1985 Maxim X 750

I am about to change the fork seals but am hoping someone can point me in the right direction with a how-to? I have changed them on a 1981 550 but am nervous with the X 750 air assist.

Thanks

 

Would this video show the proper steps even though it's for a kawasaki?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-NklWACrzs

 

Hmm. The only difference between forks with air assist and those without is the caps and a little bit of additional hardware there. Otherwise, they're essentially the same as the forks on your 550.

However, from looking in the fiche; if you have an '85, it's a 700. And neither the X or the aircooled 700 for '85 appeared to have air assist forks.

Post your shorty VIN if you would.

 

Where is the shorty VIN found?

 

The XJ750 @700X have air assisted shocks.
There is a simple schrader valve in the top of the fork tube to allow them to be pressurized.

Once you take the chrome cap off the top you can get at the valve and simply release the air like a standard tire valve stem. If the seals are leaking, there is probably a good chance you have no pressure in there anyway.
Then simply rebuild like any other fork.
I like to use a piece of 1 1/4" PVC to push the new seals down into the fork.
You will need a special tool to hold the bolt on the inside of the fork if you want to take them completely apart for cleaning (recommended) but a quck seal change can be done using the primitive dry-wall screw through the seal and pry-bar method.

NOTE*** The forks only take 5-14 psi and you need to be really careful about pressurizing them. It takes a second with a high pressure hose to blow your new seals out. You also want them identical from one side to they other.
There are a couple threads about the easiest way to charge them after a rebuild so just do a quick search and I won't go through all the different ways.

 

Hey thanks for the advice! I'm pretty sure it's a 750. I do have the advantage being in cold Canada for that one, haha.

On a different note, does Charcal sell pieces for the cooling system for the 750? I can't seem to find it in his catalog and am needing the sensor which turns the fan on and off.

 

Oh, ok, Canadian "X" would probably be a 750, sorry. Never mind about your shorty VIN; if you need it it's on top of the transmission housing.

Send chacal a PM and ask him about your fan switch.

 

Well the first fork went great! The second, not so much. For some reason the new fork seal will not seat down another mm or so which would make it possible to install the clip. Any ideas as to why?

 

A burr or debris in the "pocket" it sits in. Since it's not fully seated, you should be able to get under it with a "friendly" tool of some sort and pull it back out to look.

Do you have the forks all the way apart or are you sliding the new seal down the tube?

 

Stock ones on my 700x were air assist

 

I had the shocks all apart but my manual said to slide the seals down the inner tube. I took it apart again and the second time it went together nicer. There must have been grime in the way. Thanks for the help guys.

Next step, tomorrow grease the steering bearings!

 

Well I couldn't sleep so the steering bearings got done early. What a difference! What is the front wheel torqued to?

 

Hey XJ,
According to this:

The front wheel specs should be this:

That should do it for you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Graham

 

Thanks, I need to get me one of those there books!

 

Or the XJ CD to cover ALL the XJs you might ever own
The price is right too