Changing bushings in forks/clip on removal questions?

[cfiiman]

This is a pic from the how to:



I was wondering about the (2) bushings and how you know when they need to be changed and how to get them off if they do? Can someone help me out with this? Are special tools required for this F3 swap I am doing? I don't want to get into the middle and be stuck

Also when my F3 forks arrived today they were in good shape! I noticed that as I turned them upside down and then rightside up again I could here oil flowing through the internals, I assume this is normal right since both forks do it? Sorry if that is stupid but this is my first time playing with forks so I want to ask all the questions I can and learn

And last when removing all the stuff on the clipons (brake fluid res., switches, etc.) do you have to fully take everything completely off the bike or can you just tie it out of the way to make it easier?...Thanks guys,

Jason

[SkinnE]

You'd know they need replaced by following the manual for how to do this No way of telling without disassembly, unless they're really bad, in which case there would be play between the stanchions and the sliders. You can tap the bushings off using the slider. The bushings on the tubes are below the bushings in the sliders, so to seperate the lowers from the uppers the bushings have to come out. After removing the bolt in the bottom and the internals and draining the oil, just repeatedly, firmly extend the fork tube, like a slide hammer.

As far as special tools, make sure your 6mm allen fits the bolt in the bottom of the fork leg, some aren't long enough. You'll need something to press the bushings/seals back in. You can make a tool by making a cut along the length of a piece of 2" PVC. Then a zip tie can be used to hold it to the correct diameter.

Don't have any personal experience with F3's, doesn't sound like it's bad

You don't strictly need to remove anything from the clip-ons and can tie them out of the way, making sure not to put any undue stresses on the brake hose, throttle, clutch, choke, and electrical cables.

E

[cfiiman]

E,

Thanks man! So I can just unbolt the clipons with everything attached to them and tie them right (just making sure)

Secondly I need to get some terminology down can you help me with a few things here:

You can tap the bushings off using the slider

How is this accomplished, I thought the only thing that came off with that technique is the fork seal??? In the tutorial it shows after the upper/lower fork has been seperated that the bushings are still in place, so how does this work? I may just be really confused here...

The bushings on the tubes are below the bushings in the sliders, so to seperate the lowers from the uppers the bushings have to come out

Also can you define tubes, and sliders? I guess I thought the upper/lower parts of the fork were simply called upper/lower fork tubes, so I am not sure what to refer too with different terminology, can you clear what is what up for me? And in the tutorial it shows the bushings still on the upper tube and says to "not remove them unless you are going to replace them" so I am confused when you said they have to come out in order to seperate the tubes?

I know it is a pain to help a new guy, but I REALLY appreciate everything! I just want to make sure I really understand this procedure before cracking into it. And I do have a service manual and have read the section several times, and will continue to follow it, but sometimes it seems a little vague to me.

Also I am worried about re-assembly, or more to the point, my new "valves" on top of my F3 forks, how do you get those back in place in order for the notch on the top of the sticker showing the "middle" setting to be accurate? I mean once you pull it out, haven't you screwed that up? Pluse one of my forks is missing that little sticker, so I don't know where it is set at...HELP!

Also, do my F3 forks just have the adjustment for rebound, and not compression? I just read an article that said only rebound is adjusted up at the top of the fork cap, and compression would be down on the bottom, which by using the stock tube at the bottom I wouldn't have that anyway right...I guess I am wondering if all you have is rebound is it that much better? The article also stated that the adjustable cartridge forks really only have control of slow speed damping anyway, is that true?

[jaysun0ne]

some of these smaller details can be figured out alot more easy when its all in front of you.

[SkinnE]

E,

Thanks man! So I can just unbolt the clipons with everything attached to them and tie them right (just making sure)

That's right

can you define tubes, and sliders?

I used "uppers" and "lowers" because I thought it was self explanatory, in case you weren't familiar with the terminology. It's also pointed out in the diagrams in the manual I guess I'll explain: Fork externals are two parts, Stanchions and Sliders. Stanchions are the chromed, smaller diameter part which fits inside of the Slider, usually cast aluminum. The Slider is what holds the fork seals. On the Hawk (and other bikes with traditional forks) the Stanchions are clamped by the triples/yokes, at the top, and the Sliders are on the bottom, with the front axle and fender attached. Their places are reversed on "upside-down" forks, but the chromed part is still a stanchion, and the upper, fatter, cast part is still a slider even though it's held stationary in the yokes.

You can tap the bushings off using the slider

How is this accomplished, I thought the only thing that came off with that technique is the fork seal??? In the tutorial it shows after the upper/lower fork has been seperated that the bushings are still in place, so how does this work? I may just be really confused here...

That's kind of what I meant. In use, the upper bushings are held in the sliders, and slide past the stanchions, so you are removing them from the sliders via the tapping, and then just slide them off the top of the stanchions. I can't recall if the lower bushings slide off the top, or if you have to bend them off. This will all be apparent when you have it in hand, like Jaysun said.

I mentioned the manual because you asked how to tell if the bushings need replaced. The manual tells you exactly how to inspect them (s12 - p15). And I'm afraid I don't know about your questions regarding the F3s. Aside from the F3 damping you asked about, just make sure you've got fork oil, new oil seals and it'd be handy to have new copper washers for the drain bolts, and a set of bushings, in case they need replaced. They shouldn't be expensive, and if you need them, you've got them. Something to drive in the new seals, and a 6mm allen that fits the bottom bolt and you're set.

E

[cfiiman]

E thanks again, like Jaysun said I figured it out by taking it all apart and then everything made sense

[SkinnE]

Heh, just saw your 30 other threads about how you've finished the job... Been offline for two days and was catching up on posts, I read the oldest ones first.