fork leg removal v7 sport

[mrrick]

Let's say one wanted to switch out fork legs on these old front shocks.
I found a picture in the Haynes Big Twin manual where a fellow is pulling them off, but I cannot tell if the stanchions are coming down also.



None of the upper stuff (instrument panel, etc.) need be fiddled with, it seems.
I've been advised that after pulling the axle pinch bolts and axle, that i shd use an impact driver to remove the bottom bolts which engage the bottom damper rod.
It sounds as though it shd work but: I fear not being able to reinstall those bolts.
Can I expect the damper rod to stay exactly centered, and low enough, so as to enable bolting the new lower legs up properly? 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

You'll need to remove the fender as well, of course. The fork lowers can be removed leaving the fork tubes with spring and damper assemblies in the triple trees/yokes.

Once the lowers are removed, you will see a cup that goes over the bottoms of the springs (sometimes sticks in side the lower), and the springs with the damper rod extensions inside them.

Are you just swapping fork lowers? Or replacing the damper assemblies?

[mrrick]

Just swapping.
I’ll go through the whole business later, new dampers, etc., but for now, just the lowers.
Do understand correctly that the stanchions can stay in place, no need to loosen all the pinch bolts for the yokes and headlamp mounts?

[jrt]

The bolt that affixes the damper at the bottom of the lowers is very easy to reinstall.  You might want to drain the oil out of the forks before loosening that lower bolt- otherwise you will get a leaky mess.  (and use a new crush washer when reinstalling)
All of the fork action is done by the springs and internal damper- not the lowers.  So if you are looking for better suspension, look into getting FAC or other dampers. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Just swapping.
I’ll go through the whole business later, new dampers, etc., but for now, just the lowers.
Do understand correctly that the stanchions can stay in place, no need to loosen all the pinch bolts for the yokes and headlamp mounts?

Yes, the "stanchions"/fork tubes stay in place and there is no need to loosen anything up top.

One word of caution: there is a "cup" as I mentioned above, that fits over the bottom of the springs. It has internal tabs that lock into slots of the damper extension rod and a protrusion on the outer edge that locks into the drain plug hole of the fork lower. It's purpose is to make sure the damper/spring assembly can't rotate and result in the bottom fixing bolt loosening.





Make sure to get that locked in both places. Doing the forks on the bike, you may need to use some sticky grease to help hold it into place while reinstalling the lower.

[mrrick]

Thanks Charlie, for sharing your expertise, and for all the tips!
I presume that I can just pour the small amount of lube into the lowers before re-assembly?

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Thanks Charlie, for sharing your expertise, and for all the tips!
I presume that I can just pour the small amount of lube into the lowers before re-assembly?

Any lube you pour into the lowers will run back out, until the bottom fixing bolt and it's crush washer are installed. Then there's no place to pour it into. You could only do it that way if the spring/damper units were still attached to the lowers.

You'll need to support the bike with a jack under the pan (block of wood between jack and pan to prevent damage), remove the instrument cluster, the special shouldered bolts that secure the dampers to the top plugs, and then slightly raise the front end via the jack. The dampers should drop out of the top plugs enough to (slowly) refill them with oil. One of the pointy tipped caps from a gear oil bottle makes a good funnel.

[mrrick]

Yeah, I wasn't thinking too clearly about this, to be sure!
Thanks again, Charlie!