[dunthyon]

Hey all; I have a 97 Vn750 I'm rebuilding and right now the front forks are giving me a pain. I can't loosen the Allen bolt on the bottom at all and the top won't compress for me to take out the retainer clip at all. These are the two most important parts of changing the seals, so any ideas?

 

[WilliamTech]

Hey all; I have a 97 Vn750 I'm rebuilding and right now the front forks are giving me a pain. I can't loosen the Allen bolt on the bottom at all and the top won't compress for me to take out the retainer clip at all. These are the two most important parts of changing the seals, so any ideas?

Hi dunthyon, I replaced front seals w/o those problems.
I have heard of stubern(sp?) fork bolts, but do not recall resolution. :frown2:
Do the bolt heads appear rusty ? If so, penatrate the rusty heads.....
Maybe another member will have sugestions.
Again sorry, Hope all turns out well.... :smile2:

WilliamTech

 

[Spockster]

The allen screw has Loctite on it. Best to have the wheel on, or least the axle through the forks. Some heat directly on the screw head might help release the thread locker, but you're also heating the oil there if you haven't drained it all.

On top, place a 5/8"-11/16" socket with extension over the top and smack it with a hammer.

 

[dunthyon]

That's why I'm confused, the Allen holes look fine but they won't budge at all. Is that holder tool absolutely necessary for removing those? I don't have a lot of special tools, I kind of thought after I got the top cap off and the spring out it would be simple to remove.

 

[GDI]

Impact wrench on the allen head bolt. Makes it so easy, you won't believe it!

The top end was no trouble on mine--just put a socket over it and held them down w/ a pry bar while I pulled the retaining ring out w/ small screwdriver. It wouldn't hurt to have an extra set of hands. Would guess that it would be harder once the forks are off the bike, too. I pryed against the handlebar while the forks were still in place. . . .

GDI

 

[Spockster]

An impact driver does help with breaking the threadlocker, but it's a tool most don't keep around anymore. Was a 'must have' to remove phillips head crankcase screws. They aren't usually expensive, the impact driver is designed to turn the screw when the driver is struck with a hammer. It's not that the screws are extremely tight, they are just glued with threadlocker. You also have to be wary of stripping out the heads, be sure the hex wrench/bit fits tight.

Releasing the springs won't help with breaking the threadlocker at the bottom. After I loosened the top caps with the hammer/socket, I used the socket/extension to hold the cap down with one hand and popped the clip out with a small screwdriver. The springs will come up about 4-6" when released, so not a lot of tension, but some.

 

[GDI]

I actually meant one of these

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-1...j0kMOtII6Tp2eTQ5yvwhXS4UH7I3H90QaAqyMEALw_wcB

I've had trouble w/ bolt just spinning and not coming out. Once it's loose that can be a problem, too.

 

[Spockster]

I actually meant one of these

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-1...j0kMOtII6Tp2eTQ5yvwhXS4UH7I3H90QaAqyMEALw_wcB

I've had trouble w/ bolt just spinning and not coming out. Once it's loose that can be a problem, too.

I thought that might be what you meant, 'impact gun'. That would break it loose, but you'll want a tight fit on the allen head for sure.

This is an impact driver, or actually, "manual hand impact driver". Used to get these for $7: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...504-5ed9-95c7-b4e005249fcf&pf_rd_i=2399141011

Harbor Freight didn't even list one, they only listed cordless, electric and air impact guns.

I didn't use a holder tool, but it seems like I remember jamming something against the block at the bottom, down through the tube, large blade long screwdriver maybe.

Frickken red Loctite is a biatch. When those screws come loose, it will sound like you broke it off.

 

[dunthyon]

Will be grabbing an impact driver tomorrow, with the allen attachment. However one allen head is almost stripped fully.. If it strips what do I do? And also what bolt can I get to replace it that's not strictly OEM?

 

[Spockster]

Rounding out the head leaves you hacking at it with a chisel or drilling the head off.

I'm thinking your best bet is getting all the oil out of the tube and heating the bolt head with a propane torch, that's the only way to get past the Loctite, besides brute force.

For replacement bolts, you'll need to match the thread size and pitch, and that bolt is only threaded about half it's length. I don't know the sizes but you might find it on a parts diagram at one of the parts websites.

 

[dunthyon]

Haha yeah, I tried a butane torch but that definitely won't get through Red Loctite. I'll mention that too if the impact doesn't work. Hopefully I have just enough headroom left.. I don't want to buy even more tools!

 

[Spockster]

Haha yeah, I tried a butane torch but that definitely won't get through Red Loctite. I'll mention that too if the impact doesn't work. Hopefully I have just enough headroom left.. I don't want to buy even more tools!

The problem is, you have to heat it long enough for the heat to travel about 2" down to the threads and soften the threadlocker. Not sure about butane, haven't used any of those, might run out of gas before much happens.

 

[Sparkys73150]

I would have them taken out by a local machine shop. They will heat them, and if that doesn't work, they'll drill the heads out.

 

[dunthyon]

ATM not enough money for that. I have the tools to do it myself, so I'm gonna try to do it myself tomorrow.

 

[dunthyon]

Okay I'm so confused. Even an impact driver won't get this bolt out. I tried heating it then using the impact driver but it's just stuck inside. What can I do? I just wanted to replace the damn oil seals.

 

[Spockster]

Hate to ask this, but even veteran mechs will once in a while try to turn a bolt the wrong way when it's upside down ... Turning in the proper direction? Counterclockwise?

I'm surprised the impact didn't strip the head. You must have a good hex bit.

I know I used a folding set of hex wrenches, which gives you a better handle to grip. May have used a cheater bar but don't recall. I do remember the loud CRACKK! when the bolts broke loose.

How long did you hammer with the impact? Electric, I assume? Air has more power, but sometimes I need full pressure and have to let it hammer a while. Just have to keep the allen bit centered and level so it doesn't strip out.

I don't think a machine shop would charge all that much just to loosen the bolts. The fork legs will come off and you can carry them in. Drain the oil first. ... and that old fork oil will stink like nothing else.

Even the right muffler shop might do it on a slow day. About 20 seconds with the torch and they'll probably come loose.

 

[dunthyon]

I let it hammer for about 20 seconds, going lefty. I tried warming it up with the butane but it still stuck. I suppose I could try a shop but what shops will do it? All the machine shops are really far out there.

 

[Spockster]

Can't you replace the seals without pulling the fork legs out? Gets trickier to r&r the seals, but I do recall thinking I could've done it with the legs in place. Wouldn't want to scratch/gouge the tube.

 

[Spockster]

I let it hammer for about 20 seconds, going lefty. I tried warming it up with the butane but it still stuck. I suppose I could try a shop but what shops will do it? All the machine shops are really far out there.

If the head of the bolt is holding up well, not stripping, go back and keep hitting it with 20 second bursts.

If it's trying to strip out, don't do it.

Muffler shop might do it. I think the acetylene torch is going the be the key if repeated impacts won't do it. edit: have to be careful with the torch, don't want to melt any aluminum at all.

edit: I've done some with an air impact where I 've had to stop and let the pressure build back up. It just takes a lot more time to hammer them loose sometimes.

 

[dunthyon]

I don't think I can replace the seals without removing the tube, as far as I know. It could be possible but I'm honestly not sure. I'll give it a shot real quick, but I'll do a higher power torch tomorrow if I end up being unable to. The old seal is crumbling like hell for sure though. Will do a shop as a last resort, esp. if the heads get stripped.