Buck Buck #2 Right Fork Rebuild

lomita

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Finished the rebuild on the left fork and finished the rebuild on the right fork. Heehaw.

To get the 25mm preload was no problem cutting the spacer to length. The fun starts inserting the top retaining clip on the cartridge above the spring and spacer. I took three of my biggest end wrenches and slipped them in one at a time, between the cartridge rod locking nut and the top spacer washer. My son held the cartridge rod up. Someone mentioned how it would float down, like every time you took your eye off of it. And it wasn't til we got the third hand on it, it was a sinker.

I also screwed the end cap snug on the cartridge rod after getting the spring spacers and washers positioned to help holding the rod extended.

So while my son held the assembly in place, I pushed the spacer down, and grabbed a 21mm wrench, slipped it right in between the washer and rod nut. Then I took the second wrenched, 22mm, and got it inserted under the first wrench, while forcing the spacer further down. I split the first two wrenches and got the third 24mm end wrench inserted. Now I was close to having enough space to install the retaining spring clip. Big wrenches were 1/4" thick.

I got it positioned but couldn't fully slide it all the way with the preload now fully built up. Humm, what to use???

Channel locks. Perfect. SqueezeD the clip all the way across, removed the wrenches, checked the end cap was on and tightened the lock nut against the end cap. Then, extended the upper fork tube up and got the threads aligned and snugged with the end cap in the fork barrel. Was I really done? What an operation. I liked wrestling the clutch assembly more than working the oily forks.

This morning, pumped both barrels and one was evidencing a little fluid bypassing the seal. I removed the dust cover, cut a plastic parts container to make a seal cleaner tool. Inserted the corner of the plastic between the seal and barrel and worked it around the circumference. Then I pumped the barrel again. It was sealing perfectly.

The two forks stood together side by side were within .125" of each other, so I am happy.

Thank you Lord for guiding my hands, and again, thanks for all the support from the members of this forum. Someday, and I hope to actually do a road trip on this machine, in the year 2525........:D
 
Joined
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'97 ST1100
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687
The fun starts inserting the top retaining clip on the cartridge above the spring and spacer. I took three of my biggest end wrenches and slipped them in one at a time, between the cartridge rod locking nut and the top spacer washer.

So while my son held the assembly in place, I pushed the spacer down, and grabbed a 21mm wrench, slipped it right in between the washer and rod nut. Then I took the second wrenched, 22mm, and got it inserted under the first wrench, while forcing the spacer further down. I split the first two wrenches and got the third 24mm end wrench inserted. Now I was close to having enough space to install the retaining spring clip. Big wrenches were 1/4" thick.

I got it positioned but couldn't fully slide it all the way with the preload now fully built up. Humm, what to use???
I'm confused here, once you pushed the spacer down far enough to put the first wrench in the gap between the washer and rod nut, why didn't you just put the spring clip in that gap instead, that's where it goes. :confused:
 
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lomita

lomita

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ORe: Buck Buck #2 Right Fork Rebuild

I'm confused here, once you pushed the spacer down far enough to put the first wrench in the gap between the washer and rod nut, why didn't you just put the spring clip in that gap instead, that's where it goes. :confused:
Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I stand corrected, the wrench went first under the cap, with 3 wrenches achieving 25mm of compression, then I could insert the clip under the rod nut. With 25mm of preload, I couldn't muscle it down without the wrenches which I used for leverage. The spacer washer stands 25 mm above the bottom of the nut to begin with. It's not the only way to skin the cat, but worked for me. A tool would be nice, but I'm not much of a tooling engineer. Hope this clarifies the picture. Clear as mud, eh.
 

John OoSTerhuis

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A 10mm bolt (1.0 pitch), 2 nuts and a coat hanger works fine to hold the rod extended. A couple of wrenches' shafts inserted between the springs (opposite each other/the rod), grab the ends, push down and slip the clip in. BTDT x 7 I now have a custom aluminum rod drilled and tapped to hold the rod, and a one-hand tool to compress the spring. The fork cap is then installed.

Rod tools: http://www.st-riders.net/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=21&pid=445#top_display_media
I hang the tool from my garage shelf and do the reinstall solo.

John
 
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lomita

lomita

In God We Trust
Joined
Sep 1, 2013
Messages
427
Location
SOCAL
Bike
2009 ST1300 ABS
A 10mm bolt (1.0 pitch), 2 nuts and a coat hanger works fine to hold the rod extended. A couple of wrenches' shafts inserted between the springs (opposite each other/the rod), grab the ends, push down and slip the clip in. BTDT x 7 I now have a custom aluminum rod drilled and tapped to hold the rod, and a one-hand tool to compress the spring. The fork cap is then installed.

Rod tools: http://www.st-riders.net/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=21&pid=445#top_display_media
I hang the tool from my garage shelf and do the reinstall solo.

John
Sweet. I missed that first time around. Will exercise those tips next time.
 
Joined
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This morning, pumped both barrels and one was evidencing a little fluid bypassing the seal. I removed the dust cover, cut a plastic parts container to make a seal cleaner tool. Inserted the corner of the plastic between the seal and barrel and worked it around the circumference. Then I pumped the barrel again. It was sealing perfectly.

Good to hear the piece of plastic solved the seal problem. FWIW, Motion Pro sells the Seal Saver, and it is shaped in order to remove any debree caught in seal lip. Most all the bike shops carry them, and usually with several in a plastic container at their counter. Well worth the $4-5, and can be used hundreds of times. Motion Pro also has a video demonstrating its use. Has saved me a a fork removal and rebuild more than once;).
 
Joined
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'97 ST1100
STOC #
687
Re: ORe: Buck Buck #2 Right Fork Rebuild

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I stand corrected, the wrench went first under the cap, with 3 wrenches achieving 25mm of compression, then I could insert the clip under the rod nut. With 25mm of preload, I couldn't muscle it down without the wrenches which I used for leverage. The spacer washer stands 25 mm above the bottom of the nut to begin with. It's not the only way to skin the cat, but worked for me. A tool would be nice, but I'm not much of a tooling engineer. Hope this clarifies the picture. Clear as mud, eh.
yep, I get it now. I don't consider myself to be that strong, but I've always pulled the spacer/spring down with my right hand, and inserted the clip with my left hand. It also helps to back the nut as high as possible on the threads to make the spring pull as short as possible, that probably gives you an additional 10mm of margin. I think you also said you changed springs, that might explain the difference, mine is still stock. If the spring rate is stiffer then its apples/oranges.
 
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lomita

lomita

In God We Trust
Joined
Sep 1, 2013
Messages
427
Location
SOCAL
Bike
2009 ST1300 ABS
Re: ORe: Buck Buck #2 Right Fork Rebuild

yep, I get it now. I don't consider myself to be that strong, but I've always pulled the spacer/spring down with my right hand, and inserted the clip with my left hand. It also helps to back the nut as high as possible on the threads to make the spring pull as short as possible, that probably gives you an additional 10mm of margin. I think you also said you changed springs, that might explain the difference, mine is still stock. If the spring rate is stiffer then its apples/oranges.
Good point. Stiffer spring rate. I forgot about that, bought the 1.0 spring rate which is recommended for 225 # rider. I like feeling all the nooks and crannies in the road.
 
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