front fork rebuild

[philharmonic]

My 07 FJR has been making funny noises for a long time, and now it's weeping fork oil. I also want to install racetech fork springs and, if possible, new sliders, so I am back to NEW or maybe a little better. I have purchased a fork seal replacement tool, and I have a compresser and an air gun. I do NOT have any way to remove the middle slider. I am reading all the info on the web about how to do all this and I have a garage to work in. If there is anyone on the forum who is local to me. Laurens, SC 29360. and needs to do this also, maybe we can work together and do both. Either one at a time, or at the same time. PM me if your interested, either at my place or yours. Phil

[gixxerjasen]

We really don't need to bring my name into this.

The middle one will remove with the slide technique, if you do the technique right. I highly recommend getting help or taking it somewhere like Traxxion because doing it wrong could potentially be frustrating and expensive. FYI, most don't reinstall the middle one and even though I provided them to Traxxion they did not install them and I felt no perceptible difference in them.

[wheatonFJR]

We really don't need to bring my name into this...

Doncha love it when people use your forum handle as a verb...

[raYzerman]

Using the usual slide hammer technique, the middle bushing will come out..... there is a potential, as the middle bushing hits the upper bushing, the lower bushing goes inside the middle thus expanding it and jamming it, causing the surrounding air to become blue and your swear jar fills up. BFH rubber hammer, pound it back, may have to repeat a few times. A trick if there is such a thing is not to pull in perfect alignment, make that lower offset the middle, BUT, the secret is to heat up the upper bushing area quite hot (do not melt the aluminum!!) until you can burn yourself, and slide away. The upper bushing crazily is an interference fit, thus in there under significant pressure. Heating the aluminum will expand the bore.

If you want some practice, I have a set of forks here that have had no cartridges or oil in them for a coupla years or more. I can't get them apart, maybe you can..... NOT. I have gixxerjasen'd one of them.... but I haven't given up yet.

My new opinion on spring kits, go with the Traxxion springs, they come with the spacers pre-cut, and the plastic bushings that keep the springs centered (you pay $50 extra to RaceTech for this). EZPZ.

[gixxerjasen]

Yep, advice I was given after the fact is to slide like you are trying to bend it. Give a pull on the inner tube so the bushings don't hit square. If you feel it slide inside the other one more than once, stop. Take it somewhere.

Interesting Ray, didn't know you gixxerjasen'd yours. And you did the full gixxerjasen unlike HRZ with Mountain's forks. Good show sir. Now we have a matching pair.

Just think though, if you'd done it first, raYzerman could be a verb.

[HotRodZilla]

Yep, advice I was given after the fact is to slide like you are trying to bend it. Give a pull on the inner tube so the bushings don't hit square. If you feel it slide inside the other one more than once, stop. Take it somewhere.

Interesting Ray, didn't know you gixxerjasen'd yours. And you did the full gixxerjasen unlike HRZ with Mountain's forks. Good show sir. Now we have a matching pair.

Just think though, if you'd done it first, raYzerman could be a verb.

Shit, after helping do Josh's forks the biggest thing I learned was, I will NEVER do my own forks if I don't have to. I have access to an awesome Yamaha guy that will knock that out for me for a couple hundred. Totally worth the cost. You guys that do your own forks have my respect!

[philharmonic]

Just curious, what do the "professionals" do that we can't do? Is there a tool?

[wheatonFJR]

Just curious, what do the "professionals" do that we can't do? Is there a tool?

Yes, gixxerjasen is in the house...so yes, there IS a tool.

Seriously though, if I was gonna have an issue with front forks on a 2007...I would probably call up the best shade tree mechanic (IMO)there is. I believe he has a 2007 and lives somewhere near Laurens, SC.

[gixxerjasen]

they'll likely do a similar task, they just have more experience in doing it. You can get your own experience, just know that sometimes experience is expensive. I can personally attest to this.

I do my dirt bikes and stuff now, but that inner bushing, I'd sent off to Traxxion or someone. Once that middle bushing is out of there, I don't think I'd be scared of it. That said, when it comes time to rebuild my FJR forks, they'll go to Traxxion, simply because the AK20's are in there, but I'd do the rest of them myself.

[philharmonic]

Alright, one more question before my name becomes a verb.

Is there a place that is good at doing this or that one of you has experience with, within driving distance of Greenville, SC. I can't imagine having to ship these both ways to someone.

[philharmonic]

I wrote the above post, thinking about what I will do if I gixxerjason up the forks and need someone to un-gixxerjason them not to do the whole job. LOL

[wheatonFJR]

Alright, one more question before my name becomes a verb.

Is there a place that is good at doing this or that one of you has experience with, within driving distance of Greenville, SC. I can't imagine having to ship these both ways to someone.

Phil er harmonica: I have driven my forks up to...
Cogent Dynamics,
33 Meadow Brook Dr,
Fletcher, NC 28732, United States

Might be handy in case you harmonica-size your forks.

[Steel_Gin]

I am sharing this on the condition no one asks me how I know/learned this. Don't forget to remove the Snap Ring & seal, #10 & 35 on the diagram for my '12, before you start trying to remove the middle slider. It does a very good job keeping it in place.

[wheatonFJR]

Sounds like more than one Gen2 owner have had to fight with that middle bushing...gixxerjasen has been everywhere!

[gixxerjasen]

I am sharing this on the condition no one asks me how I know/learned this. Don't forget to remove the Snap Ring & seal, #10 & 35 on the diagram for my '12, before you start trying to remove the middle slider. It does a very good job keeping it in place.

This shall be known as deanging your forks.

If you fully gixxerjasen (use the whole name plesase ) your forks, you cannot un-gixxerjasen them. You have a brand new very expensive paperweight. Mine has been to both the local Yamaha dealer and to Traxxion and both returned them telling me I was scewed.

[philharmonic]

Alright, one more question before my name becomes a verb.

Is there a place that is good at doing this or that one of you has experience with, within driving distance of Greenville, SC. I can't imagine having to ship these both ways to someone.

Phil er harmonica: I have driven my forks up to...
Cogent Dynamics,
33 Meadow Brook Dr,
Fletcher, NC 28732, United States

Might be handy in case you harmonica-size your forks.

Now that would really toast my buns if I had to go up into the mountains with PARTS of my motorcycle instead of my whole motorcycle.

[wheatonFJR]

Alright, one more question before my name becomes a verb.

Is there a place that is good at doing this or that one of you has experience with, within driving distance of Greenville, SC. I can't imagine having to ship these both ways to someone.

Phil er harmonica: I have driven my forks up to...
Cogent Dynamics,
33 Meadow Brook Dr,
Fletcher, NC 28732, United States

Might be handy in case you harmonica-size your forks.

Now that would really toast my buns if I had to go up into the mountains with PARTS of my motorcycle instead of my whole motorcycle.

Sometimes a little at a time is progress.

[1911]

Just curious, what do the "professionals" do that we can't do? Is there a tool?

Yes, gixxerjasen is in the house...so yes, there IS a tool.

Seriously though, if I was gonna have an issue with front forks on a 2007...I would probably call up the best shade tree mechanic (IMO)there is. I believe he has a 2007 and lives somewhere near Laurens, SC.

Shadetree?......SHADETREE?!?!?!?

I have a nephew that's an arborist.

I don't need any fork work at the moment Phil, but we do need a trip to Wade's on either Turkey and Dressing day or Chicken and dressing day

https://www.eatatwades.com/daily-menu

And I am certainly willing to laugh at spectate if you think you might gixxerjasen or deang something up

edit: +1 on traxxion

and there is also https://www.bubbasbbqandbash.com/menus/

[wheatonFJR]

Whups...Looks like I stepped in it again!

What I thought it meant, I guess it doesn't...my apologies. I thought it was a person who could MacGyver anything out of a twisty piece of wire and a piece of rubberband. I have just learned it isn't...and have offended my friend. Sorry!

[philharmonic]

Just curious, what do the "professionals" do that we can't do? Is there a tool?

Yes, gixxerjasen is in the house...so yes, there IS a tool.

Seriously though, if I was gonna have an issue with front forks on a 2007...I would probably call up the best shade tree mechanic (IMO)there is. I believe he has a 2007 and lives somewhere near Laurens, SC.

Shadetree?......SHADETREE?!?!?!?

I have a nephew that's an arborist.

I don't need any fork work at the moment Phil, but we do need a trip to Wade's on either Turkey and Dressing day or Chicken and dressing day

https://www.eatatwades.com/daily-menu

And I am certainly willing to laugh at spectate if you think you might gixxerjasen or deang something up

edit: +1 on traxxion

and there is also https://www.bubbasbbqandbash.com/menus/

Wow, I could eat at BOTH of those restaurants, often, as long as someone doesn't rat me out to my Cardiologist.

As far as my forks go, I have MacGyvered my left fork seal with a homemade piece of milk carton, {I prefer Bordens since my son works there, LOL} and we will see what happens, I have not, as yet, ruined my brake shoes, so I have that to look forward to.