Those L/ W forks

Colin Oakley · Post by **Colin Oakley** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:34 pm

Well my forks are now in bits and the inner fork legs both have water damage caused by long term storage apparently. ( OUCH ) I have been told that to replace the pair is £150 just for the parts. Has anyone else had to deal with this problem. Is there any way to refurbish the old legs. For some reason there was some 13 amp electrical cable inside one of the legs ???
Enjoyed Battlesbridge last Sunday, nice to see a few oily rags there.
Regards Colin.

Janet · Post by **Janet** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:15 pm

Was the cable near the top where the damper rod runs up to the fork nuts? If sao, it was probably left there by a previous fettler who used it to pull the rod up.

Colin Oakley · Post by **Colin Oakley** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:25 pm

Thats exactly what I thought Janet, spot on. But this still does not help 'yet'.

Ozmadman · Post by **Ozmadman** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:26 pm

quote:
Well my forks are now in bits and the inner fork legs both have water damage caused by long term storage apparently. ( OUCH ) I have been told that to replace the pair is £150 just for the parts. Has anyone else had to deal with this problem. Is there any way to refurbish the old legs. For some reason there was some 13 amp electrical cable inside one of the legs ???
Enjoyed Battlesbridge last Sunday, nice to see a few oily rags there.
Regards Colin.

Hi Colin, I mailed you but just in case... this is it

No mine were just bent!!! they were a bit rusty up above where they go through the top and bottom yokes but the seal area was ok that was until I damaged(scored) them trying to get the seals out. The seals have a metal outer which is a tight fit against the ally bottom slider and you can't dismantle the leg until you get the seals out and they are recessed about 3/4" a real bugger!! in the end after trying everything including heat, hot water etc I made loads on small drill holes around the edge of the seal to weaken it , even then I had the break the seal up bit by bit until I was just left with the outer metal surround which I then had to prise apart until it snapped then it came out AND I HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN ON THE OTHER LEG!!. It was a shame as the rest was a doddle but I would think twice about doing it again unless someone can tell me a magic way to remove the seals!!!! Fortunately my legs were already damaged so a bit of brutality did no more harm but had I just wanted to replace the seals I don't know how i would have managed it without damaging the legs. Anyway, I got my legs at Andrews engineering £122 I think and while I was at it I replaced the top bushes with bronze ones instead of the original plastic the seals, the damper internals, put on new rubber sleeves that stop the springs rattling the leather washers that go above and below the springs and the two rubber thick washers that go in the headlamp brackets which allow the headlamp to be held tight when you tighten it all up. Oh, and the headset ball bearings. Glad I have done mine, it was a real mission doing it in the kitchen!!!! no wire though!!!!

Paul

Edited by - Ozmadman on 05 Jul 2012 10:31:53 PM

Justin350 · Post by **Justin350** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:52 am

i had a similar problem with my fork legs, plenty of plus gas and a blowtorch (not in that order!!) did separate the seals from the legs in the end but it was a hell of a job ... i think there might have been a pipe wrench involved as well somewhere along the line?!!

being sat in a damp shed with no oil in them for 25 years certainly took it's toll!

Good luck Colin

Colin Oakley · Post by **Colin Oakley** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 5:48 pm

Thanks for replies, after close examination my lower fork legs are going to be re polished on a lathe and new seals fitted. The electrial wire used to pull up the fork leg has been sitting inside and caused the damage which made it jam. This bike came from a well known dealer in 2001, no way would they use 13 amp wire. Anyway should be back on the road by the weekend.

Ian5913 · Post by **Ian5913** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:20 pm

No I agree well known dealers would use three phase at least!

Ian

Colin Oakley · Post by **Colin Oakley** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 6:01 pm

Well my fork legs have been re polished to cure the water damage and new seals fitted. head bearings all changed and kick start and gear change o rings new. Be glad to get back on the road. Thanks for all the imput chaps and ladies.

regards Colin

Ozmadman · Post by **Ozmadman** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 2:33 am

quote:
Well my fork legs have been re polished to cure the water damage and new seals fitted. head bearings all changed and kick start and gear change o rings new. Be glad to get back on the road. Thanks for all the imput chaps and ladies.

regards Colin

My kick start o ring(actually it's proper seal evidently a replacement for the o ring) is still leaking after I changed it!!! damn it!! but the gear change o rings seem fine. What else did you get replaced in the forks? and hasn't the polishing (if they were that rusty) reduced the diameter of the legs meaning that the top bushes are a loose fit and do the seals still seal ok?

Paul

Ozmadman · Post by **Ozmadman** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:18 am

quote:
[quote]
Well my fork legs have been re polished to cure the water damage and new seals fitted. head bearings all changed and kick start and gear change o rings new. Be glad to get back on the road. Thanks for all the imput chaps and ladies.

regards Colin

And still on the subject of forks, went out on the bike today, first real ride around since I have done up the bike. I renovated the forks, including new stanchions but I have now noticed that when riding straight ahead that the handlebars are not dead straight across but slightly right hand down, what's the easiest way to fix his? Looks to me like the only thing that stops the sliders rotating and thereby controls the position of the front wheel in relation the forks is the mudguard?? presumably, with no mudguard the front wheel could move from side to side at will?? or am I missing something this late at night. Anyhow, how do I straighten it all up???

Paul