How hard is it to take apart the front shock and put it back together? In the past, people have told me if you don't have the right tools and knowledge, don't try it. Is it that tough?

I want to change out the bottom portion of my shock with a different one.

~Bo Joe

 

Its pretty easy when you follow the step by step instructions in the service manual....

 

Not too bad of a project, unless you strip the heads on the 6mm socket-head bolts that go up from the bottom into the damper tube. This wasn't the first set of lowers I've swapped out, but for some reason all four (2 sets of legs) got boogered up.




Here's the ez-out I used:


The rubber dust shield and c-clip. A lot of times those c-clips are pretty oxidized. The oil seal is directly under the c-clip (you can see a brown rust stain from the oxidized c-clip on the seal)


The innerds. That top, black ring is the oil seal (not to be confused with the rubber dust shield that is directly under the cap)


How much thread you got before that top nut takes your eye out. It's not terrible, but it is under tension:






Put down card board or newspaper. When you drain the oil, it'll go everywhere unless you pump the leg s-l-o-w. Hold a bucket under it, moving it in motion with the leg, while you pump.
When you're ready to seperate the lower leg from the fork tube, use a slide-hammer type action and they'll pop apart. Start out easy before you get Medieval on it.
I take the fork tubes out of the triple clamps. It's easier (good time for a turn signal relocation). I bought a fork seal driver because I knew I'd be doing more than one set. Years ago, on my old Honda, I used an appropriately sized PVC pipe to set the seals. In addition to new seals, you'll want new upper and lower bushings while you're in there (they last for about 15k-20k miles but I didn't want to do it twice). Get new drain screw crush washers, too. I always get new damper tube screws and their crush washers, even if I don't destroy them getting them out.
Enjoy.

 

Nice! A thorough and accurate description of the process...

 

That's very kind of you to say. I hope it saves someone a headache.

 

HarleyScuba,

That was assume! I noticed you didn't even have to take the tubes out of the trees. COOL!

Thanks again.

~Bo Joe

 

Usually, I take the tubes out of the triple clamps. It's difficult to set the oil seals when they're on the bike, nearly impossible if you don't have the correct seal driver. I have a seal driver and I still take the forks off. I think I put them back in the trees for the pic and to keep them off the floor/work bench while I worked on sometrhing else. It's been a few beers ago since I took that shot. Hard to say.
You'll want to remove the drain screws, top nuts and bottom damper screws before you take 'em out of the trees. Then, it's real easy to seperate the lower legs from the tubes with the slide hammer motion.