Replacing fork seals hit a snag (maxim 550)

Well I REALLY did NOT want to tackle this project (for some reason motorcycle repairs frustrate the hell out of me, but cars don't? idk) well I am attempting to replace my fork seals, front wheel is off, doing one side at a time, have the tube off the bike, top of the tube off spring is out, now I am at the point of separating the tubes. So, I start turning the bolt at the bottom of the tube and it felt like it was working, now its just spinning the inside. Any suggestions? Impact didn't work, I was going to attempt a trick someone mentioned to me with a spark plug socket upside down but mine isnt the right kind. My dad is helping me with this project, he made a suggestion of buying a piece of all thread and using 2 nuts on each end to make our own allen wrench for inside the tube, but we got the wrong sizes apparently (3/8s and a 7/16s).
Are we on the right track or way off at this point? If this is the right idea what size is the correct size? Getting frustrated here (like i said, I HATE working on bikes, but like working on cars).

 

I just stripped the internals out of the forks of my 1982 xj650 earlier in the week and I had to make up a tool consisting of a nut and bolt, a socket to fit the nut and two extension bars. The bolt head needs to be 19 millimeters across the flats. Screw the nut onto the bolt really tight. Then, clamp one of the extension bars in a vice with most of it pointing vertically upwards. Attach the second extension bar to the first. Place a socket to fit the nut on the upper end of the extension bars and then place the nut in the socket leaving the 19mm AF bolt uppermost. Now lower the fork tube over the whole thing and gently turn until the 19mm bolt engages with the fork. It is now possible to undo the screw in the end of the fork wihout the whole thing turning. If you don't have a 19mm bolt, three quarters of an inch is near enough.
Good luck.

 

Try using a wooden broom handle down the tube to hold the damper in place as you remove the allen bolt. That is how I have done mine in the past.

 

You can stick an Upside-down Plug Socket at the end of a chain of Extensions.

You can have a 19mm Bolt welded to the end of a metal rod.

 

I just stripped the internals out of the forks of my 1982 xj650 earlier in the week and I had to make up a tool consisting of a nut and bolt, a socket to fit the nut and two extension bars. The bolt head needs to be 19 millimeters across the flats. Screw the nut onto the bolt really tight. Then, clamp one of the extension bars in a vice with most of it pointing vertically upwards. Attach the second extension bar to the first. Place a socket to fit the nut on the upper end of the extension bars and then place the nut in the socket leaving the 19mm AF bolt uppermost. Now lower the fork tube over the whole thing and gently turn until the 19mm bolt engages with the fork. It is now possible to undo the screw in the end of the fork wihout the whole thing turning. If you don't have a 19mm bolt, three quarters of an inch is near enough.
Good luck.

 

thanks for the responses, we ended up getting 3/4 all thread and double nutting it and it worked. fork seals are now changed, forks back together and on the bike, just got done witha test ride, so far so good! 1 project down, several more to go!

 

thanks for the responses, we ended up getting 3/4 all thread and double nutting it and it worked. fork seals are now changed, forks back together and on the bike, just got done witha test ride, so far so good! 1 project down, several more to go!