The BSA A7-A10 Forum

Technical (Descriptive Topic Titles - Stay on Topic) => Frame => Topic started by: Terryb on 24.09. 2025 14:47

Title: Fork Sliding Tubes Question
Post by: Terryb on 24.09. 2025 14:47
This maybe a silly question, but I am trying to fit Chrome Guards to my 62 A10 Flash, which I have bought from India and I want to improve the braking with a 8" TLS brake. My existing Forks assembly has the heavy full valanced mudguards, which I want change out for Super Rocket ones.

So I purchased some fork sliders from eBay which were fitted to a B31, but looking at the part numbers they are the same as fitted to a 59 Super Rocket. Refurbed the B31 sliders and I'm trying to fit the Stanchion Tubes into the B31 Sliders and they are tight, bloody tight. I understand that my old bushes should fit both A10's and B31's, so I'm thinking that I need to dress the bushes make them fit. Is that normal?
Title: Re: Fork Sliding Tubes Question
Post by: chaterlea25 on 25.09. 2025 11:01
Hi Terry,
Is it the bush into the leg is tight or the stanchion inside the bush?
The new bushes very often need honing to fit
Unless you buy matched sets of stanchions and bushes.
Also check the "new" sliders for ovality

John
Title: Re: Fork Sliding Tubes Question
Post by: sean on 25.09. 2025 12:38
export models of the 62 super rocket came with full valanced chrome fenders and the smaller petrol tank I believe it is 3  gallons  .....
Title: Re: Fork Sliding Tubes Question
Post by: Terryb on 25.09. 2025 19:56
It's the bushes into the sliders, I've now honed the Sliders and they are better when rotated to certain positions. Cir-Clips proved difficult to installed, but we got there eventually. This made the action even tighter.

The reason for changing to earlier forks is that it's 62 Flash and I don't like the the bullet Nacelle, I prefer the earlier headlamp bolted between ears. I also prefer Black and lots of chrome, so hence the changing of the guards.
Title: Re: Fork Sliding Tubes Question
Post by: Worty on 27.09. 2025 12:50
Circlips are a b*****d to get in.  As has been suggested elsewhere on the forum, invest in some mini, needle-nosed, locking pliers.  Get the first bit of the circlip in, clamp it with the pliers, then shove the rest of the clip in.  Once it's all in the tube, carefully manoeuvre it down into the recess by pressing evenly on each side whilst preventing it springing back up. I almost lost a fingernail before I knew what I was doing.

As for the bushes (done 12 years ago), they would not go in when new.  Honed out the sliders with sandpaper on the end of a long piece of metal rod attached to a drill.  When they did go in, it took several thousand miles of riding for them to work properly.  Last time I looked, the bushes had a lot of scoring on them, but work fine.  Maybe the scoring helps oil to seep past and lubricate them better, who knows. *dunno2* *dunno2*

Quick thought, would the scoring contribute to the seal leaking??

The l/h has to come off soon to replace the seal again (fourth time).  The r/h hasn't leaked in the 12 years since they were built.

Apparently, when both the forks are built up with the wheel on, one should leave the clamp bolts on the wheel spindle and mudguard fixings loose and bounce the bike a few times.  This 'centre's' everything up and settles the stanchions/sliders in the optimum position.

If I've dreamt this, I'm sure I will be corrected forthwith.
Title: Re: Fork Sliding Tubes Question
Post by: berger on 27.09. 2025 13:16
worty when urma yondas left fork leaked i found small pitting in the chrome so gave it some 1000 wet &dry . i fitted a new seal and it started to show signs of more leakage, so i managed to get a seal 1mm smaller inside bore giving it a squeeze factor. the only problem with this seal was the thickness the od was the same, i got mwas to make a spacer to take up the lost thickness and it stopped the weep, maybe it won't last for thousands of miles but it was fine for the 1500 odd miles i did before urma was sold and showed no signs of leaking .