fork springs

[a10sausage]

hi i have just a fresh set of front fork springs... does anybody out there know the quickest and easiest way to change the  springs on my gold flash....cheers!

[beezalex]

Here's what I do

1. Place bike on centerstand (or lift or whatever gets the front wheel off the ground
2. Remove front brake cable
3. Remove front wheel and mudguard(removing the front wheel and mudguard makes things easier, but isn't required)
4. Remove pinch bolts on lower triple trees
5. Back off fork top nuts about halfway
6. Rap the nuts til the tubes pop out of their top taper
8. Pull the tubes out of the triple trees (you may have to drive a pair of screwdrivers into the slots of the lower triple trees to expand them.  This is where not having the wheel and mudguard in place really comes in handy)
9. Remove and replace springs
10. Install fork installation tool (If you don't have one, you can make one out of a length of all-thread, a couple of nuts, washers, an old fork nut with the hex ground off and the socket you used to take the top nuts off)

11. Use the installation tool to pull the tubes home.
12. Replace the rest of the stuff you took off.

[a10sausage]

thanks beezalex thats great...superb info....i will now tackle the job on friday on my day off work....cheers!

[a10sausage]

hi....i am just wondering....i dont think i will have time to make the fork puller tool by friday.....is it possible to do the job without the tool....haynes manual suggest a brush handle......honestly

[beezalex]

Yes, I've heard of the broom handle method but never used it myself.  I've even managed to do it with just a pair of vise grips, but at the end, my knuckles were bruised and fingers pinched and I resolved to get a tool.  The one thing I would do is stick a rag into the fork before inserting the broom handle...unless you want wood chunks in your forks.

[Lannis]

I've tried the "broom handle" method suggested by Haynes.  I consider it one of the dumbest ideas ever put into print.

All that's ever happened when I try it is that I leave a pile of shavings and splinters inside the fork, and the fork never moves far enough into the taper to attache, while I'm sitting on my idiot on the floor with a rough, splintered piece of broom handle in my hand.

I bought the tool about a month ago.  If you're handy with threaded rod, and creative with nuts and washers you can make one that looks like it, I wouldn't vouch for the performance!

Lannis

[bsa-bill]

I have used the broom handle method , it does work if you get a broom handle the right size ( you mey have to pare down a tad) but do stuff a cloth down first, you can leave a bit sticking up out of the top to help retrieve it.
I too was concerned about getting sawdust down there so have now got the tool, but if your stuk give the broom handle a go.

All the best -
bill