Fork Question

Do you just unscrew top steering nut and loosen fork clamps and then pull the forks out the bottom along with lower triple tree?

Iv'e never done this before, so a quick list in order would really help. I don't have a service manual for it.:blink:

i would,
remove the bars.
unscrew the steering stem bolt on top.
loosen the clamps on the upper triple.
remove the upper triple.
remove the calipers and secure them so they are not hanging by the hoses.(zip tie to the frame?)
you can now remove the front wheel,or not.
unscrew the spanner nut on the steering stem.
this will release the front end to slide down.
the ball bearings will drop out all over the place.
now you need get the races off the stem and out of the neck.
a die grinder(or dremel) with a fiber re-enforced blade used at an angle to the race on the stem is the method i use to cut through the race enough that i can use a chisel to bust the race,which will release it.
you should be able to use some long punches to knock the races out of the frame.
then you just re-install the new tapered roller bearing on to the stem and using a big socket or brass/aluminum punch just striking the outter edge of the races knock them back in until they seat(you will feel when they do).
re-install everything in reverse and make sure and pump your brakes back up before you roll off.

if i missed something or am wrong feel free to correct me.

hth,
leon

Thanks Leo,

I already have the front wheel and brakes off. I just need to do the rest. Sounds like fun!:sick: lol

badrhino, my lower race in the frame neck was a bugger to knock out of there. It might help to apply a little heat to the frame neck to ease that removal. Otherwise, I would do as Leon said. It's not that hard once you're determined to do it.

Anyone know the torque specs. for the:

Steering stem bolt
Triple tree bolts
Brake Bolts
Fork Lowers

or any of the major bolts/nuts on a KZ1000 for that matter. Thanks!

Be careful when you remove that much weight from the front of the bike, it will lean back so you should prop the rear wheel up. The bike will have to be higher than just using the center stand.

I have it on milk crates and the swingarm has jack stands under each side so it isn't going anywhere, well unless the milk crates fail.

So I have the front end torn down and the triple tree off. I got the lower race (broke it in half) beat out of the steering head (beat the crap out my jack handle) and I noticed some rough ring where apparently the race was digging in as it was coming out (see pictures).
Is this going to effect anything if I can get it smoothed out?

Also if the bottom was that bad getting out what all has to be done to get the top one out? Also I need to know the best way to remove the remaining bearing from the lower on the stem. Thanks!

i did the same thing to mine :pinch: .

i cleaned the burr off and made sure it was smooth and drove the new race in and forgot about it(until now :silly: ).as long as you get it smoothed back out befor eyou drive the race in you should not have any problem.
to get the race off the stem i use a fiber re-enforced cut off wheel(dremel/die grinder) to cut a groove angled across the race as deep as you can get(without getting into the stem or tree),then use a chisel to strike down into the crack and bust the race open.thats how i do it anyways.

leon

I'm going through this process right now too, and yes, embarassed to admit it, but I also dicked up my neck driving out the bottom race. Looked just like your pics. I used a die grinder with a sanding drum to clean it up. The new race went in fine requiring it to be driven in. I used a piece of half inch aluminum bar stock to gently and very carefully drive the new one in. I wouldn't see a problem with it unless I'd pushed the new race in and it fell back out. Then I'd be really concerned. But it's nice and tight. The damage occured below the area the race normally resides anyway. Just try not to grind in that area.
As far as getting the other race off of the lower triple, I just used soem Kroil penetrating fluid, a hammer and an old screwdriver against the bottom of the old grease seal. Took a while, but it finally worked free.
My neck bearings were so bad that when I jacked the bike up and checked them, the bearings were very notchy and actually felt like there was gravel in the neck instead of ball bearings. And when I rode, I had a really bad low speed wobble.
Next is rebuildng my forks. I'll be doing that over the next few days, but I'm working tons of overtime and don't have much time to put into it. Plus, I'm also spending some time de painting and polishing my aluminum upper triple. Been wanting to do that for years. New tires too. Trying out those new Pirelli Night Dragons. Hope they last longer than Dunlops.

You guys are messing up your frames because you need to move the drift in a star pattern as you tap the race out.

Same going back in unless you have an installer that will cover the whole race.

Yeah well that's exactly how I did it, but it was dark, 98 degrees, had sweat in my eyes, and couldn't really see how it was moving. Falls under S%&$ happens.