[toy4rick]

Hey gang,

My brother and I figured out a very safe and easy way to remove/install the fork caps to replace springs and oil that doesn't involve pulling the forks, doesn't involve a very large BIL to risk his face...

We have done it now on 3 different bikes w/o any issues in less than 10 mins per fork

A couple of questions
1) Is this something that is of interest if we can make it available to the masses
2) if so, what would this be worth, how much would you be willing to pay for it

Thanks in advance
Rick

 

[Anim8or Earl]

1) Is this something that is of interest if we can make it available to the masses
2) if so, what would this be worth, how much would you be willing to pay for it

Is it an idea or a tool you are selling? The masses would need to know that before deciding what it is worth.

 

[satan]

I generally price tools by how much time or effort they save on a job.

There's really nothing much involved in pulling the caps on or off the bike, so I'm kinda thinking "not too much"... the time/effort is under 30-minutes, and changing oil is done through the cap (after refitting caps with plugs or air fittings one time), so the job is only at spring time and would have to save me significantly on the 20 minutes involved now to be worth much ...

 

[JWayne]

I read (on this forum I think) one time that someone had made a tool/sleeve that prevented the fork cap flying up and away. But I think the only time there is a danger of the cap doing damage is when Progressive springs are fitted.

 

[toy4rick]

Hey everyone

If you don't have progressives then its not a big job, i agree, with progressives its another story. So we made the tool and its what we have been using, we are trying to figure if its worth making them available for sale.

We might want to setup a test and see how it goes

Thanks
Rick

 

[fatwing chris]

Hey everyone

If you don't have progressives then its not a big job, i agree, with progressives its another story. So we made the tool and its what we have been using, we are trying to figure if its worth making them available for sale.

We might want to setup a test and see how it goes

Thanks
Rick

Don't know how much of a market there would be here as there have been quite a few posts on how to build your own.Could be you could sell to the guys that don't have the equipment to build there own though.Just sayin.

 

[DaveO430]

This is a family, we do things for each other. Many of us have posted ideas for building tools and even made or bought and donated tools to the loaner program. A plan to make a tool to do what you are doing has already been posted, If you have something to sell post in the for sale/wanted forum and see how it goes.

 

[dj norm]

With all the info on this great forum I also made my own. Is this model good and simpler or just not wurth making it could be interesting.

heres is mine

 

[DriverRider]

I have the early Progressives (coil in coil) that stand 2-3 inches above tubes.

No special tool needed, just a little beefcake.

 

[Silverfox]

Some folks may like to buy a tool to do this job, but I suspect that since it is only done after many thousands of miles, the market for them may be a bit limited.

That said, if you were able to expand it's use, to do the same for other models of bikes, then you might be onto something.

Good luck to you if you decide to go ahead with production and marketing.

 

[wexy]

The kind of insulting comments that I have deleted and edited here this morning will not be tolerated here at all, so take heed,if you only have insults to post then move on to some other forum to post them.:lash::lash::lash:
An opion is one thing,but insulting behaviour is another.

 

[wings in ponty]

replacing fork caps when they are still on the bike

Easier with two people i got a double ended spark plug spanner 17mm one end 22mm the other end. i got the bar from a trolley jack, bash the end of the bar into the 22mm side of the spark plug spanner so it is in tight to make one long tool the 17mm side fits into the fork cap then with brute force me and the wife pushed down on the bar while turning the tool keep the pressure on until the threads catch.
It took us a few attempts but got there in the end, also i have a large tulsa windshield which i removed so we could get more leverage.
Hope this helps anyone who as the same problem, trying to get them caps on without having to remove the fork from the bike, also make sure the front wheel is off the floor and well supported with wooden blocks or something due to the amount of pressure being pushed on the front of the bike.

 

[SMEDEN(=the blacksmith)]

Hey gang,

My brother and I figured out a very safe and easy way to remove/install the fork caps to replace springs and oil that doesn't involve pulling the forks, doesn't involve a very large BIL to risk his face...

We have done it now on 3 different bikes w/o any issues in less than 10 mins per fork

A couple of questions
1) Is this something that is of interest if we can make it available to the masses
2) if so, what would this be worth, how much would you be willing to pay for it

Thanks in advance
Rick

I have newer had the need for a special Tool for this purpose !
NO , i wont pay for an useless Tool ! ( and i am a "Tool head").
I have serviced MANY forks with my ordinary tools , - no problem !
MAYBE i should charge Money to show people how to do ? , - NO , you are all free to have a look . Yes have a look , because my English is to bad to explain .
A forum like this , with a lot of friends , is NOT a place to try to make Money , SHAME ON YOU !

 

[toolcraft4100]

Until a few weeks ago I had never paid anyone to do any work on by bikes. I have changed fork seals on my GL1000 with no problem, but I was intimidated by the 1500 fork caps. I did not know what springs were in my forks and could not understand how to build and use the tools I found illustrated on this site.
I paid a local independant Honda mechanic $159.47 to rebuild both forks (I removed them) with new seals and bushings and fluid. He discovered that I had the springs like DriverRider describes. I am satisfied that I got a fair deal.
Next time I'll tackle the job myself.