Help needed with forks

I've been trying to change the oil seals on my 85 700maxim. I've removed the top hex bolt, spring, the wire clip on the top of the seals. My problem is when I tried to remove the allen bolts at the bottom of the forks, they broke loose, but will not come out. Did I strip these out? If so what next? Any help would be appriciatied.

 

You'll need to take a bolt with a 19mm head about 2 to 3 inches long, then get 2 nuts and put them on the bolt and tighten the 2 nuts together,( i welded mine) then put it into the top of the tube. get a couple long extentions and a socket and hold the rod inside. then you should be able to take it apart.
The rod inside has a inverted hex and the bolt head will engauge it.
Let us know if it works out.

 

Those allen bolts have a counterpart they are screwed into on the inside of the forks that needs to be held still while you turn the bolts out -- have you been doing this? Requires a 19mm nut on the end of a shaft to hold the inside portion still.

 

That makes since. I will try this tonight and let you know how I get along. Thanks for the help.

 

I created my own tool for this using a length of threaded rod with a bend in the top for a handle. Put on two 19mm nuts at the bottom -- one regular, one castle nut with a cotter pin. Drilled hole through rod for the pin.

Locked the two nuts together at the bottom of the rod, pinned it for security, hammered exposed pin bits flat, wrapped the rest of the handle in two layers of thick heat-shrink. Voila - instant tool.

 

If you don't have the 19mm nuts handy you can also reverse a sparkplug socket and use the 19mm hex on it's end. Not all sparkplug sockets have 19mm so check it with a 19mm wrench.

 

Ok guys, I tried to create my own tool, welding a bolt with the head down to a rod a little smaller than the bolt shaft. When I slide it down the pipe it gets stuck about where the seal is. Is there a tight clearance at that point? Is there something else below the spring that needs to be removed?

 

When you get to that point doesn't the tool engage the damper rod and slip into the inverted hex? If I remember right the damper rod is about 10 or 12 inches long.
I just thought of something else, you might want to try a 17mm bolt.
someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I seen somewhere that maxim x or some other model had a different size damper rod.

 

I've used the impact gun for years without a single hitch. The tool that I've seen referred to has a steep pyramid on the end of it, designed to drop down into the damper piston hole to what ever size the damper needs. Expensive little toy. The swaged bolt idea works well so long as you've extensions long enough to employ it. Good ideas, one and all. Nice photo too, please concider posting it.

 

I hope I'm not to late.700max. I have deleted part of the above post.
An impact gun is probably a no-no.
I work on heavy construction equipment and large trucks and it's nothing for me to grab an impct gun and go to work. But the xj is far more timid creature and needs a little kinder touch.
So I hope I'm not to late. The tool is bar far the way to go.
Sorry

 

I hope I'm not to late.700max. I have deleted part of the above post.
An impact gun is probably a no-no.
I work on heavy construction equipment and large trucks and it's nothing for me to grab an impct gun and go to work. But the xj is far more timid creature and needs a little kinder touch.
So I hope I'm not to late. The tool is bar far the way to go.
Sorry

 

The bar is a fine and approved method, and I wouldn't dream of using the gun to reassemble the forks, but for disassembly, I'm not sure I agree. I've done 5 sets of fork seals in the past 5 years and not a problem one with hitting the allen bolt with a gun to remove it. Any problems on your end Rich? I'm assuming you had a bad experience. I'll also say your explaination makes sense. I wouldn't use on on anything for assembly, it would ruin more parts than it was worth.

 

I used one myself when I did mine, but I just didn't think I should be telling other folks to do it.

 

I'll agree with you that one should use caution and care when doing this evolution with an impact. It is way to easy to bugger up the mechanisim if you were to just jump in there and blaze away. Heck, I'll bet you could even get the bolt started again if you dial the gun down to it's lowest setting, just gotta watch when the bolt stops spinning and finish by hand. The trick is to judge just when the bolt catches the fork housing (I did it once but thought better of it the next time, bought a 1/4" impact for the application, less risk). I'm assuming you used a 1/2" as I did?

 

Yes to break it loose I used the 1/2inch. I tried my 3/8 drive but it was to weak.:-(

 

Zipped mine right out with 3/8 high speed impact, put them back same way, just watch torque. Didn't use a tool. Factory install does use a thread loctite and i did re-assemble mine with loctite.

 

Just wanted to let everyone know I finally got the chance to work on the bike again, and got the damper rod out. JDRich was on the right track when he said it might be a different size. It is actually larger than 19mm. Thanks for all the help.

 

Success? How did the post-op go? Details please. I'm assuming you were able to reassemble it.

 

Not total success yet. I just got damper rod out. I plan to finish it up tonight, so if all goes well I will be riding again tom..

 

Hey 700max - How did things turn out? I ask because I am seeing oil on one fork and I am on the fence about doing this myself or finding a shop. I would rather wrench than pay, but then again I would rather ride than wrench in summer...