Fork spring depressor -D.I.Y special

I am not sure how many people have the same problem: Come time to change the fork oil, take out a coin or put one in, or a top up with different viscosity, and getting the top of the fork out is a real pain!

If there is rust or age or crud buildup, I was having a bugger of a time depressing the fork spring enough so I could extract the little wire "circlip" to remove the fork cap.

I made up a tool out of a cheap "G" clamp and a piece of angle iron and did the job without effort, less swearing, and each fork cap was removed in record time.

I attached the pics, great little tool, took 10 minutes to make, safe to use, and cheap.

All you do is hacksaw half the lower grip off.

Use a grinder to cut a "V" shaped wedge into the grip end so the angle iron sits in snug, will also make a good weld easier.

Side view, does not damage any part, minimal pressure is used to depress the spring.

Still a bit tight to get the spring clip out, but it works nicely.

 

That's better than the technique I used when I put oil in the forks last. Hooking the big clamp I use to depress caliper pistons on cars on there. And just sort of hoping it gets jammed up on something well enough to push down. Usually at a weird angle. Too bad I don't actually have a welder.

 

I used to putting a philips screwdriver in the little divot and putting my weight on it while i pry out the ring. Sucks when 300 pounds barley gets my spring to compress

But when I sit on it, down the forks go lol.

 

Nice tool.

Now chamfer all the edges on the saddle and dip it in that rubber tool handle liquid so you don't scratch anything.

 

Yeah, that^

Nice idea. Beats having my 17-year old push the cap down with the end of a hammer handle while I'm trying to wrestle the clip in.

 

this is all it took for my seca, the bar clamps in the bar mounts and the i-bolt pushes the cap down

 

Great job! Now pls email XJ4EVER so he can get into production 8)

 

Thanks for the feedback, over the next couple of days I will tidy it up a bit just to be sure it does not scratch anything, I was just so excited at how it had changed my life from swearing and tool throwing to a happy little zen creature!

Just waiting on my order to arrive, something called "shamwow"......I'll give it a go... :wink:

 

Sorry to pull this out of the grave, but when I recently rebuilt my forks I found a fairly easy way to get the circlip out without an extra set of hands. Here goes, loosen all the pinch bolts, slide the fork UP about 3/8", tighten the lower pinch bolts, use a bar clamp and socket to push the cap into the fork. Now you can tighten the top pinch bolt. You should now be able to back off the clamp and the cap should stay down. now you have complete, unrestricted access to the circlip. Once it's out you'll want to put the clamp and socket back on before loosening the pinch bolts again. Or I just held a wadded up rag over it as I undid the pinch bolts.

Not sure if this is old news to more experienced guys, but it worked nicely for me and I thought I'd pass it along.