43mm KYB Conventional Forks - HELP!

[irishjedi]

Hey folks....I have a set of 43mm conventional KYBs off a 1984 CR125 that I'm trying to change fork seals on. I'm having a heck of a time separating the legs from the tubes. There was a rubber seal on the bottom of the fork leg and underneath that, there is a 10mm allen bolt. It seems pretty tight. Before I start whacking on it, is that the bolt I remove to separate them?? Any help is greatly apprecitated. ?

[huffster]

If those forks have never been apart, they can be a real pain....My suggestion is to use a 3/8" butterfly impact to get that bottom bolt loose...it sometimes helps to have someone pull on the forkleg at the same time....if you try this with a regular ratchet, it's practically impossible to spin free.

I'd go ahead and get some fresh bushings for those forks while your at it...your bike will love you !

[SC_Spode]

Hey folks....I have a set of 43mm conventional KYBs off a 1984 CR125 that I'm trying to change fork seals on. I'm having a heck of a time separating the legs from the tubes. There was a rubber seal on the bottom of the fork leg and underneath that, there is a 10mm allen bolt. It seems pretty tight. Before I start whacking on it, is that the bolt I remove to separate them?? Any help is greatly apprecitated.

That will separate the damper rod from the lower leg.

You may need to remove the cap and spring and use a wooden rod, like a broomstick handle, pushed down into the top of the damper rod to keep it from turning while trying to unscrew the base bolt. There is a tool for this but I'm assuming you don't have it.

Once you've got that done, pry up the dust seal, remove the spring clip from above the fork seal and then slide-hammer them apart.

?

[irishjedi]

You guys are the BEST! Thanks a bunch!

[KTM-Lew]

All you have to do is remove the cap, dump the oil and spring, pry ther dust seal up and remove the seal retaining clip. Then heat the outer tube alttle at the seal area and slide-hammer them apart.

You don't have to remove the damper rod.

[irishjedi]

All you have to do is remove the cap, dump the oil and spring, pry ther dust seal up and remove the seal retaining clip. Then heat the outer tube alttle at the seal area and slide-hammer them apart.

You don't have to remove the damper rod.

Really? I'd love it if it were the case. But then does that mean that the only thing keeping the wheel and lower forks from flying off is the dust ring clip?....wow!

[KTM-Lew]

DOH! Boy did I put my foot in my mouth!

You are CORRECT sir...you have to remove the bolt at the bottom. I blame the previous post on senility(sp?).. ?

[SC_Spode]

DOH! Boy did I put my foot in my mouth!

You are CORRECT sir...you have to remove the bolt at the bottom. I blame the previous post on senility(sp?).. ?

CRAP!

I hate I didn't get back to this post before you got a chance to reply!

I was so ready to have some serious fun... at your expense!

You really shouldn't post right after the 3 martini lunch.

[irishjedi]

No worries KTM-Lew....it's all good. However, i was out there heating and hammering those things earlier.....but stopped when i thought they should have come apart at some point. oh well. Anyway, the latest is, I can finally turn the bolt, but the rod is turning too.....ARGH!!!!.....tried the broom handle and nothing. Looks like the top of the rod in the tube has a large hex head that would go down inside and hold it. I'm trying to now make a tool....the solution? I've found a nut that i think is close. I welded it to the end of a 3/8 spark plug socket. I hooked it up to a couple of extensions, but i think the bolt is just a little to big. I may need to pull out the grinder and shave some off.....what a hassle!!!

[SC_Spode]

That's what the special tool looks like, a nut on the end of a piece of pipe. Mine has a nut on each end. One is 27mm and the other is 28mm, the length is 15-16".

You may need to weld the nut onto a piece of pipe if it's really tight to get the stiffness needed to resist the torque required to break it loose.

?

[huffster]

No worries KTM-Lew....it's all good. However, i was out there heating and hammering those things earlier.....but stopped when i thought they should have come apart at some point. oh well. Anyway, the latest is, I can finally turn the bolt, but the rod is turning too.....ARGH!!!!.....tried the broom handle and nothing. Looks like the top of the rod in the tube has a large hex head that would go down inside and hold it.

That's exactly why I suggested that you place the lower leg in a vice, use a high-speed impact and have someone pull on the upper leg while you hit it with the impact...It should come loose !

[4strokes4me]

Make the proper tool, and it won't be too hard. An air impact wrench will help.

You DO have to remove that bolt to get the tubes to separate. They are damping rod style forks, not cartridge forks. Welcome to the internet.

[KTM-Lew]

Make the proper tool, and it won't be too hard. An air impact wrench will help.

You DO have to remove that bolt to get the tubes to separate. They are damping rod style forks, not cartridge forks. Welcome to the internet.

If that's a dig at me...well...your momma was a...woman! Take that!

?

Yea...i was thinking about removing the cap and spring on a cartridge fork. Then you can slam them apart...

[SC_Spode]

If that's a dig at me...well...your momma was a...woman! Take that!

I'm not quite so subtle.

But hey, we all know you can take it as well as you dish it out! ?

[irishjedi]

Made the tool and it worked like a champ! Well, that and the air impact really helped pop it loose. I had to cut the end off a 10mm allen wrench and then i welded that into a 10mm socket i had. Worked PERFECT. Put the new seals in and......they LEAK....ha ha ha. Talked to the supplier and they accidently sent me the wrong ones. New ones on the way though. Thanks to everyone for all their help!!! Especially KTM-lew....who after a small bit of misinformation has taken a beating out here.....i feel partially responsible....sorry buddy.....HANG IN THERE!!! ?

By the way....THUMPERTALK RULES!!!!

[SC_Spode]

Thanks to everyone for all their help!!! Especially KTM-lew....who after a small bit of misinformation has taken a beating out here.....i feel partially responsible....sorry buddy.....HANG IN THERE!!! ?

By the way....THUMPERTALK RULES!!!!

Lew will be fine, he's probably working on getting banned from KTM Talk again as we speak.

And we'll soon be posting our PayPal account info for donations.