circlip on fork - XJ750j

Ok... I think I'm having a "beginner moment" ... I've removed the forks to rebuild them, on an '82 Maxim.

I understand that I need to push down in the center on the top part, so I can pop out the circlip, and everything comes out. But I seem to be missing something.

When I press down, the whole tube pushes down like a shock normally does, not just the center piece. While fussing with it, I had circlip pliers and I did actually manage to pop out the circlip without even pushing the down. I loosened my grip slowly on the top, expecting the spring to push everything up, but... It just stayed in there, solid as before.

I imagined the mishap of losing an eye, so I popped the circlip back in and decided I better get some input from the Forum.

Maybe I missed a step? I'm not sure. The pictures in the manuals don't match mine. That always makes me uncomfortable -- one thing off and I'll start questioning if I'm on the right path. My fork tube has this hexagon top... which of course is much larger than any socket or wrench I have at the moment. I wasn't sure if that maybe needs to come off before I go further?

Here's pics of what I've got.

 

Your Maxim forks have "traditional" fork caps that unscrew.

The circllip you remove did have to come off, but you still have to remove the top cap. See that nut-looking thing? Lefty loosely. Apply penetrating oil first. The triple tree is a better thing to hold the fork legs in than a vice is.

 

I figured as much. Tomorrow = trip to home depot for a table vice and 24mm socket. That's what I get for not fully researching before I started taking things apart.

 

triple tree will not damage the fork tube like a vice can put tube in triple and put top of tube above clamp so you do not squeeze the cap threads
tighten triple tree bolts

 

Just plain don't pu the fork legs into a vice, especially if it will be a special purchase for this job.

 

No vice, got it...

I've got one fork tube back in the tree, clamped down tight. Holy hell, that cap's on there tight. I'm waiting for some liquid wrench to seep in... unless anybody's got other tips for getting that cap loose? I might look for a solid pipe to give myself better leverage on the socket wrench, but also don't want to topple the bike. It's just on blocks and center stand. No garage, so no ratchet straps, etcetera.

EDIT: Nevermind! Got it... Soo, a follow up question, for confirmation so I don't do something dumb. I'm imagining it makes sense to keep the tube in the triple-tree while I undo the hex on the bottom?

 

Sorry... a follow-up question. I know I can't use a vice on the stanchion (upper leg), and I realized I hadn't been clear. I meant putting the lower leg in a vice. With protection to not damage it, scratch it or otherwise. I know It wouldn't have solved my problem with the cap. But now I'm trying to remove the hex. I'm not seeing any other way to get the bottom hex out. It's currently still sitting in the triple tree, but that bottom leg just spins around.

Soooo... use vice, but be gentle? ...or I'm being dense, and there's some perfectly obvious other solution for removing the hex? Currently, I've sprayed it a couple times with penetrating spray, but it doesn't budge, and I don't have any means to hold it still.

 

I bolt my lower to a piece of plywood then heat the hex bolt with propane torch (careful of fire) to soften the loctite. you may need to use an impact driver to break it free

 

Ahhh! ok. That's what the book was saying about the propane torch. Last night, I realized I was looking at instructions for a slightly different model.

Thank you! I'll give that a shot tonight. It sounds like the "perfectly obvious other solution" I was being too dense to think of!

 

Finally had a chance to get back to this. Forgive me, but I've got a couple more questions from a first-timer on fork rebuilding. I want to be sure I'm going down the right road.

I got the fork cap off, and pulled out the spring and everything--all as one unit so I knew how it went back in--and set that aside.

I bolted the bottom to a board, heated the hex for a moment or two, and the hex started unscrewing fine - XJ550's suggestion worked like a charm. It's looser now and turnable by hand, but it's not coming out the bottom, just turning and turning in place. Is that correct? I guess it's something inside the tube that the hex holds down is coming loose? I assumed the hex would come out like the book diagram shows.


Also, looking at the book, it mentions heating the top of the lower half, then quickly pulling up the stanchion. I assume it means I should 'slide-hammer' out the top stanchion to pull up the seal?
Here:


I want to make sure I understood this right. I just imagine melting rubber. After taking this photo, I tried using pliers, a small pen-knife and screwdriver to try and 'prise out' that dust seal, but only succeeding in chewing up the seal and stopping before I began to scratch the stanchion. The seal is still firmly in place. Trying to slide-hammer it out didn't seem to work either.

Maybe I'm just not understanding correct.. but I don't want to have to buy new forks!

UPDATE: unfortunately, I also just tried putting the whole fork back together with spring and all, then tried undoing the hex bolt. Still, just spins in place. Not coming out.

 

holy hell. It's official. I'm an idiot today and I don't follow directions. THAT's what the damn nut-on-a-rod tool's for. Instead, I was being the tool today!

Got the hex loose.

 

Trial and error....measure once cut many times...we have all been there ..don't feel bad but look as it this way you WILL be an expert after this.