How to get the front forks apart???!!!!!

Good day! So I picked up the special tool that the manual says I need and low and behold it doen't seem to reach into the bottom of the inside of the fork tube! I see that the end of it is square and it looks like you can put a socket or any other adapter type thing at the end. Is there an expectation that you have to use an extention or something to get it to the bottom? This is driving me mad!

I am also going to try a different method using an impact wrench to remove the allen key at the bottom from the outside, but I was perplexed about the discovery that the special tool is not as special as I thought it was. I must be missing something simplete here.

Any help is really appreciated. I have to change these fork seals and move on!

Please put your bike's model and year in the signature line. Ed

The Kawasaki fork tools I've seen usually have a T handle. However, if you can use a socket & extension, then do that. On my 81 650 the head of the inner cylinder looks just like a 19mm 12-pt socket, so I used a left-hand-thread bolt & nut along w a socket & extensions. The earlier 650s are different.

Thanks for the info guys. I have added my bike to the profile signature Ed. It is a 1978 KZ650 B. I just popped a picture of the ZX9R for fun while the KZ is being built. The ZX9R is pretty fun I would have to say.

Appreciate all the help. Seems silly that the factory fork tool needs an extension and a little extra home made ingenuity to make it work right, but it is what it is and I will move forward now!

Take a look inside the fork using a flashlight and see if the top of the fork cylinder has a hex depression or a round hole like the one in the picture below. If it has a round hole you will need a different type of tool (you can make one if necessary).



Or these folks sell a tool for the round hole fork cylinders.
www.racetech.com/page/id/70

Ed

If you have an air compressor and air ratchet you can spin the bolts right out,youll have to reinstall springs and caps back on forks first.

I just went through this on my 650-c3.

I was able to use the impact wrench to loosen the bolt, but unfortunately this also frees up the dampening rod. When the dampening rod loosened up everything just spun and remained partially threaded. The only solution I had was to drill the head off of the bolt on the bottom of the dampening rod. The bolts are still available via Kawasaki.

RaceTech sells a tool for the dampening rods with round holes in the top, but it ain't cheap:

www.racetech.com/page/id/70

TFDH 01 - $59.99

Like wireman said, an impact takes them right off. You need the fork assembled and have to compress it a little, then just hit the bolts with an impact. The pressure of the spring against the cartridge keeps it from turning.

In my case, the impact spun one bolt out just fine, but the second one would not budge no matter what - even using the tool the whole thing just spun. I ended up drilling the bolt head off so I could remove the fork cylinder. That was fun, I think the bolt is made of kryptonite. :laugh:

One nice thing about having a tool (home made or otherwise) is when re-assembling you can use it to hold the folk cylinder so you can accurately torque the bolt. Ed

I have taken dozens of these forks apart without using the "special" tool by using my 1/2" impact wrench. Just leave the fork cap on and the impact wrench will spin the allen bolt right off. DO NOT use the impact wrench to put it back on. Don't ask me how I know not to do that.

F it. Why bother posting my experience then.