1976 KZ900 fork disassembly

Well don’t I feel like a big dummy. Just realized the rest of my “missing” parts are held in the bottom of the upper stanchion by a snap ring.

I don’t see these parts on the FSM breakdown

Hardrockminer. I have a similar puller. HF version but I’m sure it will work. Thanks for the tip on heating with a propane torch

Photo below is of the damper in one of my Z1 shocks that I rebuilt about a year ago. If yours are the same you need a tool to hold the right end. I've seen it advertised on ebay once or twice from Oz I think. As for myself, I use an impact gun to undo the bolt on the bottom and I used a piece of 3/4 inch pipe with the end hammered oval to hold the end when re-assembling. Another method I've used during reassembly is to put a broom handle down the tube to hold the end while tightening the hex bolt on the bottom.

hardrockminer, Did your forks have the extra spring seat and spacer at the top of the spring under the fork cap?... I'm referring to the parts circled in red in the pervious photo... I don't see them in any of the parts diagrams in the KZ900 FSM

This is the manual I’m referring to

I don't see them in the Partzilla parts fiche. Just speculating here but maybe did someone at some point put longer tubes in the forks? Those parts circled look like some kind of extension. I also checked the '75 P/N against your 76 and the two years have different P/N for the damper, which likely means different dampers.

I think around that time KHI went with a beefed up frame. Possibly they beefed up the dampers in the forks at the same time?

I bet the circled parts are evidence of aftermarket springs, and the tube is for preload. Most folks today would use a bit of pvc pipe instead.

Compressing the fork while removing the bolt will help. I usually lay the fork on my bench and push against the wall. Also, you can use an old wooden broomstick to hold the damper in place of the special tool.

Checked the supplement section of the FSM that covers the 1976 model fork specs.
My springs measure exactly 465mm. So the only reason for the added spacer would be to increase compression and stiffen the front end?
Seeing how I can swap it in or out with ease, and I have stock length springs I’m going to rebuild without the spacer... test ride and then see what the ride quality changes to after installing the spacer.

Last question... has anyone found a torque spec for the lower Allen cap head???

Mikaw wrote: ....................
Last question... has anyone found a torque spec for the lower Allen cap head???

I don't have the KZ900 manual, but the page shown below is from the KZ650 manual. Maybe the KZ900 manual has something similar? Ed

Just for your interest, the springs in a Z1 are 495.5 mm standard. I'm wondering if that helps explain the spacers? Are they 30 mm?

I couldn't find a specific torque spec for the bolts but a general spec for 10 mm fine thread is between 18 and 25 ft lbs. Ed's page shows a bit less but it looks like his bolts are the same dia, and likely the same thread, so probably best to use his range.