Help fork disaster

[Rich]

HELP I had a really bad day yesterday, having the incorrrect fork sliders on my bike and it being fitted with the deep valance mudguard, as I had received my new stanchions, bushes seals and seal holders.

I decided to remove the the two Y bracket fixing studs from some scrap fork sliders then I removed the flat bracket from my forks using a thin disc cuttter and then some heat to soften the braze, then I welded the stud units in the correct place on my excisting fork sliders.

All good thus far, but the bushes would not slide down pas where I welded, it looks like the weld expanded the tubes inwards and possibly distorted the tubes as well, try as I could I could not cure the problem.

So has anyone any spare fork sliders they can sell me, the type that take the Y bracket for the mudguard and the half clamps for the wheel spindle, there are some on ebay I know, I have tried contacting the seller but have had no reply, looking at his feedback his communication skills is not one of his better traits.

[Swarfcut]

 Rich
       I can beat that. Life ain't easy.

  Bid on an eBay fork leg , which arrived with a brazed mudguard mounting stud actually protruding into the bore of the slider, plus an accident dent half way down. "The pictures form part of the description," the usual disclaimer, said the listing.  If its a slider, it must slide and be fit for purpose. No mention of these faults in the listing, so went through the money back guarantee procedure, got the cash back and agreed with the seller to keep the scrap.

 So be prepared for disappointment buying unseen. Rusted bores and banana sliders, to name a couple of things unmentioned. Mis-matched sliders are another trick. Mudguard mounts, spindle mount, front brake hub locating peg all need care to get the right bits.

 Looks like you have now got two sets of scrap sliders. So, keep your new bushes and legs well away from these scraps. They are ruined anyway, so there is nothing to loose by attempting to grind away the high spots and assembling with the old bushes, good enough to rebuild to be able to have short term use until the right parts come along.

 Good luck searching, some look to be made of precious metal these days.

 Swarfy.

[TomL]

Hi Rich, it may be worth talking to srm. I saw them at the Stfford show last week and it looks like they are going to be making new sliders. Probably expensive though.

[Rich]

Swarfcut, the new parts are sprayed with ACF and repacked in the wrappings and boxed, I have put the old forks together, the lower bush has a few score marks but I am hoping it may slide with the sidecar springs back in, enough for me to finish building the bike,
TomL SRM will be expensive and also may not happen for a year or so, I have put a bid on one set and am watching the other set as it finishes after the one I have bid on, however the refurbished set at a buy it now price of £350 is someone having a laugh, I would rather fit japanese forks and front wheel!!
I will win in the end, any one have a large adjustable reamer?

[bsa-bill]

Just out of interest if anyone can advise - might be of help here or elsewhere

I bought a fork slider (Y bracket type) at an Auto Jumble years ago, it was labelled A10 had good threads, looked good and reasonable price, as often happens I missed the stamping on the axle forged bit at the bottom and found when I got home it stamped B31, It's still in my spares box but never got around to measuring it up, so does anyone know how it differs from A10 (if indeed it does)

[Swarfcut]

Rich, On your old sliders try a homespun flap wheel, abrasive paper in a split dowel, to clear out rust and crap, polish with a finer grade and then a good wash out. If you have any way of heating up the damaged slider enough to soften the tube, a series of increasing diameter "carrots" forced down may work to push the tube back out. Obviously requires access to a lathe and experimentation. Plus a foolproof way of extracting the carrot.

 Bill.. The ever useful Draganfly parts diagrams show the A10 fork bushes are common to many variants, so you can see that the same slider can have multiple applications, within model types and even different ranges. Fitment depends on mudguard style and mounting type, fore and act lugs for the stays,  type of backplate stop, then the type and size of wheel spindle used.  Basically you can take your choice to mix and match as required, as long as everything below the bottom yoke is chosen by correct fitment.

 Swarfy.

[berger]

swarfy my dad got a fairly bad dent out of my tiger cub fork after I came off by using the method you have mentioned with carrots , the dent was very near the bottom of the slider and he did it in the big lathe without using heat. it wasn't 100% but at least the forks worked without jamming anymore. the dent looked like it had been bashed with a ball pein hammer but after his effort it looked ok and more to the point I didn't have to ride with a ridged front end

[Swarfcut]

bergs, it is a great pleasure when a bit of lateral thinking comes up with the goods and you beat the system. Well done by your old fella, got you mobile again. Off to a winter barby today, welly boots, sou' wester, blankets. I shall raise a few glassies to all forum members. (Any excuse for the amber nectar)

 swarfy.

[Rich]

are the 350 fork sliders the same as the A10 sliders? they look the same except for the seal holders, which look like they take a gaiter, can you look at eBay item No 113711251004 an advice me, thanks

[JulianS]

Leave them they are from a C15.

Have you seen these?

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/42-5141-2-BSA-A7-A10-A50-A65-FORK-SLIDERS-A-PAIR-FLASH-STAR-ROCKET-SPITFIRE/352654452993?hash=item521bd7e901:g:0ugAAOSwXcVcyq4v

[Rich]

I thought the later C15 used a heavy weight fork assy, that was the same as the B44 and A7/A10?

[JulianS]

The earlier C15 competition model forks with full width hub used a smaller diameter spindle and same fork seal holder as the A10. later C15 competition forks used a screw in spindle.

The ones in the ebay item you posted are lightweight forks.

[Rich]

Thanks, I put an offer in but he came back with a counter offer so I will leave them, getting a bit desperate, I hate eBay bidding, someone always outbids me then I end up with nowt

[RDfella]

Rich – all is not lost. Just think of the things you have to do to repair worn / damaged parts on classic cars.
Your first post tells us you have heat / welding equipment. Here’s what I would do (as per Swarfy’s advice).
Turn up (or get someone to turn up) a mandrel that’ll just fit in the slider (a few thou over bush size). The mandrel needs to be at least an inch long x said diameter. Chamfer both ends. Either weld a good shaft to it or make a thread to take a substantial threaded drawbar – eg 16mm threaded rod.
Now apply red heat to offending area and drive in mandrel. Lightly tap around damaged area with a hammer whilst mandrel is below. Job done.

[bsa-bill]

Turn up (or get someone to turn up) a mandrel that’ll just fit in the slider

yes that's much like the method I used on one fork leg except not having a lathe I used an old stantion and bush