Front Fork Refurb advice please?

[oldgreyandslow]

While the wheels are off being painted, I've refurbed the front calipers, new seals, HEL lines etc. However the fork tubes look a bit tatty and one of the dust seals is OK but it looks a little tired.

The forks are from a K model bike although the bike itself is an L. I have no idea when the fork oil was last changed.

They do seem to operate OK though.

I've looked through Haynes, had a look at some topics on here and I reckon removing them would be relatively easy.

However I have a couple of questions:

Having removed the forks would it be best to strip them to repaint the tubes? Or can I mask and cover the stanchions etc. Then just replace the tatty looking dust seals? Obviously once stripped I'd need new bushes etc.

Haynes mentions a circlip holding the mudguard brackets, I can't find the bloody thing? I'd like to get these off anyway as they seem to be a bit loose and make a knocking sound, I've seen a suggestion on another post about using silicone sealant or a wrap of insulating tape to stop this.

Cheers

[arsey30]

The circlip sits direct above the mounting, fitted in the fork groove.
I normally strip the forks so they can be painted with oven baked paint like powder coat or stove enamel, then replace seals and fluid.

My NC seals were OK, so as the forks have drain plugs, I changed the oil and had them base coat and laquered with air drying paint without taking them apart this time.

I have a good pair of dust seals if you want them.
They can be removed without destroying, by sliding a thin paint/wallpaper scraper under them and levering up all the way around.

[oldgreyandslow]

The circlip sits direct above the mounting, fitted in the fork groove.
I normally strip the forks so they can be painted with oven baked paint like powder coat or stove enamel, then replace seals and fluid.

My NC seals were OK, so as the forks have drain plugs, I changed the oil and had them base coat and laquered with air drying paint without taking them apart this time.

I have a good pair of dust seals if you want them.
They can be removed without destroying, by sliding a thin paint/wallpaper scraper under them and levering up all the way around.

Thanks Dave

So I could just paint them without taking them apart and change the dust seal for now then. Certainly seems less costly, which is definetly a good thing at the moment.

I didn't realise there was a drain plug, must study the manual a bit more! Sounds easier than taking everything apart.

[arsey30]

If yours have no drain plugs then turn them upside down to drain, you need to remove the tops to fill up anyway.
A more messy operation though.

[Neosophist]

Drain plug is a little screw at the bottom

Easy to miss... remove it and pump them up and down.. helps if you crack the top caps first... (jack the bike up a bit otherwise the compressed spring will cause the cap to come flying off.)

with the springs and the bike supported (if your doign it in the bike) the forks will be easy to move up and down and get the fluid out of.

The K forks come apart really really easy and are a doddle to mess about with.

I refurbed mine not long ago but have seen some Gold fork tubes quite cheap (around 60gbp a set) so might replace them with gold ones for that bling factor!

[oldgreyandslow]

Drain plug is a little screw at the bottom

Easy to miss... remove it and pump them up and down.. helps if you crack the top caps first... (jack the bike up a bit otherwise the compressed spring will cause the cap to come flying off.)

with the springs and the bike supported (if your doign it in the bike) the forks will be easy to move up and down and get the fluid out of.

The K forks come apart really really easy and are a doddle to mess about with.

I refurbed mine not long ago but have seen some Gold fork tubes quite cheap (around 60gbp a set) so might replace them with gold ones for that bling factor!

Thanks, I'll have a look for the drain plug.

Ive got the bike supported on an abba stand and headstock stand at the moment as the wheels are off being painted. Do I need to load the forks a bit to enable me to get the caps off?

I also assumed that I'd need to remove the forks fully from the yokes to fill with new oil and measure the level rather than do them in situ?

Gold Fork Tubes? Very bling! I was just going to treat mine to a coat of Ford Graphite Grey, it seemed to look OK on the calipers.

[Sligeach]

You could use nitromors with the forks still in tact and tatty seals still in situ. It wouldn't be ideal but with the right time and prep it could be alright.

Taking apart early type forks is child's play and with a Haynes and my YouTube video you can't put a step wrong

[oldgreyandslow]

You could use nitromors with the forks still in tact and tatty seals still in situ. It wouldn't be ideal but with the right time and prep it could be alright.

Taking apart early type forks is child's play and with a Haynes and my YouTube video you can't put a step wrong

Thanks, that video has been studied a few times already!

[Neosophist]

Drain plug is a little screw at the bottom

Easy to miss... remove it and pump them up and down.. helps if you crack the top caps first... (jack the bike up a bit otherwise the compressed spring will cause the cap to come flying off.)

with the springs and the bike supported (if your doign it in the bike) the forks will be easy to move up and down and get the fluid out of.

The K forks come apart really really easy and are a doddle to mess about with.

I refurbed mine not long ago but have seen some Gold fork tubes quite cheap (around 60gbp a set) so might replace them with gold ones for that bling factor!

Thanks, I'll have a look for the drain plug.

Ive got the bike supported on an abba stand and headstock stand at the moment as the wheels are off being painted. Do I need to load the forks a bit to enable me to get the caps off?

I also assumed that I'd need to remove the forks fully from the yokes to fill with new oil and measure the level rather than do them in situ?

Gold Fork Tubes? Very bling! I was just going to treat mine to a coat of Ford Graphite Grey, it seemed to look OK on the calipers.

Graphite grey on the lowers will look good.

You can do them in situ but removing them will make it a 1000x easier.

Hint.. loosen the cap with the forks clamped in the yoke, otherwise you'll find it a pain in the ass to undo it when there off the bike.