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Help with 2003 forks

Tech section strictly for the FJR. Everything from oil changes & suspension setup's to removing sheep hair from hard to reach places on the bike so that your wife never finds out.
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Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by blind squirrel »

raYzerman wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:52 am I am an ass.... no mixing... OMG!! Bud Light is the closest thing there is to plain water...
No, that would be Michelob Ultra.
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Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by silverback »

Lots of farm equipment uses hydraulic cylinders, and they get pretty beat up. Scored piston shafts is common place.

I usually used some scotchbrite pads to smooth them out if it wasn't horrible. Worked pretty well.

I know you have new(er) forks, but if it is just minor scratches, you might try...huh huh huh...uhh....hand polishing your shaft...huh huh huh...
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Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by HotRodZilla »

silverback wrote: Wed Dec 18, 2019 1:41 pm Lots of farm equipment uses hydraulic cylinders, and they get pretty beat up. Scored piston shafts is common place.

I usually used some scotchbrite pads to smooth them out if it wasn't horrible. Worked pretty well.

I know you have new(er) forks, but if it is just minor scratches, you might try...huh huh huh...uhh....hand polishing your shaft...huh huh huh...
When my wife catches me hand polishing my shaft, I'm going to tell her you said it was the right thing to do.

These forks don't seem like they can be polished out. The imperfections seem more like chunks of chrome missing from rock hits. That's about all I can think of. I still need to send these off, but ice been up to my ears. My wife even asked me the other day, "What are you doing with these motorcycle pipes in this room?" Well, I'm sending them off to see if they can be fixed. When I get around to it. Lol.

The saga continues.
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Re: RE: Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by silverback »

HotRodZilla wrote:
silverback wrote: Wed Dec 18, 2019 1:41 pm Lots of farm equipment uses hydraulic cylinders, and they get pretty beat up. Scored piston shafts is common place.

I usually used some scotchbrite pads to smooth them out if it wasn't horrible. Worked pretty well.

I know you have new(er) forks, but if it is just minor scratches, you might try...huh huh huh...uhh....hand polishing your shaft...huh huh huh...
When my wife catches me hand polishing my shaft, I'm going to tell her you said it was the right thing to do.

These forks don't seem like they can be polished out. The imperfections seem more like chunks of chrome missing from rock hits. That's about all I can think of. I still need to send these off, but ice been up to my ears. My wife even asked me the other day, "What are you doing with these motorcycle pipes in this room?" Well, I'm sending them off to see if they can be fixed. When I get around to it. Lol.

The saga continues.
Go ahead and tell her. She knows you, doesn't know me, and I know enough about women to know they always blame the husband right or wrong!

Missing chunks of chrome plating is more than scotchbrite can handle, for sure.

Maybe use them for pole vaulting????
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Re: RE: Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by gixxerjasen »

silverback wrote: Thu Dec 19, 2019 6:13 pm Maybe use them for pole vaulting????
Needs to be longer, and fiberglass or carbon fiber. Also needs to be tuned to your particular weight and the height you are shooting for. Doubt they'll work for this purpose.
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Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by raYzerman »

Pitting or chrome missing... depends on how big I suppose, ScotchBrite them first, but if you can feel them sticking up (enough to cut a seal), then take a file and file them flush to the surface (carefully of course, don't go nuts), then polish with a strip of crocus cloth (900 grit or higher) as if you were doing a shoe shine. Now they won't cut the seal and they would have to be pretty big to leak past (chances are this is all above the seal area)... if chrome is indeed missing, they might rust but a little wipe once in a while should take care of that. You can easily do all this yourself.
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Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by HotRodZilla »

raYzerman wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2019 12:01 am Pitting or chrome missing... depends on how big I suppose, ScotchBrite them first, but if you can feel them sticking up (enough to cut a seal), then take a file and file them flush to the surface (carefully of course, don't go nuts), then polish with a strip of crocus cloth (900 grit or higher) as if you were doing a shoe shine. Now they won't cut the seal and they would have to be pretty big to leak past (chances are this is all above the seal area)... if chrome is indeed missing, they might rust but a little wipe once in a while should take care of that. You can easily do all this yourself.
I am supposed to be sending these to BikerChuck. I just haven't gotten it done yet. Why? Because I suck!!
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Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by silverback »

gixxerjasen wrote:
silverback wrote: Thu Dec 19, 2019 6:13 pm Maybe use them for pole vaulting????
Needs to be longer, and fiberglass or carbon fiber. Also needs to be tuned to your particular weight and the height you are shooting for. Doubt they'll work for this purpose.
You know way too much about pile vaulting.

I now hold you in suspicious contempt...

How do we know you are NOT a pole vaulting champion? (Ref: https://youtu.be/aB1eBJNbtAA )


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Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by gixxerjasen »

silverback wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2019 10:27 am
gixxerjasen wrote:
silverback wrote: Thu Dec 19, 2019 6:13 pm Maybe use them for pole vaulting????
Needs to be longer, and fiberglass or carbon fiber. Also needs to be tuned to your particular weight and the height you are shooting for. Doubt they'll work for this purpose.
You know way too much about pile vaulting.

I now hold you in suspicious contempt...

How do we know you are NOT a pole vaulting champion? (Ref: https://youtu.be/aB1eBJNbtAA )
I did it in high school. Like most things in my life, I managed to be just "OK" at it and never really good.
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Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by raYzerman »

HotRodZilla wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2019 1:11 am
raYzerman wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2019 12:01 am Pitting or chrome missing... depends on how big I suppose, ScotchBrite them first, but if you can feel them sticking up (enough to cut a seal), then take a file and file them flush to the surface (carefully of course, don't go nuts), then polish with a strip of crocus cloth (900 grit or higher) as if you were doing a shoe shine. Now they won't cut the seal and they would have to be pretty big to leak past (chances are this is all above the seal area)... if chrome is indeed missing, they might rust but a little wipe once in a while should take care of that. You can easily do all this yourself.
I am supposed to be sending these to BikerChuck. I just haven't gotten it done yet. Why? Because I suck!!
Well, I was remiss in my suggestions... best way to check for pitting that might damage a seal is for you to drape your panty hose over the tube and see if they snag..... :o :shock: :P
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Re: Help with 2003 forks

Post by HotRodZilla »

raYzerman wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2019 1:00 pm
HotRodZilla wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2019 1:11 am
raYzerman wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2019 12:01 am Pitting or chrome missing... depends on how big I suppose, ScotchBrite them first, but if you can feel them sticking up (enough to cut a seal), then take a file and file them flush to the surface (carefully of course, don't go nuts), then polish with a strip of crocus cloth (900 grit or higher) as if you were doing a shoe shine. Now they won't cut the seal and they would have to be pretty big to leak past (chances are this is all above the seal area)... if chrome is indeed missing, they might rust but a little wipe once in a while should take care of that. You can easily do all this yourself.
I am supposed to be sending these to BikerChuck. I just haven't gotten it done yet. Why? Because I suck!!
Well, I was remiss in my suggestions... best way to check for pitting that might damage a seal is for you to drape your panty hose over the tube and see if they snag..... :o :shock: :P
No! Those were good suggestions. The pantyhose thing is unnecessary because the imperfections are big enough to see. Besides, there is no reason to risk ruining a good pair of pantyhose. They're so soft and comfortable...
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