Removed the front forks and trees. Cant seem to figure out how to remove 2 part, i dont find the service manual that clear and before I use a but more force I wanted to check to make sure.

First from the fork leg, the top dust cover and retaining clip. Doesnt show clearly what to do, see the pick below. i take it where the notch is, insert and screw driver and use a hammer to knock it down. I tried this, seems pretty stuck. Is this normal? any suggestions?


Next under the bottom trip, snap ring, cant seem to move it with my snap ring plier. Is it simply stuck or do i need a stronger larger snap ring plier?

thanks Ted

 

Im not too sure on the snap ring but it sounds like it may be stuck. Try a hammer and a punch and strike the snap ring, that may free it. Use the same method on the dust cap, but be careful because the cap will distort easily. I used a wide dull drift to do mine.

 

thanks bagman1, whats a dull drift exactly? thats why i did not want to use more force, i can see i can make it up pretty easily.

 

Why are you taking the fork stem out of the lower tree? If it isn't an absolute must, I'd leave it alone. If it's for powder coating, you don't need to seperate the two. Your powder person should tape off the stem.
Go easy on that dust cap if you want to re-use it. As mentioned above, it distorts easily. A drift is a flat-tipped punch, sometimes made out of brass because it's soft. An old screwdriver with the tip cut off leaving only the shaft works in some applications. Get it started at the notch and work your way around. At some point, it'll pop off of there. Mine didn't come off in satisfactory condition so I bought new ones.

 

thanks bagman, i found something to use to get the cap off with no damage so thats good, got the snap ring off, still cant figure out how to get the stem out, you can see it in the photo with the bearing. heres another question, thats the best solvent/solution to clean the bearing, wd40? its full of crud so i want to clean it well and then repack it with grease. Any help removing the stem is appreciated. see the pic below. As well, removing the bushings from the top triple tree. Thats next for me as well.

thanks everyone

 

can i remove the bearing and leave the stem? there is no probl;em putting into the oven for powder coating

 

I haven't noticed/heard of any issues leaving the stem intact while powder coating. That's how mine were done.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sport...-bearings.html

 

thanks harley scuba, how did you clean the bearing you left on the fork stem? seems a pain to remove it. Second, tricks for removing the rubber bushings from the top triple tree?

what tool did you use to remove the inner clip from the the fork seals?

thanks everyone. Ted

 

My lower bearing slid over the stem. I took it off for powder coating and installed brand new bearings after. For your handlebar bushings, I can't say. I'm guessing brute force. Maybe pushing them out with a strong, blunt, skinny punch. Maybe something slippery in there would help - like dish soap. On the inside retaining clip, I used a small screwdriver and got it under the clip at one of the "bumps". It came right out of the groove.

 

harleyscuba, i noticed you did not powder coat the inside cup part of the tree, better that way? better gripping and retaining?