How to take springs out of forks.

Hello,

I just purchased a set of forks off of ebay. they have the air balance tube going between the forks. The question I have is, They do not have a normal cap on top. They have a rubber cap that when I pop off there is no threads, just looks like a flag piece of metal with a dimple in the middle.

Does anyone have any idea how to get these forks apart so I can put my new racetec springs in them?

Thanks

Eric
82 750csr

Is that dimple a hexagonal or square shape? Mine is a hex depression that you put a hex tool in and unscrew. Yours may be different since it has a balance tube. See if there is a circlip near the top of the fork holding that metal plug in place. If so, you'll need to remove the circlip, but be careful to ensure you depresurrize the forks first. There's no telling how much pressure a previous owner may have cranked in there, and you don't want that metal plug nailing you in the head. Be sure to aim the fork top away from you when removing the plug. Ed

650ed wrote: Is that dimple a hexagonal or square shape? Mine is a hex depression that you put a hex tool in and unscrew. Yours may be different since it has a balance tube. See if there is a circlip near the top of the fork holding that metal plug in place. If so, you'll need to remove the circlip, but be careful to ensure you depresurrize the forks first. There's no telling how much pressure a previous owner may have cranked in there, and you don't want that metal plug nailing you in the head. Be sure to aim the fork top away from you when removing the plug. Ed

If only it were that simple I would have already had them apart lol. The dimple is round, and goes down to a point, no way to spin it with any kind of tool, and I dont see any circlips either. looks like there is some kind of groove but I didn't see anything in the groove. I tried compressing the forks just to make sure that they weren't already loose. nope. geeze I'm half tempted to just remove the tubes off my other forks and put them on these forks. but I really would like to just get these ones apart so I can install my springs.

From what model did you get the forks? The ones w the balancer I've seen have circlips at the top --- apparently from what others have reported, sometimes the clips are hard to see.

There probably is sirclips there now that I look at them again. it's the only thing that could be holding them in. I guess I'll work on getting to those here this weekend. I'm not sure what model they came from. They were sent by the ebayer as a replacement for them sending me honda forks the first time.

Thanks

martin_csr wrote: From what model did you get the forks? The ones w the balancer I've seen have circlips at the top --- apparently from what others have reported, sometimes the clips are hard to see.

partstream.arinet.com/Image?arik=mQw8qJc...aki%3Faribrand%3DKUS

PLUMMEN wrote: partstream.arinet.com/Image?arik=mQw8qJc...aki%3Faribrand%3DKUS

It said bad request when I clicked on it

I think he was trying to provide a link to a diagram from PowerSportsWarehouse.
Just an FYI: the 83 750-F1 forks w/ balancer have the circlips.

I have these on my bike. I used one of these to press down the plug and to remove the circlip. Worked real slick. Made reassembly real easy too.

Plumbers puller

If you have access to a floor standing drill press, you can use that to compress the top "spring guide" down into the fork tube. I set the table low enough to position the fork under the quill, use the quill to compress the guide and then lock the quill into position so that I have both hands free to remove the circlip. I put a 3/8" short section of rod stock in the chuck in order to have easy access to the circlip.

83KZ750LTD wrote: I have these on my bike. I used one of these to press down the plug and to remove the circlip. Worked real slick. Made reassembly real easy too.

Plumbers puller

I like this idea. You can do it on the bike.
Steve

thanks for all of the help everyone. this weekend I will work it out and get them apart somehow. even if I gotta take the sawsall to them lol