Yup, clear as mud, but I like that trick.
You are putting the pinch bolt in from the front and using the quarter to prevent the bolt from going through the hole on the other side. So when you tighten the pinch bolt it forces the bracket apart.
Beats jamming a screwdriver up there to spread it apart.
What i do is after removing the pinch bolt I put a small piece of metal in the gap and put the bolt back in from the thread side as you tighten the bolt against the metal shim you put in ( i usually sacrifice a quarter ) it will open up the clamp enough to pull the tube down with little effort
Clear as mud ?
Dave
Very good idea! I usually wedge a screw driver. On EGs you might have to remove the lower cover to get the bolts out tho..
Finally got the tubes to drop. What I found by accident was working both of them a little bit at the time and then going to the other one. After swapping aback and forth a couple of times, they both dropped several inches. I was then able to get a prybar between them and the bottom of the triple tree and work them down several more inches. Wasn't too hard once they started moving. I used a 13/16" open end wrench to remove the top bolt and expose the springs. I knew the top bolt was under pressure and took it easy but both sides still slammed my hand into the underside of the triple tree (ouch!). Swapped out the springs easy. Now the forks don't want to go back up. Look at the attached photos. I tried using a ratcheting strap and wrapped it over the handlebars and hooked it low under the highway bar. It is putting a lot of upward pressure on the fork but it isn't budging. Not sure where to go from here but I'll keep trying.
You have to open up the bottom pinch clamp more dont force it
Dave
What bottom pinch nut are you referring to? I only know about the one (on each side) on the inside of the bracket. It's number 5 on the following link:
Yup, clear as mud, but I like that trick.
You are putting the pinch bolt in from the front and using the quarter to prevent the bolt from going through the hole on the other side. So when you tighten the pinch bolt it forces the bracket apart.
Beats jamming a screwdriver up there to spread it apart.
Another trick I wish I new before.
.
I agree. I just tried it. Didn't loosen the fork but I like the idea. I think something else is causing it to hang up. It won't extend back up.
What bottom pinch nut are you referring to? I only know about the one (on each side) on the inside of the bracket. It's number 5 on the following link:
#5 was loosened, removed and reversed a long time ago. I'm trying to get the forks back up.
Yeah? Well, there's no way that ratchet strap is going to do it. Even with the pinch bolts removed, the fork tubes should not be sloppy in the trees. They need to be inserted in a straight line in relation to the bore in the triple tree. When the top of the fork tube starts into the top tree it'll move more smoothly because both trees will be holding it inline. Is there any rust or dirt in the lower triple tree hindering the fork tube? Are you doing this dry? I use a little lube and a twisting motion as I'm pushing the fork tube up, feeling for that alignment.
02-18-2017 | 11:27 AM
