homemade fork tool

Hi everyone, I've been sort of AWOL. I do that. Anyhow, I was having difficulty removing the 10mm hex bolt from the internal fork piston. The forks are from a '77 650 B1. The inner piston turns when trying to loosen the hex bolt. First I tried jamming a solid rod in there, but it wasn't holding tight enough. So I made this stem wrench which resembles a bicycle gooseneck stem holding handlebars tight into the forks of a bike (memory of old shwinn). It worked like a gem. The whole thing is 24" long and the end fitting into the piston hidden inside the inner fork tube had to be modified by grinding the radius down a CH. Rod is 1/4-20. Once the modified part is inside the inner piston, the outside end nut is tightened and vice grips hold the 1/2" rod sticking out of the inner tube. Is there a simpler way that did not occur to my bonehead?

Nate ( N0NB ), did a nice writeup on 650 fork rebuilding. Check it out here: www.networksplus.net/n0nb/fork/fork.html

Post edited by: kzrider, at: 2007/05/19 16:28

Yes, nice article, thanks. I saw this one before. Unfortunately, the early damper rods did not have the "12 point" end to them. See the photo in my post (first highlighted word). Kawasaki must have changed the design, actually it looks like they simplified it-less internal parts in later models. The Dampers on two of my 650's have no way to grab uless you use the kind of thing I made . . .

Sorry, didn't look at the pictures... Great that you found a way to get the job done at least!

del

ive always had good luck with an air ratchet;)

I'll try the air ratchet, that is a good tip. Also, if you can find the correct size threaded rod coupling this would work with sockets. A threaded rod coupling is like a long nut and can fit into a allen bolt so you can use a socket or box wrench to tighten or loosen a allen bolt. A rod coupling might also be longer and easier to grab if you slide it down into the 12 point type inner piston end.

use the air ratchet on the allen bolt and you shouldnt have to hold the dampner rod;)

I will definately try the air ratchet next time. When I get one. I'm proud of my little wedge tool I made, as simple as it is. I just finished reassembling the forks and the added gripption made for a nice, tight assembly. I decided to put spacers in to compress the springs and stiffen things up, the rider will be weighing in at 225 Lbs. I went with 30mm pvc spacers made from 3/4" sch40 PVC. New oil, new seals, new dust boots.