K1 front fork disassembly help needed

[larry9901]

Hello,
i need help disassembling my front forks.
How do you get the lower half separated from the rest of the assembly?
i may be in a little bind. I loosened the lower screw as shown where the screwdriver is in hopes that that's how the lower would be removed.
Now that it won't come apart I was just going to tighten the screw back up and move on to something else in the time being.
Well, it seems as the screw just keeps on turning without tightening.

So how do I get it separated, and once separated how do I tighten that screw back down once I put them back together?
lol. I know I'm probably over thinking this. Hopefully it's something simple that I'm just over looking.

 

[tarkus4]

That screw is not the answer to taking the forks apart, as a matter of fact I do believe I read that it will cause a leak that is hard to stop. Look at the top of the lower leg and you will see a snap ring above the seal. Remove the snap ring and take a block of wood and place it on the lip. While holding the fork leg tap down on the wood till the seal is even with the top of the lip. It should then pull apart.

 

[larry9901]

That screw is not the answer to taking the forks apart, as a matter of fact I do believe I read that it will cause a leak that is hard to stop. Look at the top of the lower leg and you will see a snap ring above the seal. Remove the snap ring and take a block of wood and place it on the lip. While holding the fork leg tap down on the wood till the seal is even with the top of the lip. It should then pull apart. View attachment 19493

Thanks

Shoot,
I'm going to have to find a way and figure out how to remove that chrome ring. Any suggestions?
Ugh

 

[Tripod]

You should invest in a good set of snap ring pliers. You will end up using them on other parts of the bike also.

 

[larry9901]

Any tips on removing that chrome piece where the snap ring is?
I've already busted two strap wrenches trying to remove it.
Ugh. Frustrated.

 

[OLD CT]

The chrome pieces are a slip on fit,i would heat them up as best you can without ruining the chrome of course,and they should slide off easier. The other method is tap them up with a punch after heating and soaking with penetrant.

 

[larry9901]

The chrome pieces are a slip on fit,i would heat them up as best you can without ruining the chrome of course,and they should slide off easier. The other method is tap them up with a punch after heating and soaking with penetrant.

My gosh,
Man I've tried heating, banging, pb blaster, strap wrenches and they still won't budge. I am close to damaging them as well.
Feel like throwing these forks in the garbage.

There has to be a trick to doing this.
Ugh.... Very frustrated.

 

[kirrbby]

Do you know what's holding them? Rust? Dirt? They are supposed to slide straight up. Maybe try rapping them all around with a rubber mallet to break the rust and the bond. Maybe protect the chrome and squeeze them with some channelocks starting at the bottom they should flex very slightly hopefully loosening the bond. Maybe a piece of wood with a sharp edge, 1x4 etc put the sharp edge against the edge of the chrome sleeve and rap the wood with a hammer all the way around, trying to drive the sleeve up and off. They need to slide about 1-1/2" to get off of the fork leg. I think rapping with a rubber mallet should free them. The goal with the mallet is to crunch up the rust/dirt that is between the chrome sleeve and the aluminum fork leg. Then keep trying to twist and pull them off. Good luck.

 

[kirrbby]

Maybe a dumb question but, you have removed the springs, right? The springs are what hold those pieces in place.

 

[larry9901]

Hey kirrbby,
Yes the springs have been removed! I'm not sure what's holding them on. They are somehow bonded though.
I've been hitting on them pretty hard and there has been no movement.

 

[kirrbby]

Those sleeves should have almost 1/16" clearance all around. Maybe try slipping a feeler gauge or wire or something in there to see if you find rust or dirt. When you look down from the top do you see anything in there. Maybe the plastic seat from the spring, (I think they have seats) or heavy rust on the sliding portion of the shock leg?

 

[kirrbby]

Maybe oil has leaked out and become sticky... maybe some brake clean sprayed around will reveal something?

 

[larry9901]

When I look down from the top everything looks clear.

There is no room for a feeler gauge between the chrome piece and shock at the bottom


As you can hopefully see, the chrome piece is starting to get damaged from all the different object I hit it with.
I really don't want to ruin it, but it ain't budging.

 

[kirrbby]

Ya, there should be clearance there. There is something in there. Looks like paint or old gooey hydraulic oil. Brake clean or a soak in lacquer thinner maybe. Or a pair of channelocks and a replacement set. I could rob some off of another set of legs if you trash yours. BTW. That view is from the bottom of the leg, I was thinkin of the other end for the spring seats.

 

[larry9901]

Here is the view from the other end


If i do destroy them I might have to take you up on the spares you have.
In the meantime, I'm going to soak them some more.

 

[kirrbby]

When I look down from the top everything looks clear.

There is no room for a feeler gauge between the chrome piece and shock at the bottom
View attachment 19503

As you can hopefully see, the chrome piece is starting to get damaged from all the different object I hit it with.
I really don't want to ruin it, but it ain't budging.

This pic answered 50 questions. There is something foreign in there that has it glued together. When all else fails, heat will likely be the cure. Again, I would be beating it with a rubber mallet. If you lay the chrome sleeve across a 2x4 on the floor, crossways so you can roll the sleeve along the wood, and rap on the lower half which is where the glue is, it should cause the sleeve to go very slightly egg shaped with every blow. This should hopefully get it to spread on one side hopefully breaking the bond, and compress on the other side hopefully crunching or flattening the glue and breaking the bond. Roll it and beat it. That's about all I got. Otherwise heat softens most glue and goo and paint, or more heat burns it out.

 

[scooter]

From my bag of tricks. I keep this clamp (below) in my tool box and use it to protect the edge of the tubes when I tap them off. I believe it is a 1.5 inch pipe hanger. Believe I found it in the electrical section at Home Depot.


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[larry9901]

From my bag of tricks. I keep this clamp (below) in my tool box and use it to protect the edge of the tubes when I tap them off. I believe it is a 1.5 inch pipe hanger. Believe I found it in the electrical section at Home Depot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks,
I'll give that a try tomorrow