Worn Fork Stanchions?

[Cakeboy]

Hi. Can anyone advise if these fork stanchions from my 1957 G3 should be put back on the bike. The lower ends below the oil seal looks to be fine, and this indentation is obviously caused by the yoke clamp. They are fairly rusty, and don't suppose that is too much of a problem, but would appreciate any comments before I reassemble. Thanks.

Stanchion4.JPG

Stanchion3.JPG

[clive]

I have not seen an indentation like that before. It looks machined though rather than worn annot think its from compression.

[Mick D]

Hi

My original forks show similar machined areas - I'd have no reservations with regard to re-fitting those stanchions, (as long as the sliding surfaces are good). Clean off the surface rust with 'Scotchbrite' or similar and protect them once installed with 'Waxoil' or thick grease.

Regards Mick

[Cakeboy]

Now I look again they might be machined, but it's not all the way round the circumference (photes below show the other side) which is a bit intriguing, but I'll put them back on anyway and it will hopefully not affect anything - the rest of the forks look to be in pretty good nick.
Thanks for the comments.

Stanchion1.JPG

Stanchion2.JPG

[alanengineer]

before you put them back in, make sure they are straight. They tend to bend a bit in use

[Andy51]

I agree with Allan. When I rebuilt my 18S the stanchions looked good so put the forks together. Put the front wheel in and bounced the front end as per the handbook a couple of times to centralise everything. All moved freely until I tightened up the axle clamps, when the front suspension went very stiff. Repeated, still stiff. Spoke to work colleague who said stanchions may be slightly bent. Took them off and put them on lathe bed to test - one of them was indeed slightly bent. We straightened the stanchion using a press and 2ft steel rule until we could not see daylight between stanchion and rule. As my colleague said, they were probably tested like that in the factory. Put everything together again, and the suspension movement was, as Steven Fry once said, as smooth as a cashmere codpiece. If you hold the 2 stanchions together, you should see if one or the other, or both, is bent, then you can investigate further. Hope this helps, Andy

[clive]

The top of the fork stanchion pulls up into the fork crown and the mark appears to be below the bottom of the crown. The lack of marking all the way round suggest to me that the headlight ears have been vibrating and despite my earlier comment have worn the stanchions. Weight of the headlight could have caused the wear to occur on only one side. There should probably have been a circular rubber block at the bottom of the headlight ear which would put the ears under tension and prevent the vibration. Were they fitted on your bike, they may have rotted away.

[Cakeboy]

Hi Clive. I don't remember if there any rubber blocks or not, there has been almost 3 years between dismantling and now reassembling.
Do you think this will be detrimental to the forks if I reuse these? I haven't checked if they are bent or not yet (preoccupied with a fallen tree!) but if there is a hint of a bend I may well open the piggy bank and replace them.

[alanengineer]

their will be a bend, a small bend maybe , but a bend indeed. Unless you have never used the front brake! I use 2 vee blocks, a dial indicator and a flypress. job takes about 5 mins a pair once set up.But if you say you will replace them, can i have the old ones please

[clive]

Personally I would not reuse them but it seems others, perhaps with better engineering skills, would. I think the choice is going to be yours.