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Old 11-25-2017, 07:58 PM   #1
michaels   michaels is offline
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'03 VN1600a classic fork seal problems.

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!



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Old 11-25-2017, 08:29 PM   #2
DragonLady58   DragonLady58 is offline
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No drain plug on lower folks.....not like older bikes....have to suck it out thru the top if you wanna change fluid.
If rebuilding, remove forks and then hang them upside down....
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Old 11-25-2017, 09:29 PM   #3
michaels   michaels is offline
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There was SOMETHING there I loosened!! :) It's a 2003...
 
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Old 11-26-2017, 06:20 AM   #4
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Best bet would have been to remove the lower bolt with the forks still assembled.
Before removing them from the bike, loosen but don't remove the top cover. Again while still clamped to the tree, remove the axle and remove lower bolts on on both axles, get a catch pan for the oil.
In hind site that would have worked :-). Going forward, since you have them off, get a broom handle, sharpen it slightly push it down in the center of the fork and use it to hold the interior parts while removing the allen head bolt from the bottom. You might need a helper unless ur a knuckle dragger :-) /
Since it''s turning, it shouldn't be too tight, hopefully someone didn't use red Loctite.......Mike
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Old 11-26-2017, 08:18 AM   #5
alwhite00   alwhite00 is offline
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Well at least the wife didn’t get mad at the girlfriend.



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Old 11-27-2017, 05:51 AM   #6
MAS Tequila   MAS Tequila is offline
 
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https://www.ronayers.com/oemparts/a/.../front-fork-a1

Look at the parts illustration, no drain plug.

You loosened the bolt that holds the cylinder in place.

You HAVE to be absolutely sure that it is back together or it is a safety concern.

Those forks should now be completely disassembled and put back together correctly.

There is a reason all of the videos and tutorials say to drain from the top.

Good Luck
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Old 11-27-2017, 05:55 AM   #7
MAS Tequila   MAS Tequila is offline
 
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From the manual

Fork Oil Change •Remove the front fork (see Front Fork Removal). •Hold the outer tube vertically in a vise. •Remove: Top Plug [D] (with O-ring [E]) Collar [C] Washer [B] Spring [A]
•Pour out the fork oil [A] with the fork upside down. •Hold the outer tube vertically in a vise. •Fill the front fork with the specified oil. Fork Oil Viscosity: SAE10W-20 Fork Oil Capacity (when changing oil): Approx. 445 mL (15.0 US oz.)
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Old 11-27-2017, 09:59 AM   #8
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The part I was saying to hold with a broom handle is 44023. It's not a drain plug as such although the fluid will come out but not all of it. As MAS said, should be totally disassembled and reassembled correctly........Mike
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Old 12-03-2017, 01:56 PM   #9
michaels   michaels is offline
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Thanks all - wound up taking them to the Kawasaki shop and let them deal with it! Got them back and installed. Did a rear shock upgrade to the performance suspension heavy duty ones at the same time as well as front and rear michelin commander tires and it rides MUCH better now. Now to figure out why the speedometer quit working!
 
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Old 12-04-2017, 03:50 PM   #10
DragonLady58   DragonLady58 is offline
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And just so you know....if you try to ride if you loosen that screw and don't fully disassemble that fork to tighten her back up, you can have it bind up, or worse yet, break off that screw allowing for a very dangerous situation to develop....
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Don't start no schit,
there won't be no schit....
*My Sarcasm is directly proportional
to the amount of Stupidity involved*
---------------------
VBA#03239
VROC#37400

VRA
---------------------
2014 Vaquero
2001 Nomad FI
2003 Street Glide (sold)
1500 Meanie, fresh rebuild (sold)
90s BUBF Bobber (sold)
2001 UltraCycle FatPounder (Sold)
1975 HD ElectraGlide (Sold)
1982 Kawasaki Z1 Chopper (Sold)
Suck It Up & Ride!
 
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