Ultima 41mm Bullet Style fork tube disassembly

[zoood]

This hyper link Ultima Parts
is a PDF page that shows all the parts to a Ultima 41mm fork tube Bullet Style assembly for a softail.

Even though I have a HD service manual to follow for taking the sliders and fork tubes apart. Using this manual has left me with some questions.

On the bottom of the fork slider there is a socket head bolt known as the damper screw and crush washer 27-212. The manual says to remove it. It will not come out! The bolt is screwed into the damper and using a pneumatic wrench the damper is now loose. I have taken the damper out of the tube. But the socket head bolt remains in the base of the slider. It spins freely but wont come out. Im thinking that the lower stop pt#(OEM 45834-77) 27-171 is keeping it from coming out. Further on in the instructions it says to use the slider (lower fork tube) just like a slide hammer to knock the tube and the slider apart. However there's no mention about removing the dust cover pt#27-234. This is attached to the top of the slider and houses the fork tube. Im wondering if this has to be removed in order for the tube to slide out of the slider. If it does. There's no knurled grip to it. Its all polished chrome and I dont want to scratch or mess it up. I dont know if it screws on or if its pressed on.

Anybody ever take one of this style apart? The tubes in this assembly are 2"over stock and I have new stock length tubes I want to put in.

zoood/RJ

 

[marcus22]

This hyper link Ultima Parts
is a PDF page that shows all the parts to a Ultima 41mm fork tube Bullet Style assembly for a softail.

Even though I have a HD service manual to follow for taking the sliders and fork tubes apart. Using this manual has left me with some questions.

On the bottom of the fork slider there is a socket head bolt known as the damper screw and crush washer 27-212. The manual says to remove it. It will not come out! The bolt is screwed into the damper and using a pneumatic wrench the damper is now loose. I have taken the damper out of the tube. But the socket head bolt remains in the base of the slider. It spins freely but wont come out. Im thinking that the lower stop pt#(OEM 45834-77) 27-171 is keeping it from coming out. Further on in the instructions it says to use the slider (lower fork tube) just like a slide hammer to knock the tube and the slider apart. However there's no mention about removing the dust cover pt#27-234. This is attached to the top of the slider and houses the fork tube. Im wondering if this has to be removed in order for the tube to slide out of the slider. If it does. There's no knurled grip to it. Its all polished chrome and I dont want to scratch or mess it up. I dont know if it screws on or if its pressed on.

Anybody ever take one of this style apart? The tubes in this assembly are 2"over stock and I have new stock length tubes I want to put in.

zoood/RJ

i have never taken apart your type of forks but on the touring models the damper screw and crush washer 27-212 have to be taken out with an impact wrench.

thats all i got. hope it helps

 

[tourbox]

Some times the crush washer flares out and holds the screw in the lower fork tube. The lower stop # 27-171 just slips on the damper tube. It sounds like you have most of the parts out of the upper tube. To get the tube out, remove the dust cover. You will see a retaining spring above your seal. Remove it with a pic or small screw driver. Grab the lower leg with one hand and the upper tube with the other. Pull up then down, then up again until the fork seal, tube and bushing come out of the lower leg. The upper bushing will be loose on the tube, on the lower end of the tube is another bushing which will stay on the tube.
The key is to have the 6mm. screw out of the bottom and spring clip out of the lower leg next to fork seal out.
tourbox

 

[zoood]

Some times the crush washer flares out and holds the screw in the lower fork tube. The lower stop # 27-171 just slips on the damper tube. It sounds like you have most of the parts out of the upper tube. To get the tube out, remove the dust cover. You will see a retaining spring above your seal. Remove it with a pic or small screw driver. Grab the lower leg with one hand and the upper tube with the other. Pull up then down, then up again until the fork seal, tube and bushing come out of the lower leg. The upper bushing will be loose on the tube, on the lower end of the tube is another bushing which will stay on the tube.
The key is to have the 6mm. screw out of the bottom and spring clip out of the lower leg next to fork seal out.
tourbox

How do I get the dust cover off? It's polished chrome. There's no knurled face to it to grab with channel locks. I dont want to mess the chrome up either. Lets say I figure a way to grab hold of it. Does the dust cover fit over a rubber base? Is it screwed on or pressed on? Also the 6mm socket head, I believe it's stuck in the hole it passes through by the crush washer. I can look down the tube and see it turn freely when I turn it. I have the damper out of the tube.

zoood/RJ

 

[tourbox]

If we are talking about your '93 EGC then the chrome dust cover is an add on.. Originally the slider cover(Cow Bell) covered the fork seal for appearance purposes and dirt. Has that been removed on yours. Chances are the chrome cover is siliconed on, there may or not be a rubber boot under it. I placed both on my Hard Tail and had to silicone them on due to the way the lower leg was designed.
If you can look down in the lower leg and see the screw I would use a pair of needle nose pliers to grab the head of it and wiggle it out. If that's not possible then a long rod to tap it out from inside the leg.
tourbox

 

[zoood]

If we are talking about your '93 EGC then the chrome dust cover is an add on.. Originally the slider cover(Cow Bell) covered the fork seal for appearance purposes and dirt. Has that been removed on yours. Chances are the chrome cover is siliconed on, there may or not be a rubber boot under it. I placed both on my Hard Tail and had to silicone them on due to the way the lower leg was designed.
If you can look down in the lower leg and see the screw I would use a pair of needle nose pliers to grab the head of it and wiggle it out. If that's not possible then a long rod to tap it out from inside the leg.
tourbox

The front end I have on my 93 is for a softail. But the trees are for a touring model. Anyways,... what Im asking on the type I have on my trike. Is brand new forks by Ultima. When I got them I had them sent to me at 2" over the stock tube length. Now Im wanting to change it back to stock length tubes. I dont see why it is important to remove the damper bolt. Its not holding anything. Besides this. The cow bells that you were mentioning are off the trike. They were removed by me when I installed the new Ultima tubes with sliders. The dust covers that I need to remove is circled in red.

Thats what I need to know, how they are attached and how to remove them.

zoood/RJ

 

[tourbox]

In looking at the Ultima parts diagram you posted the dust cover doesn't look threaded. I blew the pic up to 400. May not be a good pic though.
I think on a newer XL it had slide on covers that I use to use a small screw driver and catch the edge of it and tap it upward slightly from various points. They get corrosion on them after a long time in place. As far as unscrewing it, if need be, take a piece old inner tube and wrap it,2 or 3 times, around the cover for protection. You could keep the tube tight with a hose clamp Then try large channel locks. If you have the space, spray some Liquid Wrench from the top of cover to let it run down and soak.
tourbox

 

[Jack Klarich]

How do I get the dust cover off? It's polished chrome. There's no knurled face to it to grab with channel locks. I dont want to mess the chrome up either. Lets say I figure a way to grab hold of it. Does the dust cover fit over a rubber base? Is it screwed on or pressed on? Also the 6mm socket head, I believe it's stuck in the hole it passes through by the crush washer. I can look down the tube and see it turn freely when I turn it. I have the damper out of the tube.

zoood/RJ

In looking at the Ultima parts diagram you posted the dust cover doesn't look threaded. I blew the pic up to 400. May not be a good pic though.
I think on a newer XL it had slide on covers that I use to use a small screw driver and catch the edge of it and tap it upward slightly from various points. They get corrosion on them after a long time in place. As far as unscrewing it, if need be, take a piece old inner tube and wrap it,2 or 3 times, around the cover for protection. You could keep the tube tight with a hose clamp Then try large channel locks. If you have the space, spray some Liquid Wrench from the top of cover to let it run down and soak.
tourbox

There should be a small notch to drive the cover off, they are a light press fit

 

[zoood]

There should be a small notch to drive the cover off, they are a light press fit

Jack there isnt any notch. Ill try and dive into this thing again today and give you all an update.

zoood/RJ

 

[zoood]

Jack there isnt any notch. Ill try and dive into this thing again today and give you all an update.

zoood/RJ

Well now I know what I'm in for with the other side.

1st off the dust cover screws off. The cover houses an "O" ring that's suppose to keep moisture from getting under the dust cover. I have to replace that. It allowed moister in and started corroding the fork seal retaining ring. I think when I assemble everything. I'll place some grease on the retaining ring to prevent any more corrosion. I used a wire wheel on my drill press to clean up the retaining ring. It still has it's strength.

I'll tell you I hate having to bang new stuff like I did when using the bottom slide as one would use a slide hammer. But I need to ride and this needs to be fixed. My hands were hurting from holding on, even with a bath towel wrapped around the slider, while I slammed the heck out of it. I kept measuring the length of the fork tube to see if it was actually doing any good. It was,... just a tiny bit at a time. On my last attempt of getting it loose. I asked God to help me get this apart. Thank goodness I didnt yank real hard on it. I would have surely fell over. It slid right off with ease. I think I'll do a prayer before I attempt the other one.

zoood/RJ