Took my inner fairing off for paint. This is my first bike with a fixed fairing. Didn't realize what a pain in the *** it was going to be. Now that I'm tore apart this far, thinking I should go ahead and do the chrome forks, springs and new bars. While I'm confident working on the bars, I've never messed with springs and fork seals before. How hard of a job is it? Any good Rushmore write-ups on the web I could refer to? (Went to dealer yesterday and were sold out of '14 service manuals.) Any specialized tools required?

 

I just did mine a couple weeks ago. I followed the service manual and it's not hard. Pry a couple hours total. Biggest pita was finding 12 mm and 25 mm allen wrenches which you will need to remove the caps and bottom bolts.

 

What do you mean by fixed fairing?

Just did the forks on my SGS. It wasn't bad. You need a long 12mm allen, a 19mm Allen, and a 2 inch piece of PVC that you need to bevel the end down to seat the seal. I used a Dewalt impact to remove the top caps and bottom bolts. They're on there pretty good but the impact makes short work of removing them. I forget how much oil you need, but I had to buy 4 bottles to make sure it was enough. I used a measuring cup to verify how much was in one of the legs and it was to spec. I replaced that exact amount and it works as it should. Be forewarned - it's a mess no matter how careful you are. Lay down plastic in the work area to keep oil off the floor and dirt off the fork internals.

I used this video as a guideline (actually it's 3 videos) It's not a 14 touring, but the basics are the same.


Make sure you have all of the right stuff before you begin so you don't need to make a run while the bike is apart.

 

That video does a lot of talking and does cover some things but misses on the majority of the steps to do the job - I haven't seen one that really covers it start to finish. Maybe I'll make one when I do mine.

You need a 12mm long allen socket to get the slider off, a 19mm allen to remove the top cap, a 49mm fork seal driver and some way of measuring the oil level - either buy one like the Race Tech (spendy) or make one with a syringe and some tubing. Get the manual - HD used a very basic damper rod design so its really a pretty easy job once you've done it. Since you've got the faring all the way off you can use the triple clamps for a vice. Did this on my Dyna, just swing the upper clamp out of the way and use the lower to hold the fork while you remove the slider (impact works best here) and the same for installing the top cap.

While the fork is clamped in the triple tree - What I did was

• Remove the bottom bolt and drain the oil
• Remove the circlip on the fork seal
• Slide hammer technique to remove the slider
• Crack and remove the top cap.
• Remove the tube and finish disassembly

To assemble:

• Put the stanchion back together dry - damper rod, spring, and screw in top cap while in the triple tree.
• Put the fork seal driver, fork seal, bushings etc on the stanchion and follow with the slider.
• Use the impact to attach the slider
• Seat the fork seal, instal clip and remove the tube and driver
• Put the tube back in the triple tree and remove the top cap and spring
• Set your fork oil level and reinstall the spring and top cap - again, in the triple tree to hold it.

Repeat for the other side - it is an extra step to assemble dry but makes it much easier with the spring holding the damper rod in place rather than jam a broom stick down there and leave crap in the tube.

 

Yeah, it does miss some steps, but I think he covers the basics that get the job done. I found it helpful anyway. And I know there are 2 schools of thought for doing the job - using the bike as a vice or doing everything once the forks are removed. I removed mine before taking them apart or draining the oil. It worked well for me but if you like doing it on the bike, that works just as well I'm sure.

Here's the part I don't get - why do you have to measure? There's a specific amount called out by spec - 710Ml or a hair over 24 ounces. As long as one is reusing all the same parts, why would one need to measure? Don't get me wrong - I know that's how everyone says to do it. But I don't know why. I poured my old fluid into a measuring cup - just over 24 ounces - right at spec. I also measured (tape measure) where the fluid was before draining. I poured 24+ ounces of fresh oil back in and it was at the exact same level. It's all back together and works just the same. I also hoped on a buddies 14SG and gave the forks a good bounce. Felt pretty much the same. So I'm pretty sure I'm good to go.

 

Went out today to try and find the Allen sockets. No luck at Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, Ace. Going to call the SnapOn truck this week.

 

Harbor Freight has the 19. The 12 is harder to find. I ended up buying an "L" from Sears, cutting it off, and using it in a 12mm socket. Worked like a charm.

 

I don't remember a 19 mm. My cap was a 25 mm. Got it at napa. Grainger can order them too and have over night

 

I sit corrected. I used a 3/4 wrench which fit perfectly on the caps

 

I did it on the bike on the Super Glide, very easy since its so open and I had the front end off of that anyway installing Fat Bob trees so no need for anything else. Obviously a bagger has a lot more crap in the way so this time I plan to do it off the bike. But I got a top triple clamp from a 98 RM250 (also 49mm) so I can put the fork in that and clamp the triple clamp in the vice and still hold it securely. the main reason is its soooo much easier to install that top cap if the tube is clamped up..

I'm not sure why oil level is used rather than just measuring it but that's how I did it as well - I'm sure you'd be very close with 24oz though. What I saw in that video is him measuring the level beforehand and using that as his spec - that might be fine if it is correct but how would you know it was right if you hadn't checked the manual?