This weekend I have the delightful job of replacing the fork seals in the forks I acquired last year that were supposedly fresh from overhaul and had seen little use. Now, at some point I am anticipating fitting RO's front end internals on the bike, but since I've rinsed a silly amount of money in the last month or two I'd rather not spend any more just yet!

So, if I want to pull all the guts out of the forks at a later date, do I need to take the upper and lower sections of the fork apart, or can I just remove the top bolt and take out the internals? While it is probably possible to take the whole lot to bits without disturbing the seals too much, sod's law says I'll end up buggering one or both of them up while doing so. I could always polish up the old ones and use them for a while before acquiring the bits and doing seals and internals to the newer ones later on. The old ones didn't leak, but the stanchions are a bit pitted and manky. The idea was to have a spare set of forks so I could get the existing ones replated and fit the RO stuff when I got them back. Yet another one on the list of "I'll do that one day" that never happens... lol

Also, is it possible for a very average home enthusiast to remove the lower part of the lower fork leg (ie the painted bit that the axle goes through) from the lower stanchion, or slider, or whatever Honda call it, or does that need a press? Ideally my old ones need painting or coating, and the tubes need either replacing or replating if I am going to do a proper job with them.

I need to change the fork seals on my forks too - put a little how to together so I can follow it please!

Sorry I cant help as I haven't tried yet but I have the RO upgrade to fit too.

you can change oil and springs by only removing the top caps

you can only change seals if you also undo the damper rod bolt and split the forks.

the fork bottoms unscrew..

bosh!

Do you mean the fork bottoms are actually screwed onto the end of the tube, or are held on by screws?

The forks will be split to do the seals, obviously, however if they need to be split again to remove the internals then I would wait. To confirm, I'm intending to fit RO's fork uprate kit when I have the money, and possibly a revalve kit as well. I just want to know if the forks need splitting to do the latter. I'm not entirely sure what the revalve kit comprises of, although my current suspicion is that it is a replacement for the bits attached to the top cap of the fork leg?

One other thing, there appears to be on o-ring under the top assembly on the fork leg. Is this is a replace on removing part, or a change only if necessary one? I don't have the Haynes to hand....

the bottoms are screwed onto the legs - I think they have a little grub screw somewhere too - never done RVF but am sure that is the crack.

the damper cartridge comes out with the lot when the damper rod undone.

A revalve kit involves taking the cartridge to pieces and replacing shims etc - you sure you are doing that? or, you would replace the whole cartridge with something else.

The top cap is just the adjustment - it drives the preload as you know and also it adjusts the valve needle which I believe is a combined adjuster for these cartridges. nothing to change here really.

As I understand from the description, the RO revalve kit is a completely rebuilt cartridge with the valve(s)/shims chosen to suit the weight/style of the rider, and presumably you send yours back as an exchange ("exchange compression valve assemblies"). So all I would be doing is removing the guts and changing parts out. I'm not qualified to choose and replace the individual bits that make up the assembly.

One last thing. I recall the Haynes says you shouldn't remove the bushes unless you are replacing them. Why is this? Are they somehow damaged upon removal or are they scaremongering? Ideally I'd like to have a quick inspection of them to make sure they aren't excessively worn or damaged. Can I actually do this without removing them and how do I tell? I seem to recall than on another thread it was said that they are coated bushes, and if you can see plastic through the coating they are shot?

swapping cartridge is a screw on/off job - just be careful with it

checking bushes - aye, if they look worn then they will be - they are coated and so any striations with be a bad thing.

No need to remove the damper rod to change the seals and bushes on RVF forks.

All ricks kits consists of is oil and springs so yes you can change the seals/bushes now and then fit ricks kit at a later date without disturbing the seals.

One final question, hopefully. I'm pretty sure the bottom bolt at holds the damper rod in is an allen type bolt. What size allen will I need for it?

speedy231278 wrote:One final question, hopefully. I'm pretty sure the bottom bolt at holds the damper rod in is an allen type bolt. What size allen will I need for it?

6mm, and a long one will help (assuming its the same size as the NC30-K one). I am having trouble getting one of mine out at this very moment. The 'broom handle holding the internals' while I lean on the allen key isn't working. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

Matt