.high]

2006 Honda ST1300 A FRONT FORK | Babbitts Honda Parts House

Shop online for OEM FRONT FORK parts that fit your 2006 Honda ST1300 A, search all our OEM Parts or call at (231)737-4542

www.hondapartshouse.com

I also just had a long fight with the stopper bolt (23), what worked for me was a length of 3/4 inch pvc tubing inside the assembled fork leg, similar length to combined spring and spacers, then impact drill the stopper whilst trying to pulling the fork apart

Now I'm ready to reassemble and I cannot remember which way up the lock nut (16) goes on my 2005, it has a flange not shown in the workshop manual, is it flange up against the cap or flange down towards the dampener? Flange up makes sense, think I'd member if it was flange down, any know for sure?

 

[Igofar]

I also just had a long fight with the stopper bolt (23), what worked for me was a length of 3/4 inch pvc tubing inside the assembled fork leg, similar length to combined spring and spacers, then impact drill the stopper whilst trying to pulling the fork apart

Now I'm ready to reassemble and I cannot remember which way up the lock nut (16) goes on my 2005, it has a flange not shown in the workshop manual, is it flange up against the cap or flange down towards the dampener? Flange up makes sense, think I'd member if it was flange down, any know for sure?

Do you have a service manual?
That nut gets ran down as far as you can on the threaded rod, then the cap gets threaded down until it stops, then turn the lock nut back up to the cap without moving the cap.
You also want to check which service manual you have, as some of the show the spring inserted wrong.
If your using factory springs, you want the smaller end inserted downward to rest on the cartridge.

 

[Tdinova]

I always remove the bottom bolt while the fork is still on the bike. Easier to hold.

 

[sky.high]

I have racetech caps, springs and valves, cannot remember if the lock nut came from racetech, that would certainly explain the difference. For sure the orientation is flange againt the cap, the nut isn't threaded all the way, i assume this allows it to be seated lower on the dampener rod although in my case it's not necessary. Thanks for speedy replies

 

[dduelin]

I have racetech caps, springs and valves, cannot remember if the lock nut came from racetech, that would certainly explain the difference. For sure the orientation is flange againt the cap, the nut isn't threaded all the way, i assume this allows it to be seated lower on the dampener rod although in my case it's not necessary. Thanks for speedy replies

The original nut was a plain hex nut with no flange. Since the reason for nut is to secure the damper rod to the cap it makes no difference which way it goes in reassembly but, big but, if you place the flange side down it may sort of pinch the wrench in place against the top edge of the fork tube.

 

[sky.high]

... but, big but, if you place the flange side down it may sort of pinch the wrench in place against the top edge of the fork tube.

That's my thinking, sure I would have noticed that on disassembly, thanks

 

[sky.high]

Thought I'd add another finding to the stubborn stopper bolt issue, pulling up on the dampener rod locks the whole assemble, assuming the oil lock isn't spinning independently the stopped bolt should now spin out.
(I did find my box of bits from when I'd fitted RaceTech components and there where the original Honda nuts, obviously the flange nuts I have are RaceTech specific, anyway mine are all done now and oil tight again, no doubt if I come to rebuild them again 40k miles from now I'll have forgotten everything again, ride on!)