So I'm redoing my seals/oil, Sachs USD from a Tuono, and running into a problem. Turned preload all the way out, undo fork cap, slide the sleeve down, but with the sleeve down I only get to the two holes on the preload pipe. No spring exposed like there should be. Any thoughts?
Don't specifically know those forks but they sound like most other inverted. What you're seeing is right, you need a special tool. It's a ring with 2 pointed threaded handles that drops over the tube, thread the points into the holes, this gives you handles to compress the spring to get to the lock nut to unthread the cap. Hope that makes sense, to lazy to look for a pic. Got ambitious, here ya go.
Thanks bandit. I have that tool and have done other forks, but that's what is confusing me. With the preload out and the sleeve down I can access those two holes, but they are at the very top of the sleeve and dont allow to compress down any further. I expected another inch of space so I could compress and access the lock nut to get the cap off.
Maybe a special compression tool allow you to engage the holes but go down into the upper tube to give you that compression? Gotta pic?
Not insulted, just haven't seen it like this before and the service manual doesn't mention it. I'll get a better picture tomorrow but it looks like your normal setup but where the tool engages is right at the sleeve top not with no extra gap. This picture is right out of the manual but I've shaded in where my fork sleeve is. Someone else suggested that aprila used old pictures or there was a special tool, but I haven't been able to confirm either.
Weird, or maybe someone fucked up and put the sleeve in upside down? I know what i'd do, but i don't know if its a good idea or not.
Could be, I mean it is aprilia Haha. I'm going to pull the other leg in the morning and see if it's set up in the same orientation.
The bottom of the cartridge does have machined flats, but i dunno if that completely solves the issue? How do you set the oil level after servicing? Time for a service manual methinks.
Here is a better picture, this is the other fork which is identical. You can see where the tool would go, but the holes are not usable for anything that I can tell. I have the factory service manual, which of course has a picture using this tool but with an inch or two of spring showing.
Well I see two different pics and two diff setups. The second has a 3 inch or so chrome tube which looks like a preload spacer. Your first pic does not have it in there. Am I correct and is that intentional?
The first one is straight out of the service manual for my year bike, the second one is my actual fork. Another member on an Aprilia forum verified their fork internal looked the same as mine. It's possible that Aprilia used pictures from the older gen sachs fork and that the spacer was added to the newer ones. There just does not seem to be any info on the "official" way to compress it.
Even that compressor would not work because the holes cannot be used to compress the spring any further.
You might do what TWF2 suggested and take whole cartridge out. Expose entirely then take apart. Usually need a tool to hold cart from spinning when loosening at bottom but you might get lucky. Have done it in the past.
I might as a last resort. I can not find the chrome spacer in any of the parts fiches either for that fork.
Shouldn't need a tool, the cartridge wont spin. Pull it out and see whats up. I wonder if spacers were installed incorrectly.
Just wanted to follow up in case some other poor soul googles and is looking for the answer. It was confirmed the service manual uses old photos. The sachs fork on this bike has little internal preload, you have to push the chrome tube down by hand to access the lock nut. Kind of a PITA doing it with one set of hands, but was able to get it all completed.
