Easiest way to remove the top clip from from the forks?

[Twisthem488]

I need to change out the fork seals on my newgen, and hopefully stop the leaking that's occurring. Since I've never done it before I felt much more comfortable trying it with a spare set of forks, so I bought some old 2004 forks on the cheap to perform a trial run. So my forks came in and I prepared to take them apart. Everyone says breaking free the bolt that holds in the damper rod is the hardest part, but both of mine loosened up without to much fuss. My question is, how the frick do you take out the clip in the very top?

This might have an easy answer, since it would normally be done while the forks are still in the triple tree, and that way the are clamped down. Unfortunately since mine are a spare set they aren't clamped into anything.
Using the image below as a reference, I know that you have to press 44029 down and then try to pick out 92033A. The problem I'm having is that whenever I press on 44029, the spring itself just compresses and the cap never clears the clip that I need to remove.

IF the forks are not in the tripe tree, is there an easy way to do this part? Apart from this, everything about taking apart the forks that has intimidated me for the past couple years was really easy. Now my main concern is that removing the forks from the bike will be as painless.

Side note, I can't attest to the quality of these forks, and since its a learning experience I don't intend to put new seals/bushings/oil in them, but if anyone ever finds themselves nearby and wants them when I'm done, they are all yours. The buyer on ebay said they are straight and did not leak.

[Triple Jim]

It looks the same as my pregen. I just push the cap down with a big philips screwdriver that I hold down with my chin while I use a jeweler's screwdriver to get under the clip near one end, and grab it with something like tweezers or long nose pliers. Then I work the screwdriver around and help it out with the pliers gently as needed.

[ducatiman]

Just did EX500 fork work this weekend...the owner assisted...a 2nd set of hands really helps...one to press downwards on the cap...the other to extract the circlip.

Easily done solo if the forks are assembled, a 2 jaw gear puller can be used to depress the cap, thus freeing hands for extraction.

[Twisthem488]

That looks like a helpful tool Ducatiman. What does it grab onto since the fork tubes are smooth up top?

[ducatiman]

"if the forks are assembled"....each jaw clips under the upper triple, the centerbolt then presses the cap

wiki pictures, info and options http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_...aps/pistons%3F

[InvisiBill]

Autozone has a small 2/3-jaw puller in their loan-a-tool program that works great (as long as the forks are still mounted).

[Twisthem488]

Originally Posted by ducatiman

"if the forks are assembled"....each jaw clips under the upper triple, the centerbolt then presses the cap

wiki pictures, info and options http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_...aps/pistons%3F

I'm as blind as I am ugly

[QUOTE=InvisiBill]Thanks! I might take advantage of that for the real fork seal replacement since they will still be mounted in the bike. I don't mind buying tools that I'll use often or with broad application but those gear pullers seems to have a very limited role. Borrowing one sounds right up my alley.

[Dave Wolfe]

Got a small wrench and small socket? This works better without the aftermarket clipons and using the other bolt hole but this shows how ive been doing it.

[Twisthem488]

Thats a neat trick.

Any suggestions if the forks aren't on the bike as is the case with my "trial" forks that I bought?

[Triple Jim]

As I said above, I just push the cap down with a phillips screwriver and hold it with my chin, etc.. (post #2 above). If it's not in the bike, you'd need to support it firmly somehow, leaning it on something, getting a friend to hold it for you, etc.. If a friend is available, maybe you can even use him instead of your chin. It's not a difficult thing.

If the slider is moving up when you push down, you need to hold the fork tube while pushing the cap. Something like a rag wrapped around the tube and the whole thing in a vise, or tie it to a tree, or whatever else you can make work.

[Dave Wolfe]

Originally Posted by Twisthem488

Thats a neat trick.

Any suggestions if the forks aren't on the bike as is the case with my "trial" forks that I bought?

Im thinking hose clamp some rubber material to the top of the upper fork tube, then use a two or three jaw puller hooked around the rubber/hose clamp? Or find a friend or two and manhandle the thing to submission. It doesnt take a lot of force with stock springs/spacers. You just need to somehow hold the upper tube while you press down on the cap. Otherwise you just compress the whole fork and the caps wont budge.

[ck.mecha]

I keep a spare upper triple clamp to work on the forks off the bike. Not only will it allow you to remove the cap easier, but you can clamp the upper triple clamp to your table and use it as a holder for the fork tube. Better than a vice, no scratches.

[cbinker]

That gear puller would offer the most stability and probably be the quickest way, especially if you intend to put stiffer springs in the tube.

[Triple Jim]

The Sonic springs I put in my pregen are much stiffer than stock, but do not have any more preload, so the clips are just as easy to remove as they were.

[Twisthem488]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

The Sonic springs I put in my pregen are much stiffer than stock, but do not have any more preload, so the clips are just as easy to remove as they were.

Tangential to this thread, this brings up a good point: I weight 210 (but have lost 26 lbs in the last 3 months!) and have been looking at stiffer springs. Stock is apparently .65 and racetech suggest .80-.85. Would you say stiffer springs are a worthwhile investment since I'll have the forks open? Does your bike feel much different after the upgrade?

Thanks for all the help everyone! I'm looking forward to at least working on them this weekend XD

[Triple Jim]

Since the OP has gotten several helpful posts to answer his question, I don't imagine some thread drift is harmful now.

I installed the Sonic springs per their instructions, and put a newgen rear shock+spring in the rear. Both the front and rear are similarly stiffer now, and well balanced with each other. Sonic recommends a lot of fork oil, and that amount makes it about impossible to get to full travel. I plan to experiment with that a bit.

The biggest differences so far are not bottoming out on modest bumps, and feeling noticeably more solid in curves. I didn't realize how much it was squatting in turns before, but it is more confidence inspiring now. That is, good handling has gotten better, and spirited turns are more relaxed. Last year on the Dragon, both my 115 lb daughter and I (175 lbs) had a few peg feeler scrapes. When it happened to me, I was hanging off pretty far, and was surprised to hear it. I'm pretty sure that won't happen next month when we again attend the annual 2-stroke meet there.

[Ram Jet]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

Since the OP has gotten several helpful posts to answer his question, I don't imagine some thread drift is harmful now.

I installed the Sonic springs per their instructions, and put a newgen rear shock+spring in the rear. Both the front and rear are similarly stiffer now, and well balanced with each other. Sonic recommends a lot of fork oil, and that amount makes it about impossible to get to full travel. I plan to experiment with that a bit.

The biggest differences so far are not bottoming out on modest bumps, and feeling noticeably more solid in curves. I didn't realize how much it was squatting in turns before, but it is more confidence inspiring now. That is, good handling has gotten better, and spirited turns are more relaxed. Last year on the Dragon, both my 115 lb daughter and I (175 lbs) had a few peg feeler scrapes. When it happened to me, I was hanging off pretty far, and was surprised to hear it. I'm pretty sure that won't happen next month when we again attend the annual 2-stroke meet there.

Has anyone gotten rid of that silly O.E.M. snap ring and installed a proper snap ring that can be removed with snap ring pliers? When I change my fork oil I'm gonna try it.

Bill

[cbinker]

Originally Posted by Ram Jet

Has anyone gotten rid of that silly O.E.M. snap ring and installed a proper snap ring that can be removed with snap ring pliers? When I change my fork oil I'm gonna try it.

Bill

just get a $7 gear puller and use that to keep both hands free and you won't have to worry about the snap ring.

[Triple Jim]

I really don't see that the stock ring is particularly difficult to remove.

[Twisthem488]

Well I had some freetime today to look at it and realized that I made the problem a lot harder on myself. I Its much easier if the forks are still in the triple tree since then the stanchion is clamped down, but since I'm attempting this first on a spare set of forks before I do it for real I didn't have that luxury. It turns out that when I was pressing down on the top cap I needed to hold onto the stanchion, but my vital mistake was just pushing down on the cap and letting the spring/dampening rod compress, which puts far too much pressure on the cap. When I realized this I just held onto the stanchion with one hand was was fairly easily able to press down the cap with the other, but then I ran out of hands


I went through the link that Ducatiman posted again (which is different than the wiki entry I found for fork seal change and had some different info) and figured I'd try the screw trick. I drill a screw into my workbech about waist high, pressed the cap into it, and popped the clip and cap right out!

Thanks for the help everyone. I know that I am starting with limited knowledge and confidence, but I think that in the end I'll learn quite a bit. Until next time I have a stupid question

[Triple Jim]

Excellent!

[Ram Jet]

Originally Posted by Twisthem488

Well I had some freetime today to look at it and realized that I made the problem a lot harder on myself. I Its much easier if the forks are still in the triple tree since then the stanchion is clamped down, but since I'm attempting this first on a spare set of forks before I do it for real I didn't have that luxury. It turns out that when I was pressing down on the top cap I needed to hold onto the stanchion, but my vital mistake was just pushing down on the cap and letting the spring/dampening rod compress, which puts far too much pressure on the cap. When I realized this I just held onto the stanchion with one hand was was fairly easily able to press down the cap with the other, but then I ran out of hands


I went through the link that Ducatiman posted again (which is different than the wiki entry I found for fork seal change and had some different info) and figured I'd try the screw trick. I drill a screw into my workbech about waist high, pressed the cap into it, and popped the clip and cap right out!

Thanks for the help everyone. I know that I am starting with limited knowledge and confidence, but I think that in the end I'll learn quite a bit. Until next time I have a stupid question

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." - Socrates

I'm 69 and still learning. As a friend of mine used to say "I taught you everything I know and ya still don't know nothin'."

Bill

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by Ram Jet

Has anyone gotten rid of that silly O.E.M. snap ring and installed a proper snap ring that can be removed with snap ring pliers? When I change my fork oil I'm gonna try it.

Another tip is just to bend the last few mm of the ring while you have it out. That gives you a little "tail" to grab next time you're taking things apart.

[Ram Jet]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

Another tip is just to bend the last few mm of the ring while you have it out. That gives you a little "tail" to grab next time you're taking things apart.

Great idea! Sort of like some piston pin circlips. Less expensive than snap rings also. Thanks. What do I do with the new snap ring pliers I just bought?

Bill

[Triple Jim]

You'll find out soon enough.