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Removing front forks on my FXR

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bajaman

Member
Howdy, newbie here. thanks in advance for any help you care to offer and for welcoming me into this group.

I am changing the seals in my stock 35mm showa forks. I tried to remove my forks yesterday and after removing the pinch bolts on the lower bracket and loosening the pinch bolt on the head bracket (manual said to do that) my forks won't slide down. HMMMM, according to my manual they should just slide down. Maybe they are rusted in place?? Do I have to use a hammer?? Any body got any insight into this? I can't find any other keeper screws to loosen.

bajaman
 
I have never taken the forks off to replace the seals, just dropped the lowers off, replaced the seals and put the lowers back on.
 
I've never taken the tubes off to change seals either. Maybe you need to drive a bit of a wedge into the slots in the upper and lower trees in case there is some "spring" action holding them tight. Check carefully to see if there might be allen screws set into the tree/fork tube. Also, I've found it easier to have the fork springs and caps on when I remove the allen bolt from the bottom of the slider. Sometimes I have even needed an air rachet to break them loose without spinning the damper rod inside.
 
I am assuming you have removed the wheel, brake caliper(s), and fender first!

Borrow your wife's latex dishwashing gloves or a bottle top opener and grab one of the fork tubes. While GENTLY rapping on the pinch bolt area with a rubber hammer, try to twist the tube to free it up. Once you do, it should slide out.

TQ
 
Hey thanks for the replies, yeah i guess i could just take off the lowers. Found out from a independent shop that the upper tubes are swedged into a taper in the upper brackets and you need to use a rubber mallet to knock em loose. Sure enough a couple of raps on the cap bolt and down it came. I think I will leave the other one in place. Did you need a seal tool to re seat the new seal. I was thinking I could just use a piece of PVC pipe to push it down in.

Thanks
 
I have a large socket that I use, but I think anything that is strong and flat will work. Clean seal and fork mating surfaces, thin film of oil will help it slide.
 
How do you get that allen bolt out of the bottom of the slider? Its all I can do to turn it, but it does not seem to be loosing up or coming out?
 
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