CX500 GL500 650 Global

OK, so I drained and filled with with 20wt fork oil, then went to reinstall the fork caps and WOW, you guys aren't kidding, what a PITA!! So, i figured since the caps are already scratched/gouged, I could try this:



Looks scary, huh? There's probably a dozen wraps of electrical tape on there and the jumbo vice grip is set to squeeze just enough so the cap can't wobble out of the jaws as I pushed down. BOOM - five seconds and they're on! ZERO damage done.
(NOT recommend for the 'shiny' bikes (you know who you are ).

If you leave the small spring out, you can turn the cap backwards until it clicks into the beginning of the threads. Keep it in the same position when you set it aside and put the springs back in. That way you don't have to fight with it to find the start of the threads to get it back in. It works for me every time, and in less than 10 seconds it's back together.

Great tip LRCXed!

This reminded me about the spacers you run in your forks - I did not use spacers for now, but plan to once all the weight (parts) are back on the bike so I can check the sag. If you don't mind.... I'm trying to visualize this with the smaller diameter forks...you use a spacer cut from PVC pipe, so does this spacer 'stack' above the small spring to provide the preload?

It doesn't matter where you put the spacer. If you put it in before the small spring, it might be easier to get it all back together. If you use a metal spacer, put it at the top so the spacer doesn't rub on the inside of the tube and cause damage or a scraping sound when you hit bumps.

Pick up a pvc spacer to connect 1/2 inch pvc pipe. Thats what I did. Then put it between the big spring and the little spring because balancing the spring and cap while pushing down is hard. Managing just the spring is a lot easier.

Oh yeah I also lined up the caps with the fork so it was easy to put them together and then I took a marker and drew a line for reference.

I'm liking my 20w oil and spacer. It's a lot better than that playground spring animal feeling that my old forks with atf fluid in them had.

Ok, so I looked around in the junk bin and found a pair of identical SOLID aluminum spacers that are 7/8" tall and the same diameter as the spring. I figured, what the heck I can try these and take it for a spin to see what it's like. Well, no way.. I could not get the caps even close to mating with fork threads. It was like the spring compressed completely to the point of 'coil stack' and the caps were too high to engage the threads.

So, am I a retard for using a solid spacer? Does it have to be a tube like PVC? Maybe a GL model issue? Is 7/8" too thick?

THANKS

Were you doing this on the bike. I only ask because if the fork has no support and the weight of your motorcycle is on it pushing it down it would be even harder to push them in. Sounds like a duh moment but I got caught in it once.

I think the top spring stuck out 3 inches or so when I tried to push the caps in. When I loosened them to check something there was so much pressure that my hand slipped with ratchet in hand and the top spring hit the ceiling in my apartment.

Yes, on the bike but I had a floor jack with a piece of plywood scrap under the engine to hold the front end up.

Maybe I'm just a wuss then

And holy cow, IN YOUR APARTMENT!! You're an animal man, my old lady would LOSE IT if I had the bike inside the house!!!

Sorry, LRCXed, but BS2002 has taken the crown, now he is 'DA MAN'!!!

Ahem.Cough Cough<grin>

Okay, okay, enough showin' off already......YOU WIN!!