'03 VN1600a classic fork seal problems.

[michaels]

I should just go on and say I should never touch tools. So I got the forks off the bike and then I got a hex wrench to loosen the drain plug on the first fork and it was a bit of a pain but finally got it broken loose. Turned it to loosen and remove it...and turned it and turned it and nothing. Finally drained the oil out of the top and looked down in there and could see stuff turning as the drain plug was turned, however it would neither loosen or tighten - just spinning around. Having read previously about people using broom handles to hold this stuff in place while they tightened the drain plug I stuck one down there and the plug bolt was tight. So since I had just drained the oil out the top I figured why mess with the drain plug...but - what the hell was so hard to break loose initially?!?! Thinking I screwed something up in there maybe? Replacement forks aren't too awfully bad, so....

Anyway - went on to removing the seals and while all the forums say this is easy, I broke 2 dental tools and bent a screwdriver trying to get those bastards out. They're still in there by the way. I thought maybe the fork tubes need to be separated to give me room to get another tool in there so I watched a few videos (none of which were kawasakis of course and the ones that were didn't show how to do this.) and went out there and attempted to separate the fork tops from the bottoms. I attempted for about an hour until my girlfriend made me stop because she thought I was going to have a stroke. I kinda thought so too.

WTH is the trick to getting those apart?!?!? I didn't want to use a rubber mallet but I was on my way downstairs to get one to beat the bottoms down while holding the tops when she stopped me. Most videos of other bikes said they're hard to separate but just keep popping them till they come apart. I churned butter with those damn things till I thought my arms were going to come off. Nothing.

So - I have put the springs back in the forks and reassembled them and they're in the trunk of the car so I can take them to the shop Tuesday. Now I think my wife is going to have a stroke.

But, I gotta ask...how do those forks come apart - or DO they?!?!? Anyone know of something I missed for future reference? I don't think I'll attempt to do this for now unless it's something simple I missed and once I get them separated it's easy.

Thanks in advance!