Fork seal and oil change...blind. HELP

I am taking apart the forks from a 1980 KZ750H. This has really got me baffled. I don't have a manual for this model so I am going at this not totally clueless but inexperienced and no "how-to" book.

1. I have taken the forks off the bike and they are on my bench with a vise.

2. The top plug has been unscrewed and taken out as well as the spring and some of the oil inside.

(the part that vexes me}

How do I get the outer and inner fork tubes apart?

I have tried turning the hex bolt at the bottom of one of the forks. It just turns and turns with nothing happening. I know this is never good so I am here asking.

Could someone please help me understand how these forks come apart?

Thanks in advance.

JJ

The allen bolt is attached to an inner damper rod which is spinning as you turn the bolt. By any chance do you have an impact driver? Often times the air type can get the bolt out without using a tool to keep the damper rod from spinning.

I'm not sure about your bike, but the head of the damper rod might look like a 19mm 12-pt socket. If so, then a 1/2" bolt head will fit into it: a 1/2" bolt typically has a 3/4" head which is ~19mm. Some folks use a long bolt w a nut tack-welded to the threaded end. I use a left-hand-threaded 1/2" bolt & nut secured to a 3/4" socket & extension, then drop it down inside the upper tube.

Or you could use an old rake handle w one end carved into a wedge or cone, jamming it in there to keep the damper rod from spinning.

This topic has been addressed numerous times on this site and a search should yield many threads of a 'how to' nature. The simplest solution is to purchase a shop manual...preferably a Kawasaki, but at this stage, a Clymers or Hastings would do.

Thank you for the help.
I did do a search and didn't find anything. My search was too narrow.
After reading the directive to do the search...I broadened it and came up with many applications ...none for my bike specifically but I will muddle through.

Again, Thanks for the help.

You really should try to get a Kawasaki factory shop manual, they're normally available on eBay; just be sure to get the one for your exact year/model. In the mean time - if the top of your fork cylinders have a round hole instead of a hex depression as they are on my '77 KZ650C1 you might try making a tool like the following to hold them:

Tool

jeffreyjack wrote:

Thank you for the help.
I did do a search and didn't find anything. My search was too narrow.
After reading the directive to do the search...I broadened it and came up with many applications ...none for my bike specifically but I will muddle through.

Again, Thanks for the help.

The manual is necessary for many things, but this should help a bit.

Fork hex bolt size and more?

JMKZHI is correct. I can't remember the size bolt offhand I used, but I just threaded two nuts onto the bolt, slid the bolt down the tube and used 3 extentions and socket/rachet to hold it in place. Also helps to curse alot while doing this.

Here's a topic w a couple of photos. I don't know if your 80 750Ltd-4 stuff is the same. It seems like it ought to be, though, since the 750H models & 650-CSRs are very similar (the pics are from doing a CSR & I used the tools to disassemble a fork from an 82 Ltd).

Fork hex bolt size and more?

If you have a welder or know someone who does you can build your own tool. I went to the hardware store got about a four foot section of small tubing cut off about a foot and welded it to one end of the longer tube. That will make it into a t handle. then I put a bolt into the end of the tube and welded that in. the head of the bolt will hold the dampner. Stand on the handle part of the tool with the fork upside down while you loosen the bolt and you done.