| DIY Fork spring tool | Rate Topic |
| Moderators: redbaron, MDKramer, Flyone, AZgl1500 | Page:   1 2 3   |
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| Posted: Fri Apr 20th, 2007 03:22 pm | 21st Post |
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What a great write-up and picks, exavid! My seals needs replaced, and I was even thinking about having someone else do that daunting task. But, Your clamp sure makes it look easy.
____________________ Goldwings forever |
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| Posted: Wed Jun 6th, 2007 06:14 pm | 22nd Post |
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Exavid, What dimensions did you use for your blocks of wood? Also I take it you cut a hole the diameter of the fork tube then cut the block down the middle or did you undersize the hole and what diameter did you use? Thanks Patrick
____________________ Patrick Locksmith/Safe Technician Retired USN Photographer '91 Goldwing 1500 '97 BMW F650 Funduro (gone) '83 Honda 650 Nighthawk (gone) |
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| Posted: Wed Jun 6th, 2007 07:29 pm | 23rd Post |
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The jig really isn't necessary for OEM springs, those are compressible by hand, not easy but not extremely difficult. It is needed for sure with Progressive springs because they do take a LOT of pressure to compress. It's nice not to have to worry about flying fork caps or stripped caps and tubes when dealing with them. If you do remove and replace your fork caps with the tubes on the bike, be very careful when replacing them. It's easy to get careless when trying to push the caps down for the fourth time getting them started, to unbalance and knock over the bike. Wouldn't be fun. The hole for the fork tube was 1 5/8". I used a hole saw to cut the hole and then cut the block in half. The hole saw was a little bit larger than the diameter I wanted but I wasn't too worried about not having exactly the right diameter since the saw kerf reduced the effective diameter once I cut the block in half. I was using soft wood, pine, and knew the fibers would give a bit when tightened down enough to give a good grip on the wood. If you don't have exactly the right sized hole saw you can always glue in some leather or rubber in the wood bore to snug it up. If it's too tight it's an easy matter to rasp or drum sand the bore to fit the fork tube. It's not at all critical. The size of the blocks doesn't really matter, just as long as they are thick enough to leave some meat around the fork tube hole so they won't be too weak and there's enough room for the all thread and clamping bolts. The block with the guide for the socket can vary to what ever you need for the tool or fork cap you're dealing with. If you have fork caps that have only a hex hole, take a bolt with a head that fits the hex, run a nut down tight on the bolt after slipping a wide washer and some hard setting Loctite on the bolt. This make an adapter so that you can use a regular socket to turn the cap. If your fork caps are from an 1100 that has the raised center section, I'd take a old deep well socket approximately the same OD as the cap, and cut a pair of deep notches in the socket so it would fit over the cap with the open edges bearing on the lower face of the fork cap. Wouldn't take more than a few minutes with an angle grinder.
____________________ If you can't ride, fly or sail it, why bother? 2001 Goldwing 1800 Paul W. |
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| Posted: Wed Jun 6th, 2007 11:17 pm | 24th Post |
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Is there any way to determine if a po installed Progressive springs?
____________________ Ernie 1981 GL1100I 1993 Ducati 900SS |
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| Posted: Thu Jun 7th, 2007 12:30 am | 25th Post |
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Short of looking inside the fork tube I don't know of any way.
____________________ If you can't ride, fly or sail it, why bother? 2001 Goldwing 1800 Paul W. |
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| Posted: Thu Jun 7th, 2007 05:08 am | 26th Post |
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It's a given that I have to pull the springs. They are not marked with any identification and I don't have comparable springs (OEM and other) to match with. With the spring in hand, is there a way to tell? I've put Progressive springs on my Ducati and Honda Bros (Hawk). If they were all in one box, I wouldn't have known which was which. Last edited on Thu Jun 7th, 2007 05:09 am by aternie ____________________ Ernie 1981 GL1100I 1993 Ducati 900SS |
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| Posted: Thu Jun 7th, 2007 11:02 am | 27th Post |
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Excellent write up and Great Pics Paul, See how much ya miss when you don't spend time on this site every day or so? It's amazing the info that is squirreled away in old posts. I too save them all in a How To section for later. Now we have all snooped in all the parts of your shop by zooming in and panning around your pics. Neat Huh? Great Job Bud. Have a GREAT WEEK and keep up the good work. Mohawk
____________________ 95 Aspencade "Dressed to the Nines" Live to Ride - Ride to Live My 4th Wing & 43 Years in the Wind Now I have owned over 50 bikes now, This is the longest I have owned only one bike. Prior USMC Sgt. and Vietnam Vet - Platoon Sgt. and D.I. PGR Member since 2006 - Serving Those Who Served For Us. "The Native Americans found out what happens when you don't control immigration." |
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| Posted: Thu Jun 7th, 2007 05:03 pm | 28th Post |
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aternie wrote: It's a given that I have to pull the springs. They are not marked with any identification and I don't have comparable springs (OEM and other) to match with. With the spring in hand, is there a way to tell? I've put Progressive springs on my Ducati and Honda Bros (Hawk). If they were all in one box, I wouldn't have known which was which.One difference is the Progressives are both one piece springs where on the OEM one or both (can't remember) of the fork springs is two piece.
____________________ If you can't ride, fly or sail it, why bother? 2001 Goldwing 1800 Paul W. |
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| Posted: Thu Jun 7th, 2007 11:51 pm | 29th Post |
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I really appreciate your efforts. I keep a file too. I was curious if you prefered one lift over the other or if you found them to be about the same. Thanks, dj
____________________ '73 450k,'79 CBX,'80 GL1100S new,'83 GL1100A now |
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| Posted: Fri Jun 8th, 2007 01:01 am | 30th Post |
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Both bike jacks work okay. The Harbor Freight one looks a bit more skookum than the slightly larger red one. I think any one of these kind of jacks will do the job just fine.
____________________ If you can't ride, fly or sail it, why bother? 2001 Goldwing 1800 Paul W. |
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| Posted: Thu Jul 12th, 2007 01:43 am | 31st Post |
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I want to buy your contraption!
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| Posted: Mon Mar 16th, 2009 12:32 am | 32nd Post |
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tag I gotta build one of these
____________________ Keep the shiney side up! |
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| Posted: Sat Apr 4th, 2009 11:01 pm | 33rd Post |
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I guess we all occasionally get a case of the numb brain. Mine was due to a very torchorous work week. Nothing will clear your mind like spending a few hours with the love of your life, your bike. I appreciate people who have a knack for inventing adaptation hardware such as this one. I will give it a swing tonight. wish me the best. thanks.
____________________ Hi everyone I am a new owner of an older wing, I guess that makes me an old guy that hasn't grown up yet, go figure. I love to ride and that's all that matters here, unless there is something I missed. Nothing else matters, just ride. I love it. Any one who says they don't like to ride, well I just feel sorry for them. Let's ride! |
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| Posted: Sun Jun 28th, 2009 07:31 am | 34th Post |
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That's really great especially with the pics. You should add how to with the oil as well. I know I'd like to see how you did the quantity with progressive springs. When did you put the oil in? Did you use quantity or did yo measure form the top?
____________________ Spider Bob GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY, GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps, it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." Patriot Guard Rider |
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| Posted: Sat Jul 11th, 2009 02:03 am | 35th Post |
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If you have a workbench with a hole in it preferably in the corner and a spare triple tree or your trees are off the bike for bearings this works for me. Put the bottom caps and bolts on handy and block the leg on some 2 by 4s so the top sticks out of the workbench a couple inches. Snug your tree down for a little stability. Mark your threads and tubes where the threads start. Push the cap on by hand and turn it till it starts. Even these 1200 progressives were a breeze. JB Attachment: 1200 forks 002.jpg (Downloaded 471 times)
____________________ 2003 yamaha vstar 1100 classic 2004 honda rebel 250 {2}1983 aspencades + 83 Interstate 82 Aspencade <2>77 gl 1000 1981 Interstate <2> 75gl1000s 76 Gl1000 |
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29th, 2009 03:40 am | 36th Post |
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My friend and I find it very easy to install the fork bolts by placing the fork in a vise, one person uses a socket and ratchet to compress the spring and fork bolt down to the tube, the other person just spins the fork tube and threads it right on the fork bolt. We have done seveal this way..........Works like a charm..........!! No special tools needed.
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| Posted: Sun Feb 7th, 2010 12:03 pm | 37th Post |
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I know this topic has been ongoing for a while but here is a modification to the original design, which by the way is great and no way can I call mine an improvement. I bow to greatness of the originator, in my case necesity was the mother of invention, a) the forks were still attached to the clamps and b) I don't have the bench room or shed room as both bikes are hibernating at the moment of course I was man enough to put oe springs back in before when I did the fork seal but I was 4 years younger then and this time I was fitting progressives what I did was used the top half of the original design and used a TV aerial mast clamp set and attached the threaded rod to the top of each clamp used, exhaust clamps would probably do the same job with an L bracket This way you can set up the threaded rods to be opposite each other, the calmps don't need to be really tight as all the tension is going in a vertical direction and they locate against each other then the top yoke, screwing down the top block evenly until the springs are compressed and then screwing the caps in, I managed to get a 32mm socket to fit over the top of each clamp (offside one after removing the two air connectors). YOU DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THE CAP IS LEVEL BEFORE SCREWING IN OR YOU RUN THE RISK OF CROSS THREADING If anyone needs pictures, they do say they tell a thousand words, can email direct looking forward to better weather so I can try them out, when it came off the stand there was not the traditional dive to the deck so looking good so far so thats all new brakes including stainless pipes, new suspension front and rear, led running lights, footboards front and rear, dip stick kit, new stereo, most of the drag specialities catalogue whats left to do ? RIDE IT !
____________________ Reality is an illusion caused by lack of alcohol, if this is reality for gods sake buy me a drink C100/2(4) GT 380(6) C92 DT 175 Cz175 jawa350 XS250,650,750 CD175 CB250 tiger cub YP250(3) Z550Ltd GS500F xv750se |
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| Posted: Mon Feb 8th, 2010 04:39 pm | 38th Post |
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Great write up and pictures...I like Rudy have several oak planks left over from some stairs we built...Yeah call me a pack rat, that would be me...Thinking of gluing and clamping these pieces together, then drill holes and split that one....That is if I can get my wife's "Honey Do List" down to a workable size... ....Sure want me one of those motorcycle lifts, seen one at Harbor Freight a few months back that was on a close-out, at about 1/2 price, but had to pass on it....That sucked too....One like this one...http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94813 I'm just not crazy about the driving my wing onto that ramp without some one to help balance it till I can get it strapped down...The thing I do like about these lifts is, at my age getting my Wing up to a level that I can comfortably work on it is a plus..... Claude....
____________________ THE NATION WHICH FORGETS ITS DEFENDERS WILL ITSELF BE FORGOTTEN 1982 GL-1100 Goldwing Interstate...Old Red 1982 GL-1100 Goldwing Interstate...Black Beauty http://www.RudysBackyard.com |
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| Posted: Wed Mar 24th, 2010 12:13 pm | 39th Post |
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Nice write-up. One question, what are the bolts used for that are going through the block of wood holding the lower tubes? Are they tightened up to hold bottom tubed more firmly?
____________________ Previous Bikes 1973 CB450 1978 CB750K 1984 GL1200A 1994 GL1500A 2010 GL1800 ABS/Nav |
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| Posted: Wed Mar 24th, 2010 06:06 pm | 40th Post |
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The lower block is split into two pieces and the two bolts clamp its two halves together around the tube. The two pieces of all-thread are on opposite corners of the blocks so that one threaded rod passes through each half of the clamp block without going through the area the split will be cut. You could drill the holes for the all-thread through the split line on the lower block that would work too but would cause more bother putting the thing on the fork tube. All that matters is that a line between the two holes on each block pass through the middle of the tube hole to keep the clamp from binding as the pressure is applied to it.
____________________ If you can't ride, fly or sail it, why bother? 2001 Goldwing 1800 Paul W. |
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