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The TTR250 FAQ web pages -> TTR250 -> Repairs and maintenance -> What a forking mess!
Post Info TOPIC: What a forking mess!
TTRfan


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What a forking mess!
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Fork mess.jpg

Replacing fork seals is a relatively straightforward job but I had forgotten how messy it can be!

No matter how carefully I drain the oil there always seems to be a residue that comes out to attack me disbelief

I got a few pairs of forks that I am going to fit new seals to etc so that they can go into stock and I am think that I will be swimming in fork oil come the end cry

Maybe I move the operation outside.... Trouble is its turning chilly again....

Brian



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Cubber


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That kitchen carpet is ruined now, Brian. Trish is going to be a tad annoyed. bleh

If she chucks you out you're welcome to slip round here and use my garage - I'll even put the kettle on and make a brew. biggrin

Martyn



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peteBLUEttr


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Get a sofa in the garage and get the beers on the go I say!!winkbiggrin



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Pete. South Somerset, England.
TTRfan


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It'll be a good test of the Floatex eh?   biggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrin

Anyways up - one fork down - new oil and dust seals fitted and just over 550cc's of Mr Silkolene's 5W finest fork oil needed to get the magic 130mm wink

Finished RH fork leg.jpg

 

Had to look at the "how to" page a few times.....

Just a few left to go through....

Fork pile.jpg

 

Methinks I need an apprentice smile

Brian



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TTRfan


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peteBLUEttr wrote:

Get a sofa in the garage and get the beers on the go I say!!winkbiggrin

 No room for a sofa Pete - I built the workshop too narrow as it turns out disbelief



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peteBLUEttr


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I was on about in Martyns! You can beer it up and tinker with your TTR's!

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ttr steve


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TTRfan wrote:

snip

Methinks I need an apprentice smile

Brian

 Might be up for the job, what's the hourly ratewinkwink



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TTRfan


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ttr steve wrote:
TTRfan wrote:

Methinks I need an apprentice smile

Brian

 Might be up for the job, what's the hourly ratewinkwink

A pasty and a pint per hour any good? My training sessions are quite cheap really biggrin 



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TTRfan


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The main reason for doing a full strip and rebuild on that fork was that I couldn't hear any oil running back and forth inside it. I wrongly assumed that (a) there was no oil in it and (b) that would have been caused by a leaking oil seal. Wrong disbelief

It had over 500cc of oil in it but I don't quite understand why I couldn't hear it moving in the fork confuse

Hey ho!

Brian



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ttr steve


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TTRfan wrote:
ttr steve wrote:
TTRfan wrote:

Methinks I need an apprentice smile

Brian

 Might be up for the job, what's the hourly ratewinkwink

A pasty and a pint per hour any good? My training sessions are quite cheap really biggrin 

 May have to start with 1/2 days..... 4hrs = 4pints and 4 pasties.... not much work is going to be done after that lotwinkwinkwink



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TTRfan


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I should have left this one to you Steve!

Damaged fork 2.jpg

Damaged fork 1.jpg

Damaged Fork 3.jpg

 

I must have spent at least an hour on and off trying to remove the bottom valve on this fork leg. 

The hex sides were damaged so I should have realised someone had tried to remove the valve before and had failed. However, I thought I was more clever so attacked it with the windy gun on full blast and it didn't move. I persisted until eventually the valve hex rounded out.

I then attacked it with a hammer and cold chisel - and then a bigger hammer - and then started drilling bits out - and then broke the side off the bottom fork leg casting disbelief

Not a good result!

Anyone want to buy a straight fork stanchion or other internals? Coz that's about all that is salvageable cry

Brian



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TTRfan


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As the fork is effectively scrap, I thought I would try the airline method of getting the dust and oil seals out.

Removed the snap ring. stuck the airline on the Schrader valve and took it up to 130lbs but all that happened is that I got a slight oil leak from the damaged hex head bolt no

Anyone else tried this method and it worked?

Brian



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TTRfan


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I wasn't going to let it beat me - I eventually got the lower valve assembly out wink

Bottom valve out.jpg



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hanzo


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Calmness and satisfaction glowed from the shed and a sense of well being was restored as the sun set over Exeter biggrinbiggrinbiggrin well done Brian



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petenz


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Is there a way of adjusting the spring preload "want it softer"
or do I have to play around with spring spacer lengths?
never had these forks apart....

just can't quite get the SAGs right...



Pete



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TTRfan


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Hi Pete

Sorry if I get a bit basic but it may help other owners.

First off is to make sure there hasn't been a build up of air pressure in your forks by letting it out through the Schrader valves on top.

Then try softening the forks by softening the damping - see below:

Adjusting front forks - blue.jpg

The only ways I can think of softening the front forks is to:

(a) try shorter length collars - parts 14 & 32 in the diagram below. To save cutting the original, find some waste pipe of the right diameter and use that to test different lengths.

(b) if you aren't sure what the oil is like in your forks, you could take the opportunity to drain it and refill. Use the lightest oil you can get. 

Brian



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petenz


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Thanks...
the forks are normaly quite good but the ride
on the week end had a few sections of very small
sharp bumps close togeather .. the front was not
great over them...
i found I had to go faster than I liked over them to keep the
bike just skiming the top of them....
i need the forks a bit more compliant...
still got the 05 YZF250 USD front end... should get it changed
to enduro valveing & put it in...
May have had the damping to high not letting the forks return enough
between bumps... so riding at a higher spring preload...

Pete

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TTRfan


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All done!

New oil and dust seals, 5W Silkolene fork oil and a jolly good clean plus resprayed the bottom legs in silver "wheel" paint wink

20160226_125509.jpg

Brian



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petenz


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Brian....
can the damping rod be un-screwed from the top cap
with out taking the forks completely a part...
so yer can get the spring spacer out....

 

Edit....

looks like it can be done..

just found a post of yours on replacing fork oil... very very helpfull indeedhandshake.gif number1.gif

 pic of a spanner between the spring & top cap

to hold the nut on the damping rod.....

Off to the shed I go..........

 

Edit no2....

Got it out no probs...

The new spacers are going to be in

2 parts "sides" so they can be sliped in & out

then I can make a few diffrent lengths to get

the sag correct....

Pete



-- Edited by petenz on Sunday 28th of February 2016 04:27:33 AM



-- Edited by petenz on Sunday 28th of February 2016 04:53:25 AM



-- Edited by petenz on Sunday 28th of February 2016 05:11:45 AM

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TTRfan


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Well done Pete!!!!   biggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrin

(Replacing fork oil thread here)

Brian



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TTRfan


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PS If anyone needs a pair of forks then the ones I refurbished are now in the eShop here wink

Brian 



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